Insiders’ Hamptons: Where to Go and What to Do This Summer

There is something timeless about summer in the Hamptons: bike rides through the countryside; long afternoons at the beach; seaside picnics; a stop at the farmers market or a farm stand for tomatoes and rhubarb pie; and cocktail hour followed by lobster bakes and alfresco dinner parties. But in addition to its classic appeal, the favorite summer escape is constantly evolving, welcoming new shops, restaurants and attractions with each season. To kick off this summer, we’ve gathered the best of what’s new and on our radar in the Hamptons—and we surveyed local insiders for their go-to places that never go out of style.

 Contact Indagare or your Trip Designer to start planning a summer vacation in the Hamptons—this year and beyond. Our team can match you with the luxury hotels, restaurants and experiences that are right for you (and more).

Plus: Click here to shop our exclusive Indagare x Mytheresa style edit for the Hamptons. For personalized style services, we are delighted to offer access to Mytheresa’s VIP Personal Shopping Program. Email myindagare@mytheresa.com to get started.

WHAT’S NEW THIS SUMMER

The Hamptons are back in full force, with a host of new boutique hotels, restaurants (including some big names from Manhattan and Brooklyn) and cultural experiences. Whether you prefer family-friendly Sag Harbor, stylish Southampton, picturesque East Hampton or surfer-sceney Montauk, there’s plenty to entertain this season. Plus: Don’t miss out on excursions to Shelter Island and the North Fork, two traditionally quieter destinations that have been gathering buzz since last summer thanks to some chic new hangouts.

Where to Stay

SOUTH FORK

Hampton Bays is heating up thanks to a country-club-chic reincarnation by Main Street Hospitality of Canoe Place—which is alleged to be “America’s oldest inn,” established in 1697—that is now open for its first full season since launching last August. The property offers a curation of historic and contemporary art, the Mediterranean/New American restaurant and bar Good Ground Tavern (featuring stone-baked pizzas), manicured gardens, an outdoor pool and the Onda spa (co-founded by Naomi Watts, Larissa Thomson and Sarah Bryden-Brown). Rooms include guest accommodations in the Inn, freestanding cottages and residence-style boathouses. Starting June 25, the property will offer “Spritz Sundays,” with inventive Spritz-themed cocktails showcasing local herbs. (And speaking of cocktails—according to local lore, in the ’70s, it was a Canoe Place bartender who invented the infamous Long Island Iced Tea.)

Also in Hampton Bays is The Inn Spot, which was reopened last summer by the team behind the revamp of EHP Resort & Marina. This laidback, surfer-chic enclave offers standalone bungalows as well as one-bedroom suites in the main building, all on the waterfront of Shinnecock Bay (steps from Ponquogue Beach), where you will also find Crash Cantina, one of the area’s most popular new restaurants. With ocean views and an expansive patio ideal for catching golden hour, Crash Cantina highlights a menu of Latin American fare (with an emphasis on seafood, tacos and salads) and a curated list of mezcal and tequila (which can be sipped straight or in specialty margaritas, with flavors like tamarind and hibiscus).

In Montauk, the historic, family-owned beach motel Daunt’s Albatross reopened last summer after a two-year renovation, giving the 1977-founded hideaway a more contemporary feel and upgrades like a charming interior courtyard with fire pits, a pool, interiors by the Brooklyn-based Home Studios (with Parachute linens), and Bird on the Roof Restaurant. Despite being located right off of the plaza (steps from the Gig Shack, Goldberg’s and Montauk Brewing Company), the vibe here is relaxed—and more family-friendly than other nearby properties.

Down the street, Marram Montauk has just launched a membership program, running from June through August. Designed for repeat Montauk visitors, the program includes one guaranteed three-night stay per month (June, July, August), with priority upgrades (subject to availability) and early check-in and late check-out; preferred pricing for Blade helicopter services; a $600 food and beverage credit, per stay, at the on-site Argentinian cafe, Mostrador Marram; a reserved private poolside cabana for half-day use and one private Marram experience, per day, for two (including tarot readings, reiki, surf lessons from the award-winning Engstrom Surf school and more); gifts from Le Labo; and a dedicated, members-only concierge service. (Memberships start at $18,000 ($25,000 value). Contact our team to inquire about joining.)

At Gurney’s Montauk, a new 30,000-square-foot Seawater Spa was unveiled last summer, after a 20 million dollar renovation and redesign by architect Ignacio Alonso (who envisioned New York City’s Aire Ancient Baths). The comprehensive wellness facility features the only ocean-fed seawater pool in North America; a bathhouse with a dry sauna, eucalyptus steam room, hot-and-cold plunge pools and salt room; ocean-facing treatment rooms (for massages, facials and more); and a 24/7 fitness center equipped with state-of-the-art machines and custom experiences like aqua yoga and resistance training, and beachside boot camp hosted by rotating fitness influencers. This summer, the resort has also added three new beachfront standalone residences. Similarly, Amagansett mainstays The Roundtree and The Reform Club have launched new accommodations (a three-bedroom Beach House at Roundtree and the luxe four-bedroom 21 House, with four en-suite bathrooms, at The Reform Club). And at Water Mill wellness retreat Shou Sugi Ban House, don’t miss a new series of bio-harmonization treatments this summer, incorporating state-of-the-art Western technologies (including biometric testing, cryotherapy and electro-magnetic field therapy) with traditional Eastern practices, combined to promote longevity, performance optimization, and recovery and rejuvenation.

NORTH FORK

On Shelter Island, last summer saw two major reopenings that have lived up to the hype: in celebration of its 150-year anniversary, mainstay property The Chequit (which used to welcome the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Arthur Miller and the Kennedys) unveiled a full restoration, featuring brand-new guest rooms outfitted with Frette linens and Malin+Goetz bath products, as well as new dining concepts. Just a five-minute drive west, beyond Sunset Beach, another historic institution—The Pridwin, established in 1927—reopened last June after a two-year, multi-million-dollar renovation. Property highlights include a private swath of Crescent Beach, an outdoor pool and tennis courts, a new restaurant and cocktail bar with live music, a spa and a variety of guest rooms and freestanding private cottages that can accommodate groups of all sizes.

Also on our radar in the historic village of Greenport: Silver Sands Motel and Beach Bungalows is the newest hospitality venture (opening June 30) from Chef Ryan Hardy (of New York’s Charlie Bird, Pasquale Jones, Legacy Records and more). This 1950s-era residence has been redesigned with a breezy, contemporary aesthetic, with rooms in the main building, private cottages, two-bedroom bungalows and three-to-five-bedroom houses. The property offers private beach access as well as an on-site dining concept. The Hotel Moraine is a boutique property that opened earlier this month on a bluff overlooking the sound. Rooms are light and airy, with a minimalist, Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic (light wood floors and furnishings and organically shaped accents), as well as private terraces, soaking tubs, fireplaces and connecting options ideal for groups or families. Amenities include access to a small, private rocky-sand beach, complimentary paddle-boards and bikes, a pool deck and fitness center, and a restaurant.

Where to Eat & Drink

From Amagansett’s Wölffer Kitchen—which has been rebranded as Christian’s by Wölffer Estate, with a redesign of the interiors and patio and a menu update—and Montauk’s Sel Rrose and Lunch (aka The Lobster Roll, which opened an outpost in Southampton last year) to Water Mill’s Calissa and Southampton’s Sant Ambroeus (which also has a new-ish outpost, in East Hampton) and Tutto Il Giorno—and many al fresco spots in between—there’s no shortage of fabulous restaurants in the Hamptons. Book now to secure a reservation at your favorite spots—and in the meantime, these are a few openings to add to your list:

• Mavericks Montauk (Montauk): The anticipated steakhouse on Fort Pond is focused on seasonal, New York ingredients (sourced from the End of the World to the Hudson Valley). Seafood will also be a highlight—and don’t miss the “Après-Beach” menu. The restaurant is the brainchild of Vanessa Price (a respected sommelier and the wine director for Wildflower Farms, an Auberge Resort) and James Beard-nominated chef Jeremy Blutstein (whose resume includes Crow’s Nest, The Surf Lodge and Showfish at Gurney’s Star Island).
• Sag Harbor Kitchen (Sag Harbor): In the former Bay Street space that housed beloved restaurant Dockside, Sag Harbor kitchen debuts this week, helmed by Melissa O’Donnell, a celebrated New York chef (and recipient of five Michelin Bib Gourmand awards).
• Fini Pizza (Amagansett): A new pizza place from the co-owner of Williamsburg Italian icons Lilia and Misi.
• Enchanté (Southampton): From the team behind EHP Resort & Marina (and its main restaurant Sí Sí), Enchanté has taken over Southampton’s historic Red Bar with French bistro fare—and a hint of Côte d’Azur elegance.
• Sunset Harbor (East Hampton): After a successful opening last summer at EHP Resort & Marina, Sunset Harbor will debut a new Japanese-influenced menu for this season.
• Sushi by Boū (Southampton): From the New York group Simplevenue, Sushi by Boū will offer two timed omakase experiences (30 minutes or one hour) at eight-seat counters—alongside a dining room and speakeasy-inspired lounge designed for vinyl DJs (and maybe some dancing).
• Torch & Crown Brewing Company (Montauk): Montauk will welcome a weekends-only outpost (on through Labor Day) of the Manhattan brewery, in the Best Pizza & Dive Bar space. The beer garden will also host live music performances.

Plus: You can sample bites and sips from many of these establishments and others during the Dan’s Taste Summer Series, including a tasting party at EHP Resort & Marina, a clambake at Gurney’s and more. RSVP here.

Where to Shop & Explore

In between long beach days, barbecues and bonfires with friends and family, leisurely strolls and bikes rides and evenings out on the town, these are the new addresses to know for a dose of art, fashion and culture in the Hamptons:

• Hamptons Fine Art Fair (Southampton): From July 13 – 16 on the Southampton Fairgrounds, the Hamptons Fine Art Fair returns as the only international art fair in the Hamptons this summer, with special events like a celebration of Picasso’s oeuvre on the 50th anniversary of his death, curated by London based Shapero Modern, and a Francophile-themed fundraised to benefit the Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer Foundation.
• The Church (Sag Harbor): In 2021, artists Eric Fischl and April Gornik unveiled a new community arts center in Sag Harbor, within a restored former Methodist Church. The project aims to protect Sag Harbor’s unique history and culture—celebrating its legacy as a diverse creative enclave—and features rotating artist residencies, exhibitions and speaker events. The Church will reopen (after closing for installations) on June 25 for a new exhibition, Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing, which “explores boxing as both theme and metaphor” through over 100 historic and contemporary works, including some that were newly commissioned for the show.
• The Southampton Arts Center (Southampton): Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Southampton Arts Center will host its annual Whimsy in the Garden party on June 24, with cocktails, fresh florals and jazz.
• Peter Marino Foundation (Southampton): In 2022, architect Peter Marino unveiled a new gallery housing his private collection in Southampton, within the former Rogers Memorial Library (a striking Victorian mansion designed in 1895). In addition to the impressive works on display inside, the gallery features enchanting gardens dotted with contemporary sculptures. This summer, upcoming exhibitions include a summer-long display of Georg Baselitz, rotating exhibitions of contemporary works by Erwin Wurm and Michal Rovner, and photography shows by Eugène Atget and Italian-born local photographer Priscilla Rattazzi.
• Top Shopping: East Hampton welcomed new storefronts for Louis Vuitton and Chanel (Chanel Ephemeral), featuring seasonal, bespoke edits; also in East Hampton fashion, we’re excited for new boutiques from Derek Lam 10 Crosby and Madhappy (featuring an exclusive summer collection, available in-store only); La Vie Style House will serve all your caftan and cover-up needs in a new space in Southampton; and for beauty and gifts, don’t miss new installations of Diptyque and Bobbi Brown’s Jones Road Beauty (both in East Hampton).

In case you missed it, check out some openings from last summer that we still love: What’s New in the Hamptons: Summer 2022.

— Elizabeth Harvey

THE INSIDERS’ GUIDE: MELISSA’S PICKS

Indagare founder Melissa Biggs Bradley shares her list for the South Fork:

• Favorite bakery and lunch spot: “Carissa’s Bakery in East Hampton, which has now opened in Sag Harbor as well, and I hope one day has an outlet in Southampton. The pickle bread is my favorite, and I buy marinated goat cheese to put on it—and then sprinkle everything bagel mix on top. I also love their bowls and sandwiches.”
• Favorite bagels: “Goldberg’s. The original in Southampton but there are outlets in East Hampton and Wainscott, and the Village Cheese Shop in Southampton and other stores stock them. I love their flagels.”
• Favorite lunch restaurants: “Tutto Il Giorno and Sant Ambroeus in Southampton—and they are opening in East Hampton; Le Bilboquet in Sag Harbor and Sunset Beach on Shelter Island.”
• Favorite spot for gifts: “Aerin in East Hampton and Southampton, which is a great source for beautiful fragrance and beauty products but also elegant housewares and beach accessories, and the Monogram Shop in East Hampton.”
• Favorite antiques and housewares shops: “Laurin Copen Antiques in Bridgehampton; Mecox Gardens, which has moved to Water Mill; and Katie Leede & Company in Sag Harbor.”
• Favorite clothing boutiques: “Michelle Farmer; Carleen Ligozzo and Hadleigh’s, all on Job’s Lane in Southampton, are all independent boutiques where the owners’ curation and creations provide a sense of discovery and uniqueness. Kirna Zabete in East Hampton also has an amazing selection.”
• Favorite spot for pastries and cakes: “Tate’s, which was formerly called Kathleen’s. I love their lemon squares, blueberry cinnamon buckle and chocolate cupcakes. And Levain in Wainscott for to-die-for cookies.”
• Favorite spots for fresh cheeses: “Mecox Bay Dairy is a family-run dairy in Bridgehampton that sells delicious meats and cheeses. (Favorites are Atlantic Mist and Mecox Sunrise.) Cavaniola’s Gourmet in Sag Harbor also sells delicious truffle honey that is divine with goat cheese.”
• Favorite spa: “Shou Sugi Ban House in Watermill, which has great therapists and a surprisingly Zen atmosphere, and Spa 27 in East Hampton for manicures, pedicures and massages.”
• Favorite bookstores: “Bookhampton in East Hampton; Sag Harbor Books, which has branches in Sag and Southampton; and Canio’s in Sag, all of which have frequent author talks and signings, as well as sellers who read widely and recommend well.”
• Favorite spots for a dose of art or inspiration: “Peter Marino Art Foundation in Southampton, which has an amazing collection and exhibitions; the Parrish Art Gallery; Madoo Gardens in Sagaponack; James Turrell in Bridgehampton. This summer I want to finally make it to the Jackson Pollock-Lee Krasner house in Springs.”
• Favorite day trips: “Exploring the North Fork and Shelter Island or heading to Montauk with a stop in Amagansett. Both are even better when done by boat instead of car.”
• On my radar: “Friends rave about the restaurant Highway in East Hampton for its fun atmosphere, great cocktail menu, best eggplant Parmesan and roasted chicken, and Bostwick’s in East Hampton for its classic lobster roll and its hot lobster roll and fries. I’m also looking forward to the opening of Fini Pizza on Main Street in Amagansett from Sean Feeney of Lilia and Misi.”

Related: What’s New in the Hamptons: Summer 2021

THE INSIDERS’ GUIDE: LOCAL FAVORITES

Kate Betts | Journalist & Author of My Paris Dream

How long have you been going to Sag Harbor?
“I’ve been coming to Sag Harbor since the early 1980s. My father bought a house here when the village was still relatively undiscovered by New York City weekenders. He liked the fact that it was a year-round community and he loved the Victorian architecture. I was married in the Old Whaler’s Church and my dad is buried in Oakland Cemetery, along with many of the village’s whaling captains, George Balanchine and James Salter. Although the village has changed a lot, and the town has allowed too many historical houses to become overbuilt McMansions, I still love the fact that Sag Harbor is a real American town filled with characters and politics and intrigue.”

What are your favorite spots for breakfast, lunch or dinner?
“I cook a lot so Pike’s Farmstand on Sagaponack Road is a must, as is Serene Green on Noyack Road. These are my go-to farm stands and they are the best in the Hamptons. Breakfast is coffee at the Golden Pear on Main Street. They have the best coffee and, if you’re a dog owner, the clutch of fellow dog owners sitting outside is fun. Harbor Market [is] great [for] salads and pizza. For dinner, I eagerly await[ed] the reopening of Sen, the popular Japanese restaurant on Main Street, which recently underwent a huge renovation.”

Related: East Coast Vacations: Easy Summer Escapes

– Indagare on June 15, 2023