Memorial Day is here, and with it, the official start to high season in the Hamptons. The upscale boutiques of East Hampton are now open, Duryea’s dock is now serving that lobster Cobb salad, and a fleet of Hampton Jitneys are once again cruising down Highway 27A (or, with the area’s notorious traffic, more like crawling).
For those heading out east, what’s new to do? The short answer: a lot. A buzzy chef sets her sights on Sag Harbor, one of the world’s most famous fashion brands swings open its doors at 1 Main Street, and in Montauk, the Surf Lodge has announced one of its most dynamic concert series to date. Below, the most noteworthy hotel, restaurant, shopping, and wellness openings in the Hamptons for the summer of 2023.
After a nine-month renovation, Montauk Yacht Club makes a triumphant return to Star Island by taking over the former Gurney’s Resort space. Boaters will appreciate the new and improved marina, including upgraded Wi-Fi, fishing stations, and firepits, whereas those more interested in leisure pursuits on land can play around on the recently installed pickleball courts.
Enchanté (Southampton)
What was once Southampton’s Red bar is now Enchanté, a French bistro that takes its cues from Left Bank brasseries and Pampelonne beach clubs. The menu includes classics like escargot and salade niçoise, but with a summer twist.
Sant Ambroeus quietly opened an East Hampton restaurant in November, making this summer its high-season debut. Just like its Southampton sister location, expect it to be a place where you can see and be seen—while having an excellent bowl of spaghetti pomodoro in the process.
Michelin Award-winning chef Melissa O’Donnell, best known for Salt in New York City, opens her first restaurant out east with Sag Harbor Kitchen. Located in a historic building on Bay Street, it’ll serve lobster, seafood, and—this is a bold statement—what they say will be the best burger in the Hamptons. Looks like you’ll have to head to Sag Harbor to find out.
Craft brewery Torch & Crown opens a beer garden at Dive Bar Pizza (formerly known as Best Pizza). They worked on curating a menu that pairs perfectly with a slice, including their Almost Famous IPA with peach and grapefruit notes and Share House, a crisp ale. The spot will also have a live band or DJ every weekend.
Leo Daunt, the third-generation owner of Daunt’s Albatross who recently transformed the modest motel into a buzzy boutique offering, continues his brand expansion with nouveau-American restaurant the Bird. With its in-town location, it’s sure to be a casual hotspot for breakfast and lunch. (Fittingly, there’s a gourmet egg sandwich that will surely appeal to those who may have gone a little too hard at the Surf Lodge.)
The dancing-on-the-table French bistro in SoHo—often compared to Bagatelle—will bring its festive, upscale energy to Montauk this summer. Have some steak frites and shimmy the night away.
Vanessa Price, the wine director of Wildflower Farms, and James Beard-nominated chef Jeremy Blutstein have co-opened Mavericks, a waterfront restaurant on Fort Pond in Montauk. Dine on surf and turf while enjoying the sunset on the deck, or indoors under an original Andy Warhol screen print.
The French fashion house opens its first boutique in East Hampton at 1 Main Street, further elevating the town’s already very elevated main shopping stretch. Vuitton has carefully curated its offerings to reflect the Hamptons’ easy-yet-elevated East Coast aesthetic—so look out for bespoke beachy items.
As its name implies, Marina St. Barth offers an impeccable curation for those who live a certain leisurely lifestyle: you know, St. Barths or Lyford Cay in the winter, the Hamptons or St. Tropez in the summer. After launching a successful boutique in Southhampton, they’ve now opened a second location in East Hampton, just off Main Street. Pick up straw hats, beach totes, tunics, and other stylish essentials for some fun in the sun.
Under the direction of the perennially white-clad Jayma Cardoso, the Surf Lodge Summer Concert series is back with an impressive lineup of acts across genres. On Memorial Day Weekend, EDM artist Hayden James and Purple Disco Machine take the stage, while July will welcomes electro-pop headliners like Lauv and Anna of the North. But, to tweak an old adage, the buzziest might be for last: On Labor Day, certified-platinum artist Quinn XCII is set to close out the season.
At Longhouse Reserve, a cultural center in the former home of textile designer Jack Lenor Larson, Glenn Adamson and Object & Thing’s Abby Bangser have co-curated an art exhibit on the historic estate’s first floor. Titled “A Summer Arrangement,” it features works by Rashid Johnson, Simone Bodmer-Turner, and Frances Palmer among many others. An added bonus? The installation is designed by the critically acclaimed interior stylist Colin King.
For their landmark 125th anniversary, the Parrish Art Museum asked 41 esteemed artists with East End roots—including Cindy Sherman, KAWS, and Roberto Lugo—to curate a show that includes both their own work and that of others who reflect the East End’s long artistic legacy.
The trampoline-workout class that’s attracted the likes of Eva Longoria and Drew Barrymore is opening a seasonal summer studio in Bridgehampton’s Topping Rose House. The class is invite-only, but eager East End jumpers can apply on their website.
The Italian skincare brand is popping up in Southampton on Scotch Mist Lane. They will offer a number of “summer-friendly” treatments including a relaxer facial with an oxygen dome and skin brushing, as well as body treatments with their signature organic cotton-thread exfoliation. Simone himself will also host one-on-one classes on how to best take care of your face and body.