Grand Season Finale

Where To Eat Before And After Going To The Hampton Classic

The Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the largest show jumping contests in the U.S., is celebrating its 50th anniversary. You can bet plenty of A-list celebrities will be among the 50,000 spectators expected to attend the week-long event August 24 to 31 in Bridgehampton. So where are you going to eat before or after the events?

Just up the Montauk highway where Sagaponack meets Wainscott is Townline BBQ where you can choose between St. Louis ribs, brisket, or pulled pork; collards or slaw; German chocolate cake or banana pudding. But don’t forget cornbread with everything. And the prices won’t break the bank. The rustic décor with reclaimed barn wood is casual and convivial. The bar is welcoming too with its 70 plus whiskey selections and plenty of local craft beer. 

Old world elegance meets modern sophistication at Jean-Georges at Topping Rose House, Bridgehampton’s luxury boutique hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in the light and airy dining room. Though the restaurant bills itself as casually chic, the dishes are as refined as you would expect. The emphasis is on seasonal produce and local fish and seafood. A refreshing dinner could start with sweet pea soup with Parmesan foam or tuna tartare with avocado, spicy radish and ginger marinade. Appealing mains include crispy  Montauk fluke with saffron aioli and peas, seared black sea bass with ginger scallions, and  grilled lamb chops with passion fruit BBQ sauce and summer beans. The $10 happy hour is back from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. 

If you’re in the mood for red-sauce Italian, Arthur & Sons is right on the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike. Reliable appetizers include fried calamari and baked clams oreganato. There’s pasta every which way including Old School Sunday gravy. The Parms include chicken, eggplant, and veal. Chicken and veal are both offered Milanese, Marsala, and Francese. The Isidori family has operated restaurants in New York City since 1954. This is their first outpost in the Hamptons now in its second season. The decor illuminated by Tiffany style lamps is warm and friendly and is intended to pay homage to the New York Italian-American scene.

Just off Bridgehampton’s main drag on School Street, you’ll find yourself in a Greek island fantasy. Elaia (pronounced alayah) Estiatorio is a modern Greek restaurant seamlessly blending tradition and invention. There’s no shortage of traditional spreads, Greek salad, moussaka, octopus, and ouzo.  But there are also delicious interpretations of local fish and seafood all artfully plated. And then there’s the show stopping lamb shank encased in parchment paper with potatoes, onions, carrots, tomato and Kefalograviera cheese. Owners Sofia Crokas and Chris Boudouris say they want diners to feel like they’re having a Sunday dinner with family. Sofia’s background in fashion and design shows in the restaurant’s charming candlelight aesthetic. Chris, also the owner of Bridgehampton Wine Cellars, uses his expertise to curate an impressive wine list with a focus on Greek wines. A generous happy hour at the bar extends to 6:30 p.m. Opa!