Each year, the eastern end of Long Island gets louder and livelier with new bars, clubs and even speakeasies. This summer, the scene promises to sizzle with a series of openings that offer different levels of fun. If martinis and mahjong are your dream night out, we know just the place. You’d rather guzzle magnums of rosé on a boat? We’ll help you set sail.
Raise a glass to our list of the most intriguing places to see and be seen in the Hamptons this season.
Last summer, Dante — a cocktail bar that originated in Greenwich Village in 1915 and has topped the world’s best bar lists ever since — brought its famous Negronis to London (at Claridge’s) and the French Riviera (at the Maybourne Riviera’s ABC Kitchen by Jean-Georges Vongerichten). This year, Dante is heading to the historic Pridwin Hotel and Cottages, a 10-acre property (named after King Arthur’s shield) on Shelter Island’s Crescent Beach.
“Teaming up with another brand with a storied history like the Pridwin felt like a natural fit,” says Dante co-owner Linden Pride. Guests can indulge in creations from the New York Cocktail Company — curated by Dante — on the terrace or in the cozy Osprey Nest Pool Bar.
Don’t miss the Sunset Negroni sbagliato (made with Brooklyn Gin, Sanpellegrino and prosecco) or Dante’s Dirty (with Grey Goose and olive oil). Beginning May 17, Dante will host a mahjong night each Sunday. A few Vesper martinis just might improve everyone’s game.
The Corner
1 Main St., Sag Harbor
Since opening in 1978, the Corner Bar has been both literally and figuratively a cornerstone of the community. Located at the intersection of Main Street and Ferry Road, the wood-paneled tavern sits at the center of town life. It’s where locals gather to celebrate birthdays and watch sports. It may be a dive bar, but it’s also surrounded by yachts and packed with glamorous people.
This summer, the bar is being taken over by Kelly and John Piccinnini, owners of the well-known Clam Bar in Napeague, who are restoring its original name: the Corner. Their plan is to preserve the spirit of the bar while making needed upgrades.
“It’s for people who respect their local dive bar but wouldn’t mind if the food quality was leveled up,” says Kelly. “The bathroom isn’t from the ’80s, the internet is stable and servers use handhelds so orders go in quickly.” Sip espresso martinis “that taste bomb,” made with coffee from the pair’s other business, Sett Coffee in Amagansett. Sports watch parties and board game nights are also on tap.
Last summer, Offshore opened in Montauk with oceanfront suites, a gym (featuring cold plunges and red light therapy), beach service and a pool filled with bright inflatables. This summer, the hotel is unveiling its next phase: a three-level venue with a rooftop restaurant, Este, set to open in late summer. It will offer a beachy atmosphere with views of both the ocean and the sunset over Fort Pond.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Este will prioritize locally sourced ingredients and serve cocktails. The hotel is also adding fire pits for post-sunset drinks and programming, such as free outdoor movie nights. Offshore eventually plans to open a speakeasy-style members club on the second level, though that may not debut until 2027.
Bird on the Roof, the popular restaurant at Daunt’s Albatross hotel in Montauk, has long pushed the boundaries of the local nightlife scene. In past years, it introduced espresso martini Jell-O shots (served alongside a full martini) and hosted a lively speakeasy requiring a password (always a bird species) for entry.
This summer, it’s raising the bar with Night Bird, an after-hours experience running Thursdays through Saturdays. “The lights go low, the blinds close and the room glows in deep reds,” says owner Leo Daunt. The cocktail menu offers a tongue-in-cheek take on bottle service, like a 375-milliliter freezer martini. The boîte will offer live music every Saturday, and guests who stay until midnight will be rewarded with a warm cup of Midnight Miso.
The bar is also experimenting with new cocktail concepts, including a Guinness program featuring a precise 45-degree pour into a 30-ounce Toucan glass, finished with the classic two-part pour. There’s even an Everything Bagel Martini, made with fat-washed vodka, nonfat Greek yogurt and everything bagel seasoning.
John Meadow, the force behind Scarpetta and LDV at the Maidstone, is opening a 19-room hotel in Montauk Harbor this month featuring a marina, restaurant and beach club.
“‘Barlume’ means a glimmer of light in Italian,” Meadow tells Alexa. “This is our take on a Mediterranean beach club, like what you see in St. Barts or Saint-Tropez, but without the pretense.” The indoor-outdoor hot spot will channel “rosé all day” energy. “It’s for arriving at 3 p.m. for lunch in your best linen summer whites, then gradually relaxing into the evening,” he says.
Live music will be featured many weekends, including DJs with saxophone players (St. Lucia, the indie pop band, will perform during opening weekend on June 6). As the evening cools, four fire pits will offer stylish spots to lounge. The hotel will also offer full catering to boats in its 19 marina slips.
Riffs and remixes on classic cocktails from Hamptons’ hot spots
Want to keep the party flowing at home all sumer long? We’ve got you covered with recipes for signature sips from East End nightlife experts.
East End Bloody Mary
Courtesy of Lobster Roll, 1980 Montauk Highway, Amagansett
2 oz. vodka
4 oz. V8 juice
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
1-2 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
½-1 tsp. horseradish
Pinch celery salt
Pinch black pepper
Rub a lemon around the rim of a highball glass and dip it in Old Bay Seasoning. Fill the glass three-quarters to the top with ice. Shake ingredients well. Pour into the glass. Garnished with one large cooked shrimp, chilled; a celery stalk; one slice smoked bacon; a lemon wedge; one blue cheese-stuffed olive; and a fresh parsley sprig.
Come Fly With Me
Courtesy of Miracle, 29 Main St., Sag Harbor
2 oz. Farmer’s Organic Gin
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. Collina Viola aperitivo4 drops foaming bitters
Shake ingredients and strain into a coupe glass. Serve up. Garnish with a dehydrated lemon and two lavender sprigs.
2 oz. New York Cocktail Company Mezcalito Negroni (a smoky mezcal combined with Italian bitters and dry vermouth)
2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
2 oz. Fever-Tree pink grapefruit soda
Build all ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a dehydrated grapefruit slice and a half salt rim.
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