GETAWAYS • The Hamptons
In the late ’80s, East Hampton was still a quiet fishing town with limited dining options, but early interest in good food was there. On weekend afternoons, the post-beach crowd flocked to Fierro’s Pizza by the old A&P for cheesy slices and chewy garlic knots. Later, some would drop by Ina Garten’s black-and-white-tiled Barefoot Contessa to pick up imported cheese and coffee (the profound aroma of freshly roasted beans hit you the moment you walked in) for the next morning.
As for restaurants, in 1988 and thereafter, the buzziest place to be was the newly launched Nick & Toni’s. I was too young to dine at Nick & Toni’s at the time, but I understood that it was an adult restaurant — and that it was special. In the years since, I’ve dined there many times, and still feel a sense of adultness to be able to dine at Nick & Toni’s.
On a Thursday night over the July 4th weekend, the restaurant was unsurprisingly busy. Many larger groups and families were having an early dinner (my reservation was at 630p), and servers were carrying bottles of wine and lush salads, jetting from table to table to keep up.
The food has always been rustic Mediterranean-Italian, with a focus on seasonal ingredients prepped in a wood-fueled hearth. (Nick & Toni’s has its own one-acre garden that supplies much of its produce). The restaurant, largely refreshed in 2013, is broken up into several small dining rooms with white walls, blonde wood accents, bistro chairs, and large rust-colored tiled floors.
After sitting down with my husband, I picked up the wine list and was immediately impressed — and surprised — by how reasonably priced the bottles were, with a strong focus on French and Italian expressions. I was especially delighted to spot the elusive Château des Tours Réserve (a coveted bottle from the iconic Chateau Rayas estate in the Southern Rhône Valley) listed at $255, and promptly ordered it.
We had a great dinner. Nick and Toni’s iconic zucchini chips are cut tissue paper-thin and fried, and the wood-fired focaccia is golden-edged, plump, and chewy (I just wish it was served warm). You may have heard about the rich and creamy-tasting red shrimp coming out of Montauk — an ingredient that’s steadily been making its way onto NYC menus. At Nick & Toni’s, the simple preparation highlights how delicious this local crustacean can be, dressed only with olive oil and lemon, crowned with a delicate nest of crispy fried leeks.
Since opening, Nick & Toni’s has always offered house-made pasta. The campanelle — a ruffled, twisted shape — is tossed in a bright sun-dried tomato and basil pesto, topped with a half-round of burrata, finished with microplaned toasted almonds. There’s always a daily local catch — whole local sea bass, this night — stuffed with lemon rings and thyme, roasted until its skin is blistered in that wood-fired oven. It’s dishes like this that encapsulate the simplicity of great summer dining in the Hamptons, all grown up. –Kat Odell
→ Nick & Toni’s (East Hampton) • 136 N Main St • Daily from 530p • Reserve.