By Josh Engel
Who wants to cook while spending a relaxing summer weekend away from the hustle and bustle? These Hamptons foodie-havens are known for the best, highest quality, most delicious take-out. For a party, a picnic, or just a dinner made simple, try one of these and you might just throw away your stove.
Foody’s
Manhattanites’ recent focus on local, sustainable foods has begun migrating to the Hamptons. Foody’s, a new venture by chef and Slow Foods East End leader Bryan Futerman, is committed to using local, organic, and sustainable products whenever possible, in addition to providing inventive spins on classic regional and Italian specialties. Diners looking for barbecue comfort food will be pleased to find the regulars represented—jumbo buffalo wings, St. Louis ribs, and grilled rib-eye steak and free-range chicken. Foody’s also boasts a wide variety of eclectic pizzas, with toppings like clams, pecorino and breadcrumbs, spinach and ricotta, and wood-grilled vegetable with home-made fresh mozzarella. Justly proud of that mozzarella, Futerman puts it to use across the menu—in a salad with tomato and basil, on ciabatta with pesto and olive oil, and on the Foody’s wood-grilled version of chicken parmesan.
760 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, NY; (631) 726-FOOD
Citarella
Travelling Citarella addicts needn’t pack the car full of shopping bags on the trip up from the city. Now boasting a Hamptons outpost, the gourmet megachain is set to feed and pamper away-from-home epicures with the vast selection and top quality that they’ve become known for throughout New York. The Hamptons branch is particularly strong for seafood—it features more than 80 different varieties of fresh ocean catches, the largest offering on Long Island. The butcher shop carries 21-day-aged, hand-cut prime meat, for the exceptionally discerning grill chef. For more casual shopping, Citarella’s “To Go” café section offers portable and prepared food, a salad station, and signature rotisserie chickens. The store has recently earned raves from New York Newsday and foodie compendium New York Eats; check it out for yourself while visiting the area.
2 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, NY; 760 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, NY; 2209 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY; (631) 726-3636
La Fondita
The Honest Man Company, the restaurant group behind marquee names like Nick and Toni’s and Rowdy Hall, has branched out into Mexican cuisine with the opening of La Fondita, a casual kitchen and take-out counter devoted to authentic, crowd-pleasing Mexican cuisine. The menu runs the gamut from the familiar to the novel. Soups include chicken and tortilla, and pozole, a traditional soup of pork and white hominy topped with lettuce and radish. Tacos can be filled with the usual chicken or steak as well as marinated pork, chorizo, and the very regional soft shell crab. Specials of the day are the chefs chance to get creative; Saturday’s include chile rubbed barbecue beef ribs with avocado salsa, and Sunday’s feature lamb—barbecued and served in tacos or enriching a hearty but summery lamb consommé.
74 Montauk Hwy, Amagansett, NY; (631) 267-8800
Turtle Crossing
An East End favorite, Turtle Crossing has been named Long Island’s Best Barbecue by the New York Times, as well as one of the Ten Most Affordable Restaurants on Long Island. It’s a perennially popular spot for dining in, but Turtle Crossing also has an extensive take-out menu, with diner favorites well represented. Start with the jalapeno buttermilk hush puppies, the nachos with chicken chili, or the Asian-inspired pulled duck quesadilla, with sautéed mushrooms and hoisin barbecue sauce. Move on to the classics—crispy fried chicken with garlic whipped mashed potatoes, pulled pork, barbecued ribs, and smoked brisket. And check in for desserts, always rotating and house-made daily.
221 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, NY; (631) 324-7166
Townline BBQ
Inspired by a trip to Texas, Townline BBQ is owner Mark Smith and chef Joe Realmuto’s shot at bringing great, regional barbecue to Hamptons residents and visitors. Texan barbecue is traditionally light on the sauce—meats are prepared with a dry rub, and barbecue sauce and other accompaniments are served on the side. Selections here are smoked in-house, and include brisket, chicken, pork, beef, and pork ribs. Townline’s selection of house-made sauces are served on the side. Service is in customary Texas barbecue style; customers order at the counter and wait for the buzzer to sound, signaling their order waiting for them at the pick-up booth. Eat in at picnic-style seating, or take your food with you for a homestyle barbecue feast.
3593 Townline Road, Sagaponack, NY; (631) 537-2271 (BBQ1)
