The best new Hamptons restaurants for summer 2023

A host of gourmands — including a DJ-chef, a slate of Kittch cooks and an eleventh-generation Hamptons family — are welcoming guests with mouth-watering menus at our picks for the best new restaurants in the Hamptons for 2023. From a buzzy bistro to a frozen-dessert favorite, these six standouts are the destinations to eat, drink and be seen this summer on the East End.

Talya, 161 2nd House Road, Montauk

Located in the Ruschmeyers Hotel, this Mediterranean-inspired newcomer (below), by Maison Close’s Chef Geoffrey Lechantoux, is set to open this summer with a menu that invokes the sun-kissed shores of Greece.

Faves are sure to include grilled octopus salad with tarragon pesto, crispy zucchini flower and eggplant chips and lamb lollipops with Greek potatoes.

The sexy lounge is set to serve up cocktails starring ouzo like Kafés martini with vodka and Turkish coffee, and Aspro Sangria with white wine and apricot brandy.

The wait is over for this five-years-in-the-making standout studded with stars from across the food and wine universe.

Opened May 5 to diners eagerly awaiting a taste of Jeremy Blutstein’s modern steakhouse menu and Vanessa Price’s deep-bench wine selection, Mavericks is already the most sought-after spot of summer. Montauk Jonah crabs and bone-in tuna rib-eye bring the surf while updated classics like Amagansett Gem caesar (below) and porterhouse for two deliver the turf.

Don’t sleep on Jarhn Blutstein’s Mavericks martini with olive oil-washed vodka, brine and blue-cheese olives.

Get ready to fall in love with this waterfront pop-up collab between five-time Michelin Bib Gourmand chef Melissa O’Donnell and pioneering livestream platform Kittch, which delivers cook-to-consumer content.

The queen of the communal table (popularized at her NYC spots Stella and Salt) aims to bring a neighborhood hang vibe to the former Dockside space located in the American Legion. The menu draws inspiration from stellar coastal cities like Lisbon and Beirut and includes fresh local seafood (below), steaks, vegetarian and vegan options and a buzzed-about burger.

Set to open June 15, Sag Harbor Kitchen will also host special events with other Kittch chefs, including classes and livestreams.

Reservations for events are a must, but regular dining will be mostly walk-in for both indoor and outdoor seating. 

Little Fish, 50 N. Sea Drive, Southold

Grab a peach whiskey Halekulani cocktail and take in the sunset and live music for the ultimate beachy good-time vibe at this brand-new, elevated fish shack tucked away on the North Fork’s Kenney’s Beach.

Local chef and DJ Ryan Barth-Dwyer serves up flavors from favorite seaside locales on the globe-trotting menu that features green goddess crab, hot honey jerk ribs and monkfish tikka masala (below). Visitors who want to enjoy a picnic on the beach can choose from a pared-down to-go selection. 

The Sweet Spot, 106 Newtown Lane, East Hampton

Eleventh-generation East Hampton family the Coopers dreamt up this sugar shack set to open May 25.

The shop offers counter and outdoor seating and will feature a self-serve frozen yogurt wall with seasonal flavors popping up alongside stalwarts like chocolate and vanilla. Homemade milkshakes blended with Oreos or Snickers or a Nitro Cold Brew will help you beat the summer heat. And don’t miss the signature loukoumades,

Greek doughnut holes (below) that are the Spot’s boldface name.

Enchanté, 210 Hampton Road, Southampton

Located in an airy, glass-enclosed space formerly housing Red Bar, Enchanté is the latest launch from the East End folks behind EHP Resort & Marina. Invoking South-of-France dining by way of a traditional Parisian brasserie, the modern bistro emanates warmth and sophistication along with pure joy in pops of orange throughout the space.

The menu features authentic French dishes, including the classics: niçoise salad, French onion soup and escargot (below). The only thing left to say is “Nice to meet you.”

Lee Brian Schrager is founder and director of the Food Network South Beach and New York City Wine & Food festivals.