Hampton Tradition XXXVII - Sam's Restaurant

By T.J. Clemente

At 61 years and going strong, Sam's Restaurant is East Hampton's oldest continuous restaurant. Founded in 1947 by Sam Naska, it had remained a family business for three generations until last year when Naska's grandson, Tom Johnson, sold the business to present owner Graham Quinn, who had previously worked behind the restaurant's bar for 12 years. Quinn calls it a combination of being in the right place at the right time, and the luck of the Irish.

Photo by T.J. CLemente

Open year-round, Sam's is a local place with a local following. The restaurant has a capacity of 66, and is severely tested during the summer season. Not taking reservations, the restaurant is a place where neighbors socialize while either waiting for a table or a takeout pizza, for which the place is renowned. Available in three sizes, the pizza has long been a tradition, and many notables make it a point to order a pie as soon as they arrive in town - in fact, many weekend getaways are timed to arrive before Sam's closes at 10 p.m.

Quinn enjoys being on the premises as much as possible to continue the tradition of friendly service that Sam Naska made famous. He displayed pride as he talked about the restaurant's storied past. Sam Naska opened it in 1947, and stayed active until his death in the mid-70s when his daughter, Rose, and her husband, Eric Johnson, took over. Quinn said, "After working for the phone company all day Rose would come work at the restaurant all night." When Rose passed away in the late '90s, she left the restaurant to her son Tom Johnson, and Eric retired. Tom, in pursuit of other goals in life, sold the place to Quinn in 2006. Tom always had a high regard for Quinn and his diligence to Sam's, so it seemed only logical that Quinn be his successor.

The wood paneling on the walls and the beautiful, wooden bar are the originals. The mural of various Italian cities was painted around the bar in the '70s at the request of Eric Johnson. The famous booths with the green leather chairs and the overhanging lanterns have all the charm of the late '40s. The well-known painting of the restaurant's facade hangs on the back wall.

When I lived on Barn's Lane behind Sam's, I became very familiar with the menu. To this day I long for the veal cutlet parmagiana. With five beers on tap and an extensive wine list, recently added by Quinn, the bar at Sam's has always been a year-round, casual local stop for a glass of wine or a cold draft beer, usually to talk with Quinn about golf or just about anything. Described as charming and cozy in many reviews, Sam's is an historic restaurant and as Quinn puts it, "a local place that has stayed the same over the years with not a lot changing."

The neon "Sam's Bar and Restaurant" sign is an icon of East Hampton. As Quinn Graham inspected the flowers in front of the window, he paused and looked around. "I made it through the winter in fine form, and I have the same people working here who know how to make this place work. Locals serving locals," he said.

Sam's Restaurant is located at 36 Newtown Lane in East Hampton. Open seven days a week noon to 4 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner, and 5 to 11 p.m. beginning June 15. For more information, visit www.samseasthampton.com or call 631-324-5900.

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