hidden hamptons

Secret Spots -
Summer's over and the crowds have gone, so it's safe to reveal our top local haunts

The Fish Farm in Amagansett Photographs by Stephanie McNiel; Fish Farm by Peter Brandi

For most of the Hampton Style staff, this last summer was the first time we'd lived full-time in the Hamptons. We hit the party circuit and the beaches, learned the backroads and tried to avoid Citarella on the weekends. We also discovered some relatively hidden gems that had been off our radar as weekend houseguests in past summers-and that's the way the locals like it! We resisted sharing these finds until winter was approaching, so we wouldn't ruin their quiet charm. Just don't tell anyone after Memorial Day.

Gourmet food stores

Round Swamp Farm in East Hampton

As an alternative to the masses at Citarella, check out Round Swamp Farm, the jewel of East Hampton food shops, which is easy to miss if you're driving by. They sell fresh local produce, baked goods, and prepared foods in a sweet country atmosphere. Warning: don't go there hungry or get too excited; the prices are insanely high. Highlights include berry pies, chocolate-chip cookies, pink lemonade, and chicken salad.

Hidden in a small driveway off 114, Cavaniola's Gourmet Cheese Shop has a divine selection of luxury fare, artisanal cheeses, and delicious sandwiches. They carry gourmet treats including truffle salt and The Channing Daughter's Riesling Jelly.

Restaurants and bars

People usually get lost trying to find Bostwick's Seafood Grill, located past East Hampton Point. It's a casual place providing affordable and fresh seafood, including a fantastic lobster dinner option. It's located on Three Mile Harbor-a beautiful place to watch the sunset and check out the boats. It's rare to have to wait long for a table, plus it's good for groups and kid-friendly. During the off-season, it's open Thursday through Sunday.

Breazdzilla in Wainscott

Hidden behind some other shops off the highway, Breadzilla has an intimidating name for good reason. Cell phones are tolerated even less than they are on the Jitney, and owner Nancy Thompson protects the cozy, hippie ambience of her shop with a watchful eye. But just one step inside and you're in foodie heaven. The overwhelming aromas comes from the house-baked cheese bread: beyond sinful and a rib-warming meal in itself.

Naturally Good Foods & Cafe, Montauk's cozy health-food store of choice for the surfer set, has a small but satisfying menu and a pretty garden where you can dine on fresh fish tacos. During the summer, it's the perfect alternative to the always-jam-packed Joni's. Take-out is also available. They stock a good selection of organic food and products, though it's not cheap.

The Fish Farm is nestled at the end of a bumpy dirt road, past two vast and rusty metal buildings with peeling paint. It's the last remnant of the Menhaden fishing industry that dominated the South Fork in the early 1900s. Long a retail shop selling local striped bass, clams, and bluefish, the store added a few rundown picnic tables about eight years ago. It's a romantic dinner spot or casual lunch place overlooking the bay. After ordering a lobster or tuna steak from a ramshackle kiosk, you take your plates down to picnic tables on a bluff overlooking the water. Bring a bottle of booze and a sweatshirt, and beware the mosquitoes at dusk.

The best dive bar-well, one of the only dive bars-on the East End is Murph's Back Street Tavern. There's plenty of dimly lit space for a table of friends during the off-season. It's the perfect place for a beer and a game of darts, attitude- and celebrity-free.

Beauty

At Capitale Jeunesse, Wanda Innes gives the best facials on the East End, but she's almost always booked during the summer months. She works out of one room hidden away behind the Water Mill Post Office and has a range of great skincare products.

Star waxer Anita Polkowska has taken over the small salon next to the bowling alley, given it a new name, Spa 27, and a makeover. It's easy to get an appointment off-season or just walk in and get what you need. A Brazilian wax plus an eyebrow shaping costs $65, and you do need those even in the colder months.

In Water Mill's shopping plaza, Windswept Salon is a precious salon run by fun, friendly people. Blow-outs are affordable ($40) and just as good, if not better, than the most expensive ones in the city. Try to book in advance, but walk-ins are usually accommodated.

Shopping and culture

The Art Barge in Amagansett Art Barge/The Victor D'Amico Institute of Art

The Art Barge has been an artists' sanctuary since the early '60s, and is housed in a retired World War I navy barge perched on the blustery dunes of Napeague Harbor. The funky art school offers classes and workshops for all levels in a range of skills, such as oil painting to sculpture or solar plate printing. It was founded by Victor D'Amico, the former Director of Education at MoMA, who personally towed the barge ashore in 1960, where it still stands today. Open figure-drawing classes are offered every Wednesday for the completely reasonable price of $15, especially when you consider today's art prices.

Even with a GPS, it's tough to find the Long House Reserve gallery, arboretum and sculpture gardens, offering educational programs and twilight tours through the gardens. Artist Jack Larsen designed the complex, inspired by the famous Ise Shrine in Japan. Among the many artists displayed there are sculptures and works by Yoko Ono and Sol LeWitt. Kid-friendly, but not all the outdoor sculptures are for climbing.

We love BookHampton for new reads or old favorites, but East Hampton has two great rare book dealers, Harper's Books and Glenn Horowitz Book Dealers. Both are great spots to find a unique houseguest gift or browse on a rainy day, and they each feature frequently rotating art exhibits, most often of local work.