Wainscott Restaurant Round-Up: Dine Out at 5 Great Spots

Pound for pound, the slender hamlet of Wainscott — with its less than 700 official residents — stands tall on the South Fork when it comes to a destination worth visiting this holiday season. And for a number of reasons.

Aside from pristine farmland, the area has plenty of abundant history — including the last of America’s one-room schoolhouses. However, the biggest draw might just be the East Hampton offshoot’s short list of notable eateries that include a famous NYC bakery with a Hamptons outpost, a brand new gastro pub from the co-owner of Sag Harbor’s Sen, and a restaurant owned by the same group that has NYC’s famed Eleven Madison Park.

Here’s where to eat and drink across the small but mighty land of Wainscott.

5 Wainscott Restaurants

Cove Hollow Tavern

Cove Hollow Tavern is owned by the same chefs — partners in life and business — who have successfully steered Vine Street Cafe, the ever-popular Shelter Island eatery. With a “passion for the details and hands on approach” to everything it does, Cove Hollow Tavern sports a more casual vibe than its Shelter Island sister. The menu includes eats like pork cracklins, lobster tacos, “Firecracker” shrimp, rigatoni with mushroom bolognese, and lobster pot pie. Don’t sleep on the cocktails, either — it’s the only bar around that lets you build your own Manhattan.

85 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, covehollowtavern.com

The Highway

A “neighborhood restaurant,” the aptly named Highway offers up seasonally inspired New American cuisine, year-round, with subtle “nods t0 urban and global influences” in a chic, artful atmosphere. Owned and managed by TOMS Hospitality, which includes Eleven Madison Park, The Highway manages to keep the menu eclectic with everything from pan-roasted salmon and Thai chicken stir fry to papaya and crab salad and Korean chicken buns.

290 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, highwayrestaurant.com

Levain Bakery

Created in 1995, Levain Bakery began its life as a small bread shop in New York City. Named after the French word for the natural leavening agent made of flour, water and wild yeasts, the bakery now has locations everywhere from Wainscott to Boston to Maryland to Georgetown, and is best known for their 6-ounce cookies. They bake fresh on-site each day and donate the day’s leftovers to charity. Open year-round.

354 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, levainbakery.com/pages/wainscott

Kizzy T’s

New kid on the block Kizzy T’s is a bar and restaurant coming to the space formerly occupied by O by Kissaki. We hear it’s going to be a Japanese-style gastro pub with upscale bar food and featured items like smashed burgers, bahn mi, cheese and curry chicken wings, poutine and salmon rice cakes. The inspired menu is chock full of items that will cost you less than $20. There’s also a trendy black-and-white pool table, ring toss, table shuffleboard and retro-inspired decor.

47 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, kizzyt.com

La Capannina

La Capannina has been a local hub for pizza and other Italian-American specialties for more than 20 years. A great place to grab a sturdy New York-style slice, the old-school, family-run pizzeria does appetizers, soups, salads, and of course all your favorite Italian-American specialties.

364 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, lacapanninamenu.com