Fall Food Festivities, Wine Dinners & Long Island Restaurant Week Heat Up October

October is here, bringing crisp air, cozy flavors, and plenty of local food happenings to enjoy. From festive fall fairs to wine dinners and happy hours, there’s no shortage of reasons to gather at the table this month!

Fall Long Island Restaurant Week is getting closer! From November 2 to 9, restaurants across the island will be offering eight days of delicious deals you aren’t going to want to miss. Restaurants may offer one, two or any combination of the following: a $24 two-course lunch, a $29 three-course dinner menu, a $39 three-course dinner menu and/or a $46 three-course dinner prix fixe. These menus will be offered all night every night they are open (or during lunch hours) from Sunday to Sunday, with the exception of Saturday when it may only be offered until 7 p.m. Many East End restaurants have already signed up including South Fork restaurants Daphne’s, Fauna, Stone Creek Inn, Flora, Rumba, R.AIRE, Bistro Ete, Calissa, Elaia Estiatorio, LDV at The Maidstone, The Palm East Hampton, as well as On The Docks and Legends on the North Fork. Back by popular demand, their Gift Card Giveaway will return this season where three lucky entrants will win gift cards in the amounts of $100, $150 or $250 to the participating restaurant of their choosing! The sweepstakes will begin on Monday, October 27 at 12 a.m. and will end on Monday, November 10 at 11:59 p.m. Visit their website for the full list of restaurants in both Nassau and Suffolk County.

The Second Annual Heart of Springs “SpringsFest 2025” will take place on Saturday, October 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. Join them on the grounds of the Parsons Blacksmith Shop in the heart of Springs for a classic fall fair atmosphere for families. Bring blankets and chairs to sit and enjoy music by local band REEB “Real East End Brass,” crafts from local businesses, yard games, a blacksmith demonstration, sea shanties from David Cataletto, an entertaining history lesson from “town crier” Hugh King, food trucks serving dinners, light snacks, soft drinks and desserts, as well as beer for purchase from Springs Brewery!

Gather your kids and grandkids to celebrate 20 years of play at the Children’s Museum of the East End! CMEE’s Big Birthday Bash will take place on Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to noon featuring crafts, cupcakes, dancing, playing and a big group singalong of “Happy Birthday” to CMEE as they look ahead to many more years of fun. The event is free for members and $19 for non-members. Registration can be completed by visiting their website!

Join R.AIRE for a fabulous Wine Dinner on Thursday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. to experience the flavors of Spain through a five-course dinner, where each dish is complemented by the celebrated wines of Emilio Moro. The five-course menu has been created to pair beautifully with wines from Emilio Moro, renowned for cultivating their own pure-clone Tempranillo across century-old, dry-farmed vineyards, ensuring depth, elegance and a true expression of Ribera del Duero’s terroir. Mario Sánchez Moro, fourth generation of the Moro family, will join the evening to unveil the inspiration, techniques and stories that bring every glass to life. For more information, menu offerings and reservations, visit the R.AIRE website. Cheers!

Did you know?

You can bring the best of the Clam Bar to your event! From intimate gatherings to grand celebrations, Clam Bar Catering delivers fresh, locally sourced seafood and curated menus tailored to your occasion right to your Hamptons venue. Experience the ultimate raw bar with their mini Shuck Truck! The raw bar features freshly shucked local oysters, clams and shrimp cocktail with all accoutrements on ice, bringing the best of the sea, as well as craft cocktails, straight to your event. They also offer Catering To-Go, perfect for office lunches, family gatherings and special occasions with ready-to-serve platters only an order away. Visit clambarcatering.com to learn more and book.

Did you know?

The Palm in East Hampton offers Happy Hour available in the bar area only from Sunday to Friday 4 to 6:30 p.m. Snack on Wally’s garlic bread, steakhouse onion rings, oysters on the half shell, jumbo shrimp cocktail, clams casino, The Palm “mini” meatballs, steakhouse bacon ‘BLTs,’ chicken parmesan sliders, calamari fritto misto or Italian-herb hand-cut fries. Sip on prime time cocktails for $8, select beer for $5 and wines for $7 while you eat!

Last chance for Rowdy Hall Oktoberfest specials! Enjoy all-day bar specials, Oktoberfest beer pints and tasting flights and a two-course fixed price menu at $42 featuring weinerschnitzel, braised red cabbage and golden beats for an entrée and apple strudel, pecans, apple caramel and whipped cream for dessert.

Food Quote: “Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.” – Jim Davis