Foodstuffs: New Restaurants Openings, Happy Hour and Late Night Pizza

Shark Bar Opens on the Napeague Stretch

Shark Bar, the new beachside bar from the team behind Mavericks Montauk —Vanessa Price and James Beard-nominated chef Jeremy Blutstein — opened in Montauk over Memorial Day weekend. Shark Bar, a sandy, beachside surf shack with a fresh take on flip-flop friendly fare and drink, is a vibrant, unapologetically beachy bar, leaning into a playful “camp” aesthetic. It has an expansive outdoor area that serves as the ideal hangout spot after a long day at the beach, and an indoor/outdoor covered area adorned with provocative art and surf memorabilia.

Blutstein’s menu is inspired by surfside shack classics but with a contemporary spin. The menu is designed to be fast, fresh and an easy delight when coming salty and sunburnt from a day at the beach. Food items include crispy calamari salad with fermented carrot ginger and napa cabbage, fried oysters with tomatillo chow chow, Vietnamese cucumber salad with chilies, coriande, and peanuts, a merguez Chicago dog and more.

Shark Bar’s playful beverage menu features vintage-inspired frozen and refreshing cocktails alongside seaside classics. The beverage menu, designed by Jarhn Blutstein of East End Mixology and former beverage director for the Gurney’s Montauk Group, features frozen cocktails such as a version of the famed BBC with Reposado Tequila, Don Q Cristal Rum, Shankys Toffee, Lucano Café, banana, Five Farms Irish Cream and Coco Lopez and a Frozen Spicy Watermelon Margarita. Easy drinking wines by the bottle and glass as well as local craft beers and some American classics are also available.

Vanessa Price and Jeremy Blutstein joined forces last summer to open Mavericks Montauk, the seasonal-driven, modern steakhouse. Price has spent almost two decades in the wine industry as a trained sommelier. She is the author of best-selling book “Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World” and a resident sommelier for The TODAY Show. Chef Jeremy Blutstein has been running kitchens on the East End and in New York City for the past 15 years. He is an East End local and has opened top restaurants at properties like Crow’s Nest and Showfish at Gurney’s Star Island (where he was nominated for a James Beard Award) and The Surf Lodge.

The 62-seat indoor/outdoor, energetic Shark Bar space is outfitted with eclectic, collector surf memorabilia and black and white photographs from the famed French photographer Jean-Philippe Piter as well as up and coming local artists like Candace Ceslow and some of Vanessa Price’s own photography shown with creative partner Michelle McSwain who also collaborated on her book. The exterior area showcases the natural beauty of Montauk, while also insulating guests from the bustling highway, with communal and individual seating to encourage sociability and plenty of standing room for guests to mingle and socialize.

Shark Bar is open for dine-in and takeout from Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will expand to six days a week in mid-June. For more information, visit sharkbarmontauk.com and follow @sharkbarmontauk. Shark Bar is at 2167 Montauk Highway in Montauk.

A New Bamboo Opens in Montauk

Bamboo Restaurant and Sushi Bar has opened its second location with an expansion to Montauk this summer. The new location officially opened over Memorial Day weekend at the legendary Breakers Montauk on Old Montauk Highway.

This is sushi with a view and customers can enjoy a beverage with one of the best ocean vistas in Montauk. The restaurant offers table service, a full bar and inside/outside seating for a unique dining experience.

“I’m so excited to grow the Bamboo family throughout the Hamptons. Thank you to Breakers Montauk for being such amazing partners,” said owner Jess Gouws. “We can’t wait to have some fun with familiar and new faces this summer. Bring on the sake bombs!”

Not only will the most in demand items from the Bamboo Southampton location be on the menu, local legendary bartender, Orson Frisbie, will be in residence too.

“This is going to be a fun spot for the locals and those visiting,” Frisbie said. “Bamboo has the right vibe for this town and who can beat having a view of the ocean? It’s going to be a great summer.”

Longtime Bamboo employees Jeremy Kalbacher and Douglas Cassidy will co-manage the new hot spot.

“Working at the original Bamboo almost two decades ago and now getting to manage the Montauk location which is so close to home is truly a full circle moment,” said Kalbacher.

Bamboo Restaurant and Sushi Bar at the Breakers Montauk is at 769 Old Montauk Highway, Montauk. For more information, visit bamboomtk.com.

Get Hooked in Downtown Montauk

Hooked, entering its seventh season serving to-go seafood and traditional roadside fare in Montauk, keeps reeling them in. Located just steps away from Montauk’s wide sandy downtown beach, it has quickly become a go-to food spot for couples and families alike. While not a restaurant with indoor seating, there are ample picnic tables outside the establishment, keeping the family vibe going.

Owner and chef Brian Mooney, longtime chef at the popular Clam Bar in Napeague, partners with his wife Gillian Mooney, another veteran of the food industry on the East End, with the goal of serving fine fast seafood and other delights.

Hooked’s menu includes sautéed tuna, or swordfish, or mahi-mahi, all fresh off local fishing boats, on either a sandwich or over a crisp spring salad. Hooked also offers classic standards, including chowders, fish and chips, and a fried shrimp basket, as well as a lobster salad roll. A recent popular addition to the menu is a dish called Tuna Bites, bite sized chunks of fresh local tuna prepared in Hooked’s classic fish-and-chips batter with a fresh horseradish sauce.

The Tom Lob is another popular choice, a vine-ripened tomato, always locally grown if in season, stuffed with lobster salad. The raw bar offerings include Montauk pearl oysters and local clams on the half shell as well as local steamers. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers and barbecued baby-back ribs can be had at Hooked as well, along with a kid’s menu.

The owners are both originally from Ireland, but chose Montauk as the place to work and raise their family. Despite the trend in Montauk recently towards upscale pricing, the Mooneys want to keep their establishment family oriented and their food affordable. The couple understands the Montauk family tradition, having three children of their own, a 12- and a 14-year-old who attend Montauk School, and a 16-year-old in East Hampton High School.

Brian Mooney’s culinary education was a hands-on one. The first kitchen he worked in was a galley on a ferry that went back-and-forth between Ireland and Cherbourg, France. He started as a dishwasher but was almost immediately promoted to work the line behind the stove.

Soon after arriving in Montauk in 1994, he went to work for Dick Ehrlich at the Clam Bar. Ehrlich had owned the Napeague establishment since 1980. Mooney’s talents in the kitchen were obvious, and he worked for Ehrlich until the owner died in 2014. Mooney remained on until 2017, but he and his wife wanted a place to call their own, opening Hooked in 2018. Now, after six years, it is their clientele who are hooked, with their annual opening day in early May circled on many a calendar.

Hooked is located at 34 South Etna Avenue in Montauk. For more information, visit hookedmtk.com.

Puerto Rican Flair at Ruschmeyer’s

Ruschmeyer’s in Montauk has launched a new bar and lounge — Placēbō and Don Jaguar’s. El Grupo SN — the hospitality group behind Somewhere Nowhere and 9 Jones in Manhattan — is marking its expansion into hotel management and operations by venturing east to Ruschmeyer’s hotel, restaurant and bar.

As part of the venture, co-founders Nathan Leong and Sameer Qureshi have reimagined the restaurant spaces with fresh food and beverage concepts. The group has launched two new food and beverage concepts for the season— Placēbō, a Puerto Rican New American fusion restaurant, and Don Jaguar’s as the new backroom lounge.

Placēbō’s menu fuses New York City energy with a Latin flair as a vibrant dinner destination to match the atmosphere. Spearheaded by Chef Sandy Dee Hall, Puerto Rican flavors and timeless New York classics come together with playful twists on familiar favorites on dishes like linguine with clams, Wagyu risotto paella, scallop pot pie, whole fried red snapper and more.

Placēbō’s decor transports guests to the lush landscapes of Puerto Rico, where co-owner Leong hails. For a more intimate evening within Placēbō is Don Jaguar’s — a speakeasy lounge with leopard-accent decor with seductive cocktails and bites to match the room’s vibe.

The cocktail program follows suit, with Latin-inspired takes on classic cocktails alongside a curated selection of local brews and summer staples.

“We’re thrilled to infuse Ruschmeyer’s experience with our signature blend of Montauk charm and NYC-style hospitality,” says Leong. “This season marks a fresh start, and Placēbō is just the beginning. Guests can expect a reimagined Ruschmeyer’s experience with exciting new concepts to be revealed.”

Placēbō and Don Jaguar are located at Ruschmeyer’s, 161 Second House Road in Montauk. Visit placeborestaurant.com for details.

Romanesque Pizza in East Hampton

Little Charli East Hampton is bringing its authentic Roman-style pizzas and a unique culinary experience with pizza-making classes to East Hampton. The restaurant, opened by DAE Crew founder Chris Reda, offers an intimate, rustic space with late-night hours, full menu and pizza making classes.

At the helm is pizzaiolo Salvatore Olivella, a master of authentic Roman-style pizza with a wealth of experience. Before joining Little Charli, Olivella honed his craft at renowned pizza restaurants in New York and abroad, specializing in various Italian styles, including La Vera Pizza Napoletana, La Pizza al Metro and La Pizza al Taglio. He has also been instrumental in opening some of New York’s most celebrated pizzerias, such as Rossopomodoro (Eataly), Danny Meyer’s Marta and Serafina.

At Little Charli East Hampton, Olivella showcases his expertise through a menu crafted from family recipes and a 34-hour fermentation process. The wood-burning oven, fueled by cherry and oak wood, creates a signature smoky char and crispy crust for his pizzas. Olivella’s specialty is pizza, meant to be shared family-style, especially the show-stopping Chef’s Pie or The Godfather — a meter long pie that’s perfect for a group and topped with prosciutto, burrata arugula, shallots and fresh truffle shavings.

Little Charli East Hampton also has a selection of appetizers including charcuterie, mains like veal alla Milanese and pastas and dessert options including a S’mores Pie and Italian ice. Late night hours will be until 4 a.m. on the weekends and a pizza making class will be available on Sundays and Thursdays, perfect for date nights, bridal events and even kids in the neighborhood.

Little Charli East Hampton is at 44 Three Mile Harbor Road in East Hampton. For information, visit littlecharli.com or call 917-225-6668.

Bostwick’s Market Is Back

Bostwick’s Seafood Market has reopened for the 2024 season and is offering lobster bakes and clambakes to go as well as fresh seafood, prepared food and a stocked pantry for one stop shopping to make a delicious summer meal at home.

Lobster dinners come with corn, coleslaw, butter and lemon, and clambakes include lobster, little neck clams, mussels, potatoes, corn, white wine garlic broth, butter and lemon. Additional add-on items are available including shrimp cocktail, New England clam chowder, grilled chicken, grilled steak, guacamole and chips, mixed green salad, bread, coleslaw, watermelon and desserts. Seafood and market selections include fresh local fish, live lobsters, shellfish, Bostwick’s chowders, baked clams, crab cakes, house-made salads, prime steaks, select fresh produce, breads, desserts, assorted beverages and select pantry items.

Catered clambakes are also available with a minimum of 40 guests. Bostwick’s Seafood Market is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bostwick’s Seafood Market is at 283 Pantigo Road in East Hampton. Call 631-324-2700 for details.

Sing Along at Almond

Almond Restaurant and Bar is shifting its world-famous karaoke night to Thursdays. Every Thursday starting at 9:30 p.m. patrons are welcome to choose their favorite tune to belt out. Hosted by DJ Carlos Lama, Karaoke Thursday will run until midnight each Saturday.

Almond Restaurant is at 1 Ocean Road in Bridgehampton. Call 631-537-5665 or visit almondrestaurant.com for details.

Get Happy at Bostwick’s on the Harbor

Bostwick’s on the Harbor is serving up Happy Hour from Monday to Friday, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the bar and lounge only. Drink specials include: $6 draft beers, $12 select house wines and $12 specialty cocktails. Also available are sunset bar bites including shrimp cocktail ($15), Peconic oysters on the half shell ($16), local little neck clams on the half shell ($12), yellowfin tuna poke ($18), New England clam chowder ($10), chicken pot stickers ($12), crispy goat cheese croquettes ($14), lobster roll (market price), and truffle-parmesan fries ($10).

Bostwick’s on the Harbor is open Thursday through Monday and will be expanding hours in mid-June. Bostwick’s on the Harbor is at 39 Gann Road in East Hampton. For more information, visit bostwicksontheharbor.com or call 631-324-1150.