Summary of Dining Recommendations
Lifelong Hamptons resident Joey Wölffer recently updated the culinary wing of her family’s wine business, sharing the restaurants she loves the most.
Since the Wölffer Estate Vineyard was founded by vintner Christian Wölffer in 1988, the name has gradually become synonymous with the casual elegance of summer in the Hamptons. Credit for that goes largely to Wölffer’s children, daughter Joey and son Marc, who in 2013 launched Summer in a Bottle, the Long Island rosé that’s poured at some of the Hamptons’ most popular restaurants.
Christian’s by Wölffer Estate
Now Joey is continuing to evolve the Wölffer name with Christian’s by Wölffer Estate, a reimagining of the restaurant previously known as Wölffer Kitchen. Located in Amagansett’s town square, Christian’s is an explicit homage to her late father’s love of Long Island and everything that’s grown there.
Guests can experience this in dishes like herb-crusted tuna caught in the waters off Montauk and oysters from nearby Moriches Bay. “We’re really focused on what goes well with our wine,” Wölffer says. “The ingredients are super fresh, because we work with our favorite purveyors, Amber Waves Farms and Balsam Farms. It’s a celebration of where we live.” Her favorite dish? “My dad’s specialty: Christian’s potato salad,” made with cucumbers and mixed with an herb vinaigrette. Here, Wölffer shares her other regular Hamptons spots for meals with a distinct sense of place.
The Beacon
“You’ll find the best views in the Hamptons here. It overlooks the water in Sag Harbor. People visiting the region always want to know where they can get the freshest fish and vegetables outside of a fishmonger or farmers’ market, and I think this is the place.”
Duryea’s
“This open-air seafood spot is right on the water in Montauk, next to a dock. They have a lobster Cobb salad that I think about all the time. It’s more of a daytime scene, where you can arrive via the water and spend hours with friends.”
Sant Ambroeus
“The new Sant Ambroeus in East Hampton is just impeccable, with its perfectly soft lighting and cozy banquettes—the ambience can’t be beat. And the menu of Italian staples (linguine alle vongole, tagliatelle alla bolognese) is always on point.”
1770 House
“This historic house in East Hampton really did open as an inn in 1770. I always go in the fall and winter, when the fireplace keeps things toasty, and order the local sea scallops and delicious roast chicken.”
Tutto il Giorno
“I love the owners, Gabby Karan de Felice and her husband, Gianpaolo. They’re family friends and amazing members of the community. The branch I go to is in Sag Harbor, but there’s an outpost in Southampton, too. It’s got great music, and often, if you’re there on a Friday night, it turns into a dance party.”
A version of this story first appeared in the August 2023 issue of GoTravelDaily under the headline “Home Grown”.
