Easter mornings can be more hectic than a Monday, with egg hunts to orchestrate and getting to the church on time. It’s easy to get whisked away in the traditions and have little time to whip up a brunch or run the oven for a ham or lamb feast. In the Hamptons and on Shelter Island, restaurants are offering menus that’ll have your peepers popping, stomach rumbling and weight lifted from your shoulders. They range in vibe and menu: Chic waterfront or intimate dining room? Brunch treats or quintessential meats? Riverhead, Montauk or Shelter Island? Mix, match and find your version of “egg-cellence” at these Hamptons and Shelter Island restaurants with Easter dinner and brunch offerings.
Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, 280 Old Montauk Highway, Montauk, 631-668-2345
This sprawling oceanside Montauk resort didn’t host its usual winter holiday meals because of renovations. But a prix fixe Easter brunch menu in Dune Lounge is on the table, and it’ll have you high-tailing it to The End for a head start on the peak warmer season. Start with first course choices like oysters and spring corn soup. A parsley-crusted lamb chop with mint jelly makes for a fresh, festive and formidable main, while carrot cake with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream hits all the right bunny-nibbling notes.
The ubiquitous gourmet grocer has an array of packages to choose from for an Easter meal at home (that you don’t have to cook). A roasted rack of lamb or filet mignon comes with sides and starters like Easter egg bread, pea soup and spring lasagna. Guests can also opt for appetizers only (think oven-roasted clams and stuffed artichokes) and desserts (cookies, cannolis and fruit).
Nick & Toni’s, 136 N. Main St., East Hampton, 631-324-3550
This decades-old Mediterranean-Italian restaurant with a wood-burning stove is serving up an Easter brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shaved asparagus salad with Easter egg radish is a seasonal and festive starter, and diners can go sweet or savory for a main with options like lemon ricotta pancakes or seafood lasagna. Desserts are heavy on the “sweet” and include buttermilk shortcakes with strawberry mousse and gelatos. Reservations can be made by phone at 631-324-3550 or online at nickandtonis.com.
1770 House Restaurant & Inn, 143 Main St., East Hampton, 631-324-1770
Take out or dine in at 1770 House this Easter. If dining in, a two-course menu includes marcona almond soup, a rack of lamb with fingerling potatoes or pork tenderloin and carrot cake topped with cream cheese and cinnamon-brown sugar caramel. The restaurant is also holding a chocolate bunny raffle to benefit the Flying Point Foundation for Autism. People can enter to win the sight-to-see 24-inch,10-pound milk chocolate bunny beginning April 1. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20, and the winner will be announced April 19.
Baron’s Cove, 31 W. Water St., Sag Harbor, 844-227-6672
Marina views for days hallmark this waterfront hotel and restaurant, a bunny hop from Main Street. Easter brunch (11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and dinner (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.) menus are available at the cozy fireplace-lit restaurant. Strawberry stuffed pancakes and rack of lamb are among the options for brunch and dinner, respectively. Adorable activations for the smallest celebrants include an egg hunt and an Easter bunny appearance.
Sydney’s “Taylor” Made Cuisine, 32 Mill Road, Westhampton Beach, 631-288-4722
This upmarket catering company and restaurant is also taking an “our-table-to-yours” approach to Easter. Generous is not generous enough of a word to describe the offerings from Sydney’s catering menu for Easter. The long list of starters includes creative spins on classics, like spinach and feta turnovers and zucchini fritters that work for brunch or dinner. Glazed country ham and lamb both make the mains menu, and you’ll have your pick of more sides than you can shake a (carrot) stick at (tri-color carrots and mashed potatoes are two). Dessert offerings include — but are certainly not limited to — creamy cheesecake, a pear almond tart and apple pie. Email [email protected] with questions or to place your order.
Long Island Aquarium, 431 E. Main St., Riverhead, 631-208-9200
Take a seat, bunnies and chicks. At Long Island Aquarium, marine life plays a starring role. Aquarium admission is included with tickets to this family-friendly feast, and you can visit before or after the meal. As for the meal, it’s brunch — think scrambled eggs, build-your-own parfait and mac ‘n cheese. Kids can’t sit still? They’ll adore a Penguin Scavenger “egg hunt,” crafts and — yes — a visit from the Easter bunny.
Bistro 72, 1830 W. Main St., Riverhead, 631-369-3325
Whether you’re spring staycationing at Hotel Indo — where this farm-to-table restaurant resides — or hoping to take a vacation from holiday hosting duties, Bistro 72 makes a fine choice. The restaurant will offer an a la carte brunch menu from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Start the affair with a Sparkling Pointe mimosa and a toast to North Fork wine country. From there: Yogurt parfaits and almond-crusted French toast on thick brioche bread are ideal for “team brunch,” while salmon and lamb will satisfy linner cravings. Can’t decide? A pizza with bacon, egg, ham, sausage and cheeses makes indecision delicious.
Desmond’s Restaurant & Pub, 5720 NY-25A, Wading River, 631-846-2335
The dining room lighting may be dim, but the atmosphere in the approachably chic Desmond’s Restaurant & Pub is warm and relaxed. The dining room is undergoing renovations, but the Desmond’s will have Easter dinner seating in its pub from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The three-course menu includes starters, including seafood (jumbo shrimp or fried calamari) and salads (roasted beet or Caesar). Lamb shank and vegetarian spinach ravioli are among the mains, and third-course options like vanilla cheesecake and a brownie sundae will have you leaving (or making) room for dessert.
Vine Street Café, 41 S. Ferry Road, Shelter Island
A ferry ride and a world away, Vine Street Café will host Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and reopen for dinner at 5 p.m. The menu is still under wraps (perhaps of the bacon variety), but the previous lineup has included eggs Benedict, hash browns, and seafood to match the seafaring surroundings.
Cove Hollow Tavern, 85 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, 631-527-7131
Vine Street Café’s sister restaurant and boisterous happy hour hub, Cove Hollow Tavern, also has an Easter brunch in the works. The menu will be offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and be a three-course, prixe-fixe affair for $39. While the particulars are TBD, the menu usually aligns with Vine Street Café and often includes the aforementioned eggs Benedict.
Rosie’s, 195 Main St., Amagansett, 631-604-5095
A laidback, brick-exterior eatery with vibes as casual as a beach day, a trip to Rosie’s feels as easy as a sea breeze. The team is having fun with the Easter brunch menu, namely the buzzy cocktail names. “Peeping it Real” is garnished with the marshmallow peep candy and includes rosé, citrus, sparkling vino and orange and peach blossoms. Duck shepherd’s pie and omelets with smoked salmon and spinach make for piece-of-cake picks for main dishes.
The Hampton Maid, 259 E. Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays, 631-728-4184
The Hampton Maid’s Easter menu is a choose-your-own adventure. The laundry list of entrees features five types of pancakes — from Wild Maine blueberry to sweat pea. Lamb ‘n Eggs is among the many egg offerings and is a perfect compromise between “Team Brunch” and “Team Dinner.” There’s a special kid’s menu on offer, too.
Claude’s Restaurant at the Southampton Inn, 91 Hill St., Southampton, 631-283-6500
A traditional brunch buffet at Claude’s will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu hasn’t been announced, but typical brunch items include smoked salmon scrambled and waffles with house-made whipped cream. The annual Easter Egg hunt turns 25 this year and begins at 10 a.m. on the South Lawn. Reservations for brunch and the hunt are recommended. For brunch, hop to southamptoninn.com/dining. Email [email protected] to count your kiddo in for the egg hunt.
Ram’s Head Inn, 108 S. Ram Island Drive, Shelter Island, 631-749-0811
Easter isn’t a meal at Ram’s Head Inn — it’s an extravaganza. Brunch (seatings from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), dinner (seatings from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.), lawn games, egg hunts, live music and photo ops with the animal of the hour, the Easter bunny (plus the on-premise sheep), are all on the table. Nina Ross, author and illustrator of the Montauk Mike Shark Adventure series, will also let parents give their vocal cords a respite when she reads aloud to kids ages 2 to 7 at 3 p.m. Guests can make reservations via RESY.
The Birchwood of Polish Town, 512 Pulaski St., Riverhead, 631-727-4449
This Polish tavern has Gatsby-style décor but a relaxed vibe ideal for bringing the whole family to Easter brunch or dinner. Delight in a chocolate fountain with assorted desserts like cheesecake and cookies. On Easter? Dessert can be the main course. The spot’s signature penne a la vodka, spring veggies and plenty of seafood, including flounder, are also on the (buffet) table.
The Chequit, 23 Grand Ave., Shelter Island, 631-749-0018
Shelter Island’s grand dame of the Heights, the Chequit, has got you covered for brunch and dinner on Easter Sunday with menus so delicious, you may just want to hop from one to the other. Chef Joe Smith kicks off the day with a $49 prix fixe brunch held from noon to 3 p.m., with seasonal-centric dishes like spring pea soup, baby arugula salad dotted with blackberries, shaved fennel and pistachios, as well as his famed white cheddar shrimp and grits, a lobster salad croissant and duck confit hash. At dinner, from 3 to 8:30 p.m., sophistication rules the Easter basket with raw oysters drizzled in a ginger mignonette, lamb and roast garlic meatballs, and grilled Australian lamb chops with fava and garbanzo beans or succulent glazed ham among the hard-to-choose-from items.
Calissa, 1020 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, 631-500-9292
It’s back! Of course — what’s Easter without some Greek gourmet treats in the mix? Calissa will host their annual Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (regular dinner menu starts at 5 p.m.). In addition to traditional Easter Greek dishes, like mayorista soup and roasted leg of lamb, the Water Mill spot will also be offering a two-hour bottomless bubbles option of mimosas, Bellinis or the unadulterated sparkling straight-up. Check here for pricing and reservations.
The Bell & Anchor, 3253 Noyac Road, Sag Harbor, 631-724-3400
It’s always worth the short drive from central Sag Harbor to hit up the wonderful Bell & Anchor, but this holiday they’re giving you some early day Easter eggs to delight. In addition to their ever-lovely raw bar options, they’ve added a bacon oyster shooter to the mix, plus an irresistible a la carte menu full of treats, among them coconut-kissed steamed mussels, velvety burrata with basil oil and roasted tomatoes, a beaucoup bouillabaisse, straight-up steamed lobster. Easter brunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; make your rezzie here.
