THE GIST While Bostwick’s is a decades-old East Hampton institution with a bustling and beloved chowder house and neighboring standalone market, this upscale waterfront resto in Springs may be the crown jewel in the group’s seafood-centric string of eateries. Open during the warmer months, the widely adored Bostwick’s on the Harbor, owned and operated by Kevin Boles and Chris Eggert along with partner and executive chef Damien O’Donnell, returned to its home above Harbor Marina in 2019, a space it formerly inhabited from 1997 to 2007. Serving upscale, coastally inspired cuisine, the 120-seat restaurant is perched over Three Mile Harbor and there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
At Bostwick’s it’s all about seafood, with an ample side of sunset. (Photos by Doug Young)
THE VIBE A tiny trek up the water-facing stairs brings you to the white-walled interior. To the left is a bright, airy, inside-but feels-outside dining room bordered by a wall of open windows overlooking the harbor. To the right is a lounge with about a half-dozen more tables toward the front and a more casual seating area toward the back. A centrally located 12-seat bar sits perpendicular to the entrance, flanked by a handful of high tops overlooking the dining room as well as the stunning water views.
THE FOOD Seafood is the rightful star here, as dishes range from familiar and traditional faves (ale-battered fish and chips, baked stuffed clams, steamed lobsters) to Asian and Latin-inspired plates (Mongolian barbecue ribs, vegan soba noodle bowls, yellowfin tuna poke). A robust drink menu featuring over a dozen unique riffs on classic cocktails, along with mocktails, hard seltzers, bottled and canned beers and a small but quality wine list allows for easy, breezy sipping while dining (almost) al fresco.
Tuna tostada A blue-corn tortilla is flash fried, smeared with guacamole and outfitted with an Asian-style Napa cabbage slaw. Slices of seared, rare, number-one sushi grade togarashi-dusted tuna are arranged atop, with a spoonful of mango-jalapeno salsa and duo of sauces: kabayaki drizzle (their riff on an eel sauce) and sriracha-spiced sesame. It’s the Asian-meets-Mexican fusion app you didn’t know you needed.
From left: tuna tostada, clam pomodoro and shrimp lettuce cups. (Photos by Doug Young)
Local clam pomodoro A generous helping of top neck clams are hand-shucked, chopped and steamed into a sauce with garlic and white wine. Next, pancetta is rendered in a pan until crispy and then mixed with the bivalves, the resulting clam sauce dotted with grape tomatoes, baby arugula and linguini. After a light toss, the pasta is topped with a homemade gremolata consisting of toasted panko breadcrumbs, garlic, olive oil and lemon zest that lightens and brightens this timeless comfort-food dish.
Shrimp lettuce cups Tender pieces of Bibb lettuce are stuffed with pickled daikon, carrots and cucumbers, with each cup containing two jumbo grilled shrimp brushed with a house-made hoisin-based barbecue sauce. Bombed out with mandarin orange supremes and toasted peanuts, a ramekin of peanut butter-based liquid gold for dipping — made with Thai fish sauce, coconut milk, cilantro, mint and lime — is an absolutely killer way to tie it all together.
Grilled Atlantic swordfish Lightly marinated in herbs, garlic and olive oil, this 7.5-ounce fish is served atop O’Donnell’s homemade sofrito of red bell peppers, stewed plum tomatoes and diced zucchini sautéed with pearls of couscous, saffron, shallots and garlic. Topped with meaty green kalamata olives, a few more oven-roasted tomatoes and a drizzle of chive oil, the set is a more than worthy accompaniment for the steak-like and velvet-tender swordfish.
Pistachio-crusted oysters (left) and grilled Atlantic swordfish. (Photos by Doug Young)
Pistachio-crusted oysters Freshly shucked Three Mile Harbor oysters are packed with ground pistachios, butter, panko, salt and pepper and then broiled until just golden brown. O’Donnell shows restraint here: The briny beauts are deftly cooked, maintaining a soft, almost mid-rare consistency that balances the crunchy pistachio crust. Each is topped with a small dollop of lemon-saffron aioli and handful of microgreens.
Warm-butter lobster roll Rather than use drawn butter, O’Donnell opts to poach tail, claw and knuckle lobster meat in his house-made beurre blanc, giving it what he calls “a little more complexity and flavor from the reduction of the shallots, white wine and white vinegar.” A heaping 6-ounce portion is placed on a butter-toasted Martin’s potato hot dog bun and comes with crispy hand-cut fries and watermelon slices. It’s summer on a plate and could easily go toe-to-toe with any of its New England counterparts.
Bostwick’s on the Harbor
39 Gann Road, East Hampton
631-324-1150
bostwicksontheharbor.com
@bostwicksontheharbor
Hours Open daily, 5 to 10 p.m.
Good to know Walk-ins only
