The North Fork comprises the small towns, villages and hamlets that lie north of the Peconic River on the eastern end of Long Island. The area is known for its serene beauty, sprawling wine vineyards and charming country boutiques. The North Fork is one of Long Island's major tourist and vacation destinations, so it's not surprising that there are so many great hotels and restaurants there. Many North Fork restaurants offer gourmet cuisine made from farm-fresh ingredients grown in the fertile surrounding region. Much of the North Fork also borders Long Island Sound, so it's not hard to find restaurants that offer magnificent views of the sound.
From the outside, this simple country inn would seem to have nothing more than bacon and eggs on the weekends, but try not to let your eyes deceive you. The North Fork Table restaurant serves up some of Long Island's most innovative contemporary American cuisine using only local organic produce and fresh ingredients. Many guests opt for the five-course set menu with optional wine pairing in order to sample the breadth of North Fork Table's offerings. Menus are seasonal, but some examples of dishes include sautéed local fluke with creamy parsnip-vanilla bean purée and caramelized cipollini onions, slow-roasted Iowa Berkshire pork loin with caraway apple sausage and braised red cabbage, and pan-roasted Long Island duck breast with celery root purée and oyster mushrooms. The wine list is massive and includes both local and imported wines.
The North Fork Table & Inn
57225 Main Road
Southold, NY 11971
(631) 765-0177
northforktableandinn.com
This cozy country eatery in the heart of Long Island's small but fertile wine region serves a hugely popular Sunday brunch where locals gather to sip on mimosas and enjoy satisfying homestyle cooking. The buffet-style brunch menu is constantly evolving, but always features eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, breakfast sausage, fresh seasonal vegetables, croissants and French toast. In addition to brunch, Cooperage Inn serves a wide range of comfort food dinner and lunch options, including chicken pot pie in a rich cream sherry sauce, four-season meatloaf served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and honey-roasted cedar plank salmon with smoky sweet tomato ragout.
Cooperage Inn
2218 South Avenue
Baiting Hollow, NY 11933
(631) 727-8994
cooperageinn.com
This waterfront Italian place in Southold opened in 1999 after owners Pepi and Nick decided to convert a recently vacated boat rental shop into a restaurant. Pepi's serves a wide range of pretty standard but no less appetizing Italian fare including linguine with clams in a white wine and marinara sauce, spaghetti Bolognese, and rigatoni with broccoli rabe, sasuage, garlic and oil. Pepi's also offers a number of fresh seafood appetizers like fried calamari served with spicy marinara sauce, Maryland crab cakes, and prosciutto-wrapped shrimp Florentine. There's also a kids' menu that features small portions of spaghetti and meatballs and other kid-friendly items.
Pepi's Ristorante
400 Old Main Road
Southold, NY 11971
(631) 765-6373
pepisristorante.com
