- Nick & Toni's is a true Hamptons establishment.
- It's also a longtime favorite of the queen of the Hamptons, Ina Garten.
- I paid a visit to Nick & Toni's to see for myself if it's worth the hype.
Generally speaking, you can't go wrong in life if you're taking advice from Ina Garten.
That's why, on a recent trip to the Hamptons, I decided to stop by one of Garten's favorite restaurants: Nick & Toni's.
While I had mentally prepared to spend upward of $50 on an entrée, when checking the menu, I found that there were plenty of things in the $30 to $40 range, which meant I didn't have to break the bank if I didn't want to. Of course, spending $47 on a piece of swordfish isn't a daily thing for me, but … when in Rome!
Here's what it was like to visit Nick & Toni's, where, sadly, I did not spot the Gartens out to dinner.
I visited Nick & Toni's, a restaurant in East Hampton, on the recommendation of Ina Garten.
Garten is a huge fan of Nick & Toni's. She's mentioned it on her blog, she had the chef on her show, and she even based her recipe for penne alla vodka on her favorite pasta dish from there.
It's located in East Hampton, one of the most upscale towns on the easternmost area of Long Island, around 100 miles outside New York City.
It opened in 1988 and has been a Hamptons staple ever since.
Nick & Toni's is rapidly approaching its 40th anniversary. Plenty of A-listers have been spotted there over the years, including Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin, Lorne Michaels, Paul McCartney, and more.
In fact, a 2015 New York Times profile called the restaurant "a haven for A-list celebrities" and said there is "probably no more hallowed name among East End restaurants."
The name might also sound familiar for a more tragic reason. In 2001, founder Jeff Salaway (who was nicknamed Nick in his childhood) died in a car crash after leaving the restaurant at 2 a.m. The crash made headlines in outlets like The Times and Observer.
In the 24 years since his death, the restaurant has continued on and remained a neighborhood spot — albeit, a neighborhood spot with $47 swordfish and regulars like Steven Spielberg.
The tablescape featured crisp white linens and blue placemats.
Since I went on a beautiful late-summer evening, I opted to sit outside. The setting sun made for some dramatic lighting.
The menu changes seasonally, with Mediterranean and Italian influences.
I was disappointed to see that Garten's favorite pasta wasn't on the menu — still, everything looked amazing.
There's pasta, salads, fish, clams, pork chops, steaks, and more.
We started with the rosemary focaccia with whipped honey ricotta. It was $22.
On the menu, this was described as "warm rosemary, thyme, and sea salt focaccia" accompanied by "whipped honey ricotta" and "tomato confit pesto."
This started the meal out on the best possible foot — the focaccia was warm and flavorful, and not crunchy at all. The homemade focaccia is made fresh every day, and I could tell. It tasted like it had just come out of the oven.
I can't say enough about the ricotta, which I could've eaten buckets of. It was so good.
In between the appetizers and the main courses, I snuck a peek inside. It was bustling and cozy.
Though cozy, the restaurant was deceptively large. From my vantage point, it looked like a quaint Tuscan farmhouse, but there were many rooms inside, each thoughtfully decorated — and crowded.
My group ordered three main dishes.
Sometimes, when you go to a famous or expensive place, you can feel like you're getting ripped off with small entrées. This was not the case at Nick & Toni's. The dishes were certainly not small.
First up, the king trumpet mushroom dish. It was $34.
To be specific, this was "wood oven roasted king trumpet mushrooms with basil pesto fregola [a type of pearl-shaped pasta], leeks, toasted chickpeas, and rosemary oil," per the menu.
I had never had king trumpet mushrooms before, so I didn't know what to expect. I didn't need to worry, though, because this was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the pesto pasta and the toasted chickpeas.
Next, the swordfish for $47. This was the catch of the day.
As you can imagine, the market catch changes. When I visited, it was swordfish paired with "summer vegetables, preserved lemon, and micro basil."
The summer vegetables turned out to be tomatoes and potatoes, which were both light and lemony. It was the perfect summer meal.
In the fall, the market catch now comes with "eggplant caponata [a type of sweet-and-sour relish], mâche [a green], and lemon vinaigrette," according to the menu.
And lastly, the tilefish, which cost $48.
The tilefish was one of the day's specials. Tilefish is a flaky white fish, but in terms of taste, it's actually more frequently compared to lobster or crab.
It came with pesto, potatoes, and microgreens as a garnish.
I don't know if I fully picked up on a lobster flavor, but I did think this was great. It was very light and not at all chewy — it was melt-in-your-mouth.
