Food

Great deli sandwiches or homemade donuts can be had at Dreesen’s Excelsior Market (33 Newtown Ln., 631/324-0465), a family-owned business established in 1920. For a simple lunch or dinner, Nicole’s (100 Montauk Hwy., 631/324-3939) is an easy-going pub that features seafood pie and 10 kinds of draft beer.

Bostwick’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar (39 Gann Rd., 631/324-1111, $18) is a casual, festive place specializing in fresh seafood. The dining area overlooks the ocean and is a good place to watch the sun set.

Not surprisingly, East Hampton [1] also has its share of posh eateries where getting a reservation is no mean feat. One long-time hot spot is the airy and elegant Della Femina (99 N. Main St., 631/329-6666, $37), serving innovative American and Italian fare.

Other choice spot for people-watching are Nick & Toni’s (136 N. Main St., 631/324-3550, $33), offering Mediterranean cuisine in a sophisticated yet relaxed setting, and the Palm Restaurant (631/324-0411, www.thepalm.com [2], $36), a branch of the ritzy New York steakhouse.

As expected, some of the hotels and inns in town offer good dining options. The hotel at the Maidstone has The Living Room (207 Main St., 631/324-5494, www.themaidstone.com [3], $26), where ‘slow food’ chef James Carpenter cooks with the seasons in his new American dishes, created with a Scandinavian twist.

And on the ground floor of Hedges Inn is the romantic James Lane Cafe (74 James Ln., 631/324-7100, www.thehedgesinn.com [4], $27).