8 Best Restaurants in Montauk, Long Island

This little bit funky, little bit chic but totally Montauk café serves up fare that fuses local ingredients with international flair. With dishes like mussels with Thai curry, biriyani, fish "Montacos," and house-smoked Hawaiian babyback ribs, this place provides a little culinary adventure right on Main Street Montauk. Tasty home-baked desserts include key lime pie. There is live music most nights.

Once a fisherman's haunt, this unpretentious yet stylish bistro at the Montauk fishing docks is known for offering the freshest seafood, including the signature cioppino, in addition to creative steak and vegetarian dishes. Indoor seating is in a small, candlelit room or a cozy adjoining bar; outdoor seating is on a deck next to the harbor. For dessert, try the famous "Chocolate Bag."

This is a popular spot, but they'll take same-day reservations—call after 4:15.

This is as real as Montauk gets: a weathered old sea captain having lunch at the bar, fishermen stopping in for an afternoon pint or quick bite, and locals sharing a laugh with friends any time of the day. Here, tucked away on a side street close to Gosman's Dock yet a world apart, the beer is cold and the food is good and as down to earth as the folks who hang out here. Weird and wacky tchotchkes and seafaring-related antiques festoon the rustic wood walls and ceiling.

Outsiders are welcomed but should be aware of the "list," including: no checks, no cell phones, no strollers or screaming kids, no whining, wimps, or chickenhawks. Stick with these rules, and you'll be just fine.

The glass-enclosed dining room of this cozy restaurant affords stunning views of sunsets on Fort Pond, and the menu is inspired by local fresh seafood and homegrown produce. You might start with calamari salad with red pepper vinaigrette, then try the swordfish picatta with sautéed spinach, capers, olives, and cherry tomatoes, or the pork tenderloin with apricot-apple chutney with watercress pine-nut salad and Spanish prosciutto. With family-style service and often a buzzing crowd of return customers, there's a nice vibe about the place—and entrées are huge.

The scenery surrounding the waterside tables at the Inlet Café and sushi bar is so mesmerizing that you may forget to bite into the sushi or succulent local lobster on your plate. There are four Gosman's eating establishments on the dock; this one serves fresh seafood right off the boat.

This year-round neighborhood joint serves delicious pancakes and creative omelets all day, along with hearty homemade soups and chowders, thick burgers, shakes, and spicy chicken-salad wraps. The fried ice cream is famous. Come at off-hours especially on weekends, because there's usually a line. Early risers can get breakfast from 6 am, and it's open every day except Christmas.

This casual spot serves good coffee, salads, rejuvenating fresh-squeezed juices and smoothies, daily breakfast and lunch specials, and exotic wraps such as the Thai Me Up, with gingered tofu or chicken with veggies in peanut sauce, or the Slum Burger Millionaire, an Indian-style tuna burger. Eat at the outdoor picnic tables or bring your meal to the beach or hotel. The place is popular for a quick bite, but there's usually a line at the counter and a bit of a wait.

Don't expect high-end dining; the place is pretty much your local neighborhood dive, but the food is well liked and well prepared. The specials change daily, but are good, straightforward dishes such as cedar-planked salmon, beer-battered fish-and-chips, and chicken saltimbocca. There are always cool people here, so the bar scene makes the wait for a table on weekends bearable.