I caught up with our friend Laura Bacelli to spend a day exploring the North Fork. Laura, an East End Native, is a hospitality consultant who focuses on experience design for luxury hotel brands and lifestyle services. After spending over a decade in Manhattan and a heavenly stint in the Napa Valley, she now resides full time in the Village of Greenport.
Our goal: To curate a perfect North Fork staycation. We both love where we live and its evident by our enthusiasm for the East End. To live on the East End is to enjoy the places we call home and its neighboring towns. From farm stands to shops, vineyards and the culinary experiences the North Fork is known for, we’ve highlighted just a few of its businesses that really stand out to us.
Our first stop of the day was to Opties and Dinghies in Orient. Through the eatery’s storefront, it offers a collection of items worth celebrating — coffee, ice cream, homemade pastries, dumplings, and crepes.
“I’ll usually go for the fried dumplings and whatever they’re offering as the special that day,” said Laura. “On Sunday mornings I like to pick up a crepe, get lost down a few windy roads and end up at a ‘locals only’ beach to indulge while I read the New York Times. I always keep a blanket in my car for this reason. North Fork Pro Tip: Always keep a blanket in your car. You never know what beach or park will beg you to stay for a picnic.”
“A drive through Orient cures my blues, ignites my optimism, and slows me down,” said Laura. “It’s where I go when I want to daydream or when I want the scenery to match the melodrama of my French and Sagittarian mood swings. Or, when I just want some really, really, great dumplings.”
A stop at Italian restaurant Maroni in Southold provided another great spot for a bite, which we enjoyed on the outdoor patio. A place with no formal menu, and while full of surprises, you can always find staples like Grandma Maroni’s Gourmet Meatballs, made from a 100 year old recipe.
“Maroni is best known for its Italian food and ‘hot pots’ for takeout, but, I go for the sushi,” said Laura. “Here me out — I know that sounds odd — but on Tuesday nights they feature a full sushi menu and it’s absolutely incredible. Also, order the ribs as an appetizer. They’re sticky and caramelized with gummy bears — it somehow all works. Trust me.”
After lunch we take a walk over to Arni Paperie, a darling boutique that boasts “A lifelong love affair with paper and the North Fork” (a sentiment we can really get behind). This love affair inspires the shop’s curated selection of cards, gifts, and also offers bespoke printing and custom design for invitations and stationary. For those on a staycation, it’s the perfect spot for that souvenir.
We then walked across the street to Southold General, recently opened by the team behind North Fork Table & Inn.
It’s a café that serves “a damn near perfect latte and croissant (a la Francois Payard) among many other delightful culinary treats. From the buzzy scene on the weekends, you can tell this newcomer has had a very warm welcome,” said Laura.
“When I’m missing the culinary scene of Manhattan and find myself in need of exceptional hospitality, I grab a spot at the bar at North Fork Table & Inn — it’s great for solo dining, a date, or an intimate lunch or dinner with friends,” she noted.
We then stopped at Rose Hill Vineyard, which can only be described as an absolute gem.
“Choosing a vineyard on the North Fork is tricky — there are so many wonderful options but I tend to venture toward Rose Hill and Terra Vite. The food and flights are unmatched and so is the design. The line between Napa and the North Fork seem to blur when I’m visiting these tasting rooms,” said Laura. Rose Hill also has an inn, one that doesn’t have a minimum night stay, making it the perfect location for an overnight.
Other wonderful options for accomodations include Sound View, Lin Beach House, or The Menhaden in Greenport.
We spend the rest of the afternoon, over wine, discussing more of our favorite locations. We both agree that The Times Vintage in Greenport is a special place in the village.
“Greenport has plenty of shops but I’m most smitten with the Times Vintage. Mainly for their collection of vinyl and perfect range of vintage clothing, goods, and accessories. It’s organized in such a way that doesn’t overwhelm you but still allows you to hunt for treasured pieces,” said Laura.
There’s also Popsicle & Finn in Greenport which offers clothing collections from brands like Zadig & Voltaire, as well as iconic rock and jazz images by photographer Deborah Feingold. You can also find home goods and skin care.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a trip to the North Fork without celebrating its abundant agriculture and aquaculture.
“One of my favorite parts of living on the North Fork is the access to fresh local produce,” said Laura. “I treasure getting to know our farmers. Agriculture, mariculture and viticulture is such a rich part of history out here and it is vital to support any and all aspects of locally grown when possible. Some of my favorites include Sang Lee for their homemade dips, sauces and organic produce, Country View for the tomatoes, corn and freshly baked bread, I&Me for their personality and greens. There are a bevy of options for oysters on the North Fork but my personal favorite is Peeko Oysters in New Suffolk. Bonus: they also make it easy to preorder for pickup.”
There is no shortage of fantastic restaurants on the North Fork. For places that are easy for lunch or dinner, Laura recommends Love Lane Kitchen, Barrow Food House, Halyard, and Lucharitos.
“I seem to find myself circulating, and often recommending, these solid options. They are tried, true and I hope that they stick around forever. Visit the Halyard and request a table by the window during sunset hours. Stop into Barrow Food House and just say ‘yes’ to whatever they recommend. People watch at Love Lane Kitchen as you enjoy their seasonal and local menu options. I would be remiss not to mention Lucharitos, they are open year round and make the best margarita and tacos out there,” she said.
For wood-fired pizza, which goes so well with the local wine, I suggest Grana in Jamesport as well as Little Oak Wood-Fired Kitchen at Jamesport Vineyards.
Laura is also a fan of One Kourt Studio in Greenport. And what’s not to love?
“This is my absolute go-to for all wine needs,” she said. “The owner, Kimberly Cavoores, a former sommelier at Blue Hill Stone Barns, has curated such a thoughtful collection of wines from around the globe at all price points. Her inventory is top notch and I’ve never been disappointed by any of her recommendations. If the wine world had a compass, OKS would be it’s true north. OKS also hosts wine bar pop-ups at the Lin Beach House — it’s a great opportunity to taste wines by the glass that you typically would have to purchase by the bottle.”
Brix & Rye in Greenport is also on the list, a bar that specializes in classic cocktails as well as modern variations.
“I don’t need to say much here, other than it’s a sexy subterranean lair that makes a perfect negroni (which I pair with a side of olives for snacking),” she noted.
We end the day with a visit to LUMBER+Salt in Jamesport, a treasure trove of finds, where we could have spent hours searching its reclaimed found objects.
You won’t miss when visiting any of these wonderful North Fork locations, that are just some of many.
