Restaurants

Restaurants in the super-fashionable South Fork come and go pretty quickly; stay up-to-date by picking up the ubiquitous Dan's Papers. Three upscale, celeb faves that have stood the test of time are Nick & Toni's, 136 North Main St., East Hampton (tel. 631/324-3550); Della Femina, 99 North Main St., East Hampton (tel. 631/329-6666); and Mirko's, Water Mill Sq., Water Mill (tel. 631/726-4444). Keep in mind that reservations at many of these and other see-and-be-seen dining establishments can be very hard to come by, unless you know someone. But give it a try -- the economic slowdown might mean you'll get lucky.

For top-quality Thai, try Phao Thai Kitchen, 29 Main St., Sag Harbor (tel. 631/725-0101), which reopened in 2009 after a seven-year hiatus. Turtle Crossing, 221 Pantigo Rd., East Hampton (tel. 631/324-7166), serves up satisfying Southwestern fare and barbecue. In Montauk, head straight to Inlet Seafood, 541 East Lake Dr. (tel. 631/668-4272), owned by six local green-minded fishermen, or Duryea's Lobster Deck, 65 Tuthill Rd. (tel. 631/668-2410), for views and amazingly fresh seafood.

Roadside Eatin' -- No trip to the East End is complete without a stop at the roadside mainstay Lobster Roll, 1980 Montauk Hwy., Amagansett (tel. 631/267-3740), otherwise known as "Lunch." Load up on rich lobster bisque, crab cakes, or their signature lobster roll. Down the road a piece, you'll find another much-loved clam shack, Cyril's Fish House, 2167 Montauk Hwy. (tel. 631/267-7993), serving Caribbean-inflected seafood and colorful tropical drinks. At the aptly named Clam Bar, 2025 Montauk Hwy. (tel. 631/267-6348), grab a stool at the outdoor bar and suck down briny clams and oysters, straight-from-the-sea fish and chips, or their famous tuna bits.

Dress Code -- While you'll always find the well dressed (and well heeled) in Hamptons restaurants, you won't feel out of place in casual attire unless you're dining at a very formal place like East Hampton's The Palm (an outpost of the NYC steakhouse). Servers at celebrity hangout Almond, and at The Laundry, are clad in blue jeans.