The forecast calls for a dry Fourth of July in the Hamptons, at least for young partygoers.
As in New York City and beyond, young people are shunning bottle service, with local proprietors scrambling to come up with suitable food and drink alternatives.
Bagatelle Restaurant Group CEO Aymeric Clemente has seen that first hand.
“Back in the day when we used to go out, it was about how many places we could go to in a night and how drunk we could get, but that time is gone,” he told Side Dish.
“We still like to go out, but it’s different and we take our time.”
At LDV At The Maidstone in East Hampton and Barlume Beach in Montauk, both run by LDV Hospitality, tables run from $3,000 to $20,000 this weekend.
“I don’t know the last time I saw someone doing shots in the Hamptons. It isn’t the same dynamic as when I was a kid running around 25 years ago,” said John Meadow, founder and president of LDV Hospitality.
To tempt guests into imbibing, Calissa in Water Mill has actually dropped its alcohol prices. The average price of a bottle now runs $650 to $850, down from $700 to $1,000, according to restaurateur James Mallios. Depending on the night, bottle service can run from $1,500 to $2,500 for six to 10 people.
While mocktails are available, too, Mallios has held off on giving them their own section on the menu.
“I’m not against mocktails, but I make a living selling food and beverage. That’s how I pay my mortgage,” he said. “I don’t know if I want to play into the idea that alcohol in moderation is a bad thing.”
Mallios is also hoping to get a boost from cannabis-infused drinks and has applied for a license to do so. He already runs a dispensary in Southampton called Charlie Fox.
Jayma Cardoso, the owner of Surf Lodge in Montauk, has also taken note of Gen Z’s abstemious ways, saying, “Maybe they’ll have one bottle of champagne, but the 27-year-olds just order fresh juices and zero-proof beer.”
Surf Lodge charges up to $1,000 per person for table service.
“They’re paying no matter what and I want to make sure they enjoy their experience,” Cardoso said.
Toward that end, she has come up with some creative new offerings. Those include tins of caviar from Caviar Kaspia costing up to $595 for a 125-ounce portion. The restaurateur is also going out on a limb, selling popular towers of Popeye’s chicken tenders for $150 each.
A new weekly supper club at Surf Lodge features drinks like a non-alcoholic sparkling “elixir” designed to replace champagne. It comes from actor Waris Ahluwalia, known for appearances in a number of Wes Anderson movies.
As for dinner, “deck tables” have a minimum spend for food and beverage that varies between $500 and $1,000 per person, Cardoso said.
Proving that youth is wasted on the young, the hardest-partying people in the Hamptons this weekend may be Gen X or older.
“While a whole world of younger people are drinking less, older people are still spending money on high-end wine and spirits. I maintain our optimism, focusing on our loyal clientele with the propensity to drink — unlike the little kids drinking water,” said Meadow.
He explained that diners are paying more for cherished experiences than drinks.
“What we are selling is real estate. We are offering space for an experience, and that experience comes at a price,” Meadow said.
Prince Street Hospitality’s Cobi Levy, who opened Alba Spiaggia at the Montauk Yacht Club this season, echoed the remarks.
“Younger people don’t drink like they used to,” he said. “But that’s not my business. The guy who is coming here to buy a beautiful Barolo to go with his dinner is different.”
We hear… that Alidoro, the Italian sandwich shop founded in SoHo in 1986, is marking its 40th anniversary with new openings — like a 1,000-square-foot spot at One Madison Avenue on July 9, followed by outposts at the Empire State Building and JFK Airport’s Terminal 6 later this year, and FiDi by 2027. The current lineup includes locations near Bryant Park (18 E. 39th St.), 1 Rockefeller Plaza (Concourse Level), Moynihan Train Hall (383 W. 31st St.), The Hugh in Midtown East (601 Lexington Ave.), JFK Terminal 8, and the original SoHo shop at 105 Sullivan St.
CEO Jon Streep tells Side Dish that its real estate strategy has driven the brand’s growth almost as much as its delicious menu: 21 Italian sandwiches built from imported and local meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables and house-made spreads on fresh-baked artisanal bread, with condiments like black garlic mustard and truffle cream, alongside breakfast sandwiches and catering. At the Rock Center location, for example, young professionals can be spotted spending their lunch hours waiting in long lines for their sandwiches.
As part of NYC Tourism’s “Kick It in NYC” Match Day dining program, Alidoro is also offering a limited-time “Il Calcio” sandwich – an Italian riff on the Cubano, named for the Italian word for soccer – at Rock Center, timed to its World Cup pop-up viewing parties. An outdoor Alidoro cart will also sell the Gothamist and Pinocchio sandwiches during the activations, running July 6 to 19.
We hear… that Michelin Guide recommended Sushi Akira, a female-led 12-seat omakase restaurant, is worth a trip to the Upper East Side for its new seasonal menu. Led by chef/owner Chef Nikki Zheng — who trained at Masa, Sushi of Gari and Sushi Nakazawa in the city, as well as at Tokyo’s three Michelin starred Quintessence — the restaurant, at 317 E. 75th St., features dry aged Sea Bream with Cucumber Jelly, Aori Ika — bigfin reef squid with yuzu zest, yuzu juice, and sea salt — and Murasaki uni, a seasonal, premium purple sea urchin.