Foodstuffs

Restaurant Week is Here

Fall is in the air, and Long Island Restaurant Week is back, running Sunday, October 29, to Sunday, November 5, with several prix fixe options. Participating restaurants offer a $24 two-course lunch, a $29 three-course dinner menu, a $39 three-course dinner menu and/or a $46 three-course dinner prix fixe with three options per course for dinner.

“We are excited to kick off the fall season with Fall Long Island Restaurant Week,” said Nicole Castillo of Long Island Restaurant & Hospitality Group. “Going into the 18th year of offering eight days of deals at restaurants across Long Island, we are thrilled to see a variety of cuisines for diners to choose from.”

Participating East End restaurants include: The Preston House Restaurant and Bistro 72 in Riverhead; Stone Creek Inn in East Quogue; Fauna and Flora in Westhampton Beach; R.AIRE at The Hampton Maid, Centro Trattoria & Bar and Cowfish in Hampton Bays; Saaz Indian restaurant and LUNCH/Lobster Roll Restaurant in Southampton; Calissa and Bistro Ete in Water Mill; Elaia Estiatorio, Bobby Van’s, Bridgehampton Inn and Jean Georges at Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton; Page 63 at Main in Sag Harbor; Cove Hollow Tavern and The Clubhouse in East Hampton; Léon 1909 on Shelter Island.

For a full list of participating restaurants, visit longislandrestaurantweek.com.

Pumpkin Time

The air is crisp and fall favorites plus some new additions are featured at Hampton Coffee Company’s espresso bars and cafés through Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the always popular Pumpkin Pie Latte (iced or hot) and Pumpkin Crème Shaken Cold Brew alongside two new additions: Brown Sugar Cinnamon Latte and Caramel Apple Shaken Espresso. The Brown Sugar Cinnamon Latte is available iced or hot and combines choice of milk with Hampton Coffee Company’s signature espresso and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup. The Caramel Apple Shaken Espresso combines caramel apple flavors with espresso and gets a quick shake before being topped-off with cold oat milk.

On the bakery side, the pumpkin muffins have returned. and are baked in each of the cafes every morning. For a great afternoon snack, give the pumpkin blondie a try. Made from scratch by the non-profit South Fork Bakery, which gives special needs adults real-life training, these blondies are truly a taste of fall that can’t be beat.

Making coffee at home? Bring home a pound of Pumpkin Pie coffee beans.

Hampton Coffee Company’s cafés are open daily from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. For easy ordering, download the Hampton Coffee app. For information visit hamptoncoffee.com.

Beneficial Bagels

In response to the recent attacks on Israel by the Palestinian terror group Hamas on October 7, Eccentric Bagel on Shelter Island is hosting a special initiative in support of Israel. On Thursday, October 18, a symbolic day in Hebrew signifying both life and peace, Eccentric Bagel will donate all its profits to support United Hatzalah’s vital Emergency Campaign for Emergency Equipment in Israel.

Every purchase made at the Eccentric Bagel that day will directly support United Hatzalah’s mission to provide life-saving assistance during this crisis. United Hatzalah is a volunteer-based emergency medical service organization dedicated to providing rapid and professional medical assistance in Israel.

For details, visit eccentricbagel.com. Eccentric Bagel is at 25 West Neck Road, Shelter Island.

Prohibition is Lifted

In honor of the 90th year of the repeal of Prohibition (1933 for those of you trying to do the math), Claudio’s Tavern and Grill in Greenport hosts a Prohibition Party on Friday, October 20, at 7 p.m.

At the height of Prohibition, Claudio’s was a speakeasy. The eatery may have been a fine dining restaurant downstairs, but upstairs was a different story where locals who were granted entry imbibed illegal spirits smuggled in by bootleggers.

The building sat on stilts over the water, which allowed for easy access for bootleggers to pull their boats (aka rummies) under the building and pass their booze up through the trap door in the floor behind the bar. That trap door still exists today. The booze was then shipped off to Manhattan. However, some of it stayed behind for locals. The illegal booze was transported by dumbwaiter from the restaurant up to the speakeasy. Notable guests in the 1920s included mobsters Bugsy Siegel, Legs Diamond and Dutch Schultz.

On October 20, dress in your best Prohibition-era costume and enjoy music by the HooDoo Loungers and cocktail tastings courtesy of Jefferson Whiskey. Also on the menu will be several Prohibition inspired cocktails. Guests can also take tours of the property including the trap door, dumbwaiter. Claudio’s Tavern and Grill is at 111 Main Street in Greenport. For details, visit claudios.com or call 631-477-0627.

Dried Floral Workshop

Tap into that pumpkin spice season with Bedell Cellars as it hosts a dried floral pumpkin centerpiece workshop with Hometown Flower Co. on Saturday, October 21, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants will design a seasonal arrangement to take home.

Cost is $85 which includes a glass of sparkling rosé. To register, visit hometownflowerco.com. Bedell Cellars is at 36225 Main Road in Cutchogue.