Restaurateur and caterer Tim Burke and chef Randy Riess’s Lobster Grille Inn on West Inlet Road in Southampton closed in October, but the restaurant is poised to open again at a familiar location.
The pair had opened Lobster Grille about five years ago at the site that previously housed Lobster Inn, a staple on the Southampton dining scene for more than 40 years. Mr. Burke said Monday that Lobster Grille’s new location will be 78 Foster Avenue in Hampton Bays, where his restaurant Backbar Grille has been located since 2013.
Mr. Burke explained that he is exiting Lobster Grille—it will be Mr. Riess’s sole venture. However, Mr. Burke will stay on the catering scene: He owns the 230 Elm event venue in Southampton Village, which includes a downstairs bar known as 230down. He said he will continue to offer catering both on-premises and off-premises from Manhattan to Montauk, and he is looking into getting the bowling lanes at 230down up and running again.
Lobster Grille left West Inlet Road when the landlord could not guarantee that the business could stay there through the summer of 2017, because the site may be redeveloped in the near future.
Mr. Burke assured that though there will be some changes—possibly a new name—the old favorites will remain when the restaurant moves to Hampton Bays, including “The Splat,” a dish created by original Lobster Inn owner George “Skip” Tollefsen featuring lobster, crab, shrimp, mussels and more.
“All of the things that people enjoyed at Lobster Grille will be continued,” he said.
The transition is coming in a few months, and Backbar Grille will remain open in the meantime, he said.
Mr. Riess said Tuesday that he is looking forward to working in the kitchen of the Foster Avenue restaurant because it has much more equipment than the Lobster Inn kitchen had, and he anticipates that he will be able to offer more dishes and be more creative with the menu, such as new appetizers and pastas.
Some “artifacts” he collected at Lobster Grille will come to the new site, he said.
He is also taking over the other side of the 78 Foster Avenue building, Tully’s seafood market and café. He said he plans to offer much more prepared food to-go and party platters, while keeping Tully’s raw bar and snack bar, and outdoor seating.
“I’m for the local people,” Mr. Riess said, explaining that his goal has always been to provide locals with quality food at the appropriate price.
27east on Jan 10, 2017