Look at the North Fork through a new lens with this ideal fall itinerary.
Fall travel may not look exactly like it used to, but there is truly no reason to despair this year. With our region teeming with excellent dining, wineries, natural beauty, and exceptional sightseeing, a trip through your backyard can be the best vacation you give yourself in 2020.
The Perfect Fall Day on the North Fork
Look at the North Fork through a new lens with this ideal fall itinerary, which offers a day trip to some of our favorite spots. From breakfast right up until that after-dinner digestif, this trip is nothing short of unforgettable.
Don’t despair your cancelled travel plans; there is so much to eat, drink and explore right here.
Hit up Breakfast at Bruce & Son
If you are going to dine out for breakfast, why not go to a place where breakfast (or brunch) is the only meal served? At Bruce & Son, in Greenport, the morning meal is the only meal. In the interest of social distancing, reservations are accepted (and required, really) on Resy. Once you’ve gotten that out of the way, the world is your pancake (or scone, or egg sandwich, as it were). The seasonal menu changes often, and you’ll be equally astounded by the long list of beverage options, from the list of mushroom-based teas to other seasonal delights..
With new precautions in place, Macari Vineyards is operating with reservations-only
Wine and Dine at Macari Vineyards
No more waiting for a table, we’re afraid. Actually, that’s the good news. With new precautions in place, this esteemed North Fork winery is operating with reservations-only, and that means they now have the opportunity to add extra services to their repertoire. For $50 per person, guests can enjoy a 1.5-hour, socially distant tasting of five of Macari’s wines, as well as an open-air lunch, catered by Greenport’s Demarchelier Bistro. The prepaid reservations are available for parties of one to six.
Buy the Bottle at Kontokosta Winery
Greenport’s premier winery offers reservations-only service in their bespoke barn, where guests can enjoy bottles of wine and a view that goes on for ages. In order to lessen the impact on staff, the winery is not offering tastings at this time, so be prepared to kick back, relax, and settle in for a bottle (or two). Cheese, charcuterie, and other light snacks are also available for purchase at the winery. Reservations can be made online.
Goldsmith Inlet County Park, in Southold, offers a stunning look at the ecosystems of the North Fork.
Check out the Inlet
Walk off the wineries with a trip to Goldsmith Inlet County Park, in Southold, which offers a stunning look at the ecosystems of the North Fork. History runs deep in this part of the channel, which was once famous for delivering bootleg liquor to the Worthwhile Tavern. Tidal crossings and sandy banks are home to everything from native beach plum to bayberry, and the eagle-eyed are likely to find more than a few ospreys and kingfishers. A walking trail provides access—and a peaceful respite from the man-made world.
It is true that few views can possibly compete with that of The Halyard, which enjoys its own brand of endless summer.
Have a Sundowner at The Halyard
It is true that few views can possibly compete with that of The Halyard, which enjoys its own brand of endless summer, with a dining room that comes toe-to-toe with the sound. Stephan Bogardus’s knife is mighty, and dinner here is always a worthwhile endeavor, but a sundowner is, in and of itself, an impressive goal to strive for. There are, after all, fewer restaurant vistas on the North Fork that compete with this pane of glass facing the water.
With a nod to some of the restaurant’s classics, North Fork Table & Inn persists in its elegant ambitions.
Dine with Elegance at The North Fork Table & Inn
Recently reimagined under the gentle guidance of Michelin-starred chef John Fraser, the North Fork Table & Inn, once the provenance of chefs Claudia Fleming and Gerry Hayden, feels like a home that has been updated in all the best ways. With a nod to some of the restaurant’s classics, the restaurant persists in its elegant ambitions. To that end, some ideas—like a snack of smoked Yukons and caviar served with fresh cream and onions, or an entrée of Long Island duck breast served with husk cherries and creamy polenta—feel at once novel and nostalgic, in the best possible meaning of the word.
You can expect a rotating list of excellent, handmade drinks from the knowledgeable folks at Brix & Rye.
Cap the Night in Greenport
At night’s end, close the evening with a bespoke beverage at Brix & Rye, in Greenport, a cocktail bar known for its curated drinks that change with the weather. You can expect a rotating list of excellent, handmade drinks from the knowledgeable folks at Brix & Rye, like the classic Sazerac, or the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai. And, since bars are required to serve food with their drinks in New York State, you’re in luck if you’re feeling late-night peckish, too: three basic styles of pizza (red, red with mozzarella, and white with mozzarella and garlic) are available, in addition to five more upmarket pies. Regardless of which style of pizza you go for, know that the pies always taste just a little better once you’re one or two cocktails in.
