In New York, no sand-and-shore getaway is more chic than to summer with the rich and famous in the Hamptons. Part of the Jitney jaunt is scoping the tony places to eat, where even the most basic meals come at a premium. If weekend (or weekday) beaching with the A list is on your upcoming schedule, here are five storied spots to be seen or score a mod meal.

Della Femina
Few have been firing consistently well-coiffed food longer than the team behind Della Femina (99 N. Main St., East Hampton, 631-329-6666), where a welcoming, candle-lit dining room, a who's who crowd, and Italian-tinged New American fare keep it on Hamptons' top restaurant lists year in and year out. Executive chef Michael Rozzi's menu changes based on seasonal ingredients, but expect inventive twists from croissant bread pudding to classics like his signature pan-roasted chicken.

Clam Bar
At some point during its 20-year existence, the opening of Clam Bar (13595 Montauk Highway, Amagansett, 631-267-6348) became one of the telltale signs that Hamptons season is set to begin. Well, the roadside seafood shack ended its hibernation in March, so it's time to cozy up in shorts, a T-shirt and sandals for the day's no-frills fresh catch that makes summers in the northeast unique: clams, oysters, bisque—but especially the notorious lobster roll.

Nick & Toni's
Whether it's Sarah Jessica Parker, Cindy Crawford or Ed Burns, Nick & Toni's (136 N. Main St., East Hampton, 631-324-3550) has become the Hamptons' premier spot to spy a celebrity—if you can get a table. The Italian-focused fare at this sprawling farmhouse boasts the seasonal, but executive chef Joe Realmuto also knows how to keep it casual a la thin-crust pizzas from the wood-burning oven.

Babette's
Celebs can be found lounging at sidewalk tables from breakfast through dinner at laid-back Babette's (66 Newtown Lane, East Hampton, 631-329-5377), where chef-owner Daniel van der Beek creates organic and local fare from dusk to well past dawn. A caveat: You won't find red meat on the menu here, but don't fret hearty carnivore. Van der Beek creates lively fare like breakfast dishes that burst with fresh fruit, as well as a stable of creative poultry, seafood and garden dinner options that have been known to make even the strictest of meat-and-potato eaters green believers.

The Harvest on Fort Pond
If dining with a large group, popular waterfront restaurant The Harvest on Fort Pond (11 S. Emery St., Montauk, 631-668-5574) not only boasts sunset views but also family-style dining. The Tuscan fare from chef John Weston spans hearty pastas like bacon-, mushroom- and scallop-studded fusili to a signature 32-ounce grilled porterhouse steak topped with a classic French sauce of green peppercorns and shallots.


MORE HAMPTONS RESTAURANTS: THE UPSTARTS—>