I traveled to Montauk for the very first time a few weeks ago, and I am so excited to share the amazingness I experienced there with you all today. My boyfriend and I decided to do a little getaway there mid-way through his visit, and we were both so so glad we did. It was the perfect escape, and we were blown away by how sweet, beautiful, and cozy this little town is. While we were there in early June, I know the season really peaks July and August, which means that while we were able to avoid many of the crowds and elevated prices of those months, we definitely didn’t get to experience some of the most quintessential Montauk things to the fullest, as they were either closed or not operating at full capacity yet. (I still included those things in this list for your reference, since I did a whole bunch of research on all the best spots in Montauk, so definitely check them out if they’re open and available when you go!)

Regardless which month you go, though, summer in Montauk is absolutely lovely, and while it makes the perfect romantic getaway, it’s also incredible for a solo escape or a girls’ trip with friends.

Before I get into the foods, beaches, hikes, and all that good stuff, I just have a couple quick tips to keep in mind if you are traveling to Montauk at any time during the summer months.

1. It gets chilly in the evenings/sometimes randomly during the day, so have a sweater or some kind of light jacket with you. Seriously, it can go from 80 to 60 in about 15 minutes when the fog rolls in, and you never really see it coming. Also, it’s always windy and chilly near the open water, so definitely take a sweater there.

2. Montauk is NOT walkable. I’m one of those people who loves to drive my friends crazy with the infuriating motto, “we can walk there!” no matter the distance or terrain, but even I had to admit that my boyfriend had made a great call when he suggested we rent a car. You can get away with Uber, but I do think those costs would add up, and sometimes you could end up driving from place to place because someplace is randomly closed or not quite what you were looking for, etc. The good thing is Montauk isn’t large so it doesn’t take long to drive like this between spots, but obviously having to use Uber for all that would be both a time and money-suck. If you don’t have your own car, highly recommend Turo for affordable and reliable car rentals! (Think Airbnb for cars).

3. Make reservations wherever possible. Google the spots you want to eat at/visit and see if they require reservations. A surprising amount actually do not take reservations, so you just have to be strategic about coming early (I’ll note that below for some of the spots), but for the ones that do, you NEED to make one and possibly about a week in advance. Do your research and be proactive!

Okay, now onto the fun stuff!

Food & Coffee

We had some amazinggggg food at Montauk, particularly lobster and various kinds of seafood. This is DEFINITELY the place to go for the seafood. Yes, the restaurants are not exactly cheap, but there is a pretty wide range of prices around town. Location also definitely plays a role. I’d recommend looking up prices ahead of time just so you’re not shocked hehe.

Left Hand Coffee

Okay obviously starting with the coffee because hello, it’s me. I took it upon myself to research where the GOOD coffee is in Montauk, and my search led me to Left Hand. Not only is the shop adorable and the staff super nice, but their coffee is DIVINE. We got it every morning we were there, and I even bought a bag of beans to take home. (Their coffee makes just-as-incredible French press coffee as the cold brew and iced latte I had there.)

Specific recs: cold brew with splash of oat milk, iced oat latte, iced macadamia milk latte

Joni’s

A Montauk institution that’s been successfully operating for 21 years! This is an awesome spot for takeaway breakfast, lunch, smoothies, or baked goods located right off downtown, by the beach. Joni herself often works the register, and you can tell this place is BELOVED by locals/people who visit every year because everyone seemed to know each other by name. Because of the location and just how popular is, there’s often a bit of a wait at the takeout counter, but trust me, the food makes it so worth it! So fresh, delicious, and healthy but in a soul-filling way, you know? 🙂

Specific recs: Rio acai bowl (add peanut butter!), Not Junk Food Juice (add apple), Smoking’ Jack sandwich (didn’t try this, but the boy loved it!), Aloha smoothie (yum!), and seriously one of the best banana breads we’ve ever had. Don’t miss it!

Gosman’s Seafood Restaurant

Funny enough, I had heard about this classic seafood restaurant on the water but actually hadn’t expected to come here because I had all these other places I’d planned on for a “fancy sunset dinner,” and we only had 3 nights. But the very first night, we ended up making the mistake of arriving at those other highly popular spots close to 7pm, only to be told that there would be a wait until 8:30. Finally, hungry and hopeful, we arrived at Gosman’s (which just so happened to be a quick walk from where we were staying!) and were honestly blown away. We were seated outside, with magnificent views of the harbor and even the sunset. Afterward, we walked down to the nearby tiny beach on the Gosman property, which was just the perfect stargazing spot. Ended up being quite a magical evening. 🙂

Specific recs: Fried calamari, lobster bisque, stuffed jumbo shrimp, NZ 2020 Sav Blanc (SO GOOD!), and the BEST carrot cake <3

Duryeas’s

This place is a MUST. It was on every possible list and just looked like to place to BE when you’re in Montauk. Now Duryea’s is not just famous for its absolutely gorgeous aesthetic, waterfront views, and sunsets but also because it is genuinely delicious. I think a lot of times when places are hyped up because they’re so Instagrammable or have great views, their actual food quality could be underwhelming. So NOT the case here. We loved every bite, and no lie, we kind of wanted to just stay there for hours haha because the vibe was so perfect.

Pro tip: You definitely can come here for dinner if you’re looking to hedge your bets on seeing the sunset, but I imagine you’d have to come stupidly early to ensure a good spot, since Duryea’s is one of the spots that does NOT TAKE RESERVATIONS. I had read a tip somewhere to actually come here for lunch to enjoy the full glory of the sun and the water, and I’m actually so so glad we did that. It was perfection. To ensure the best seat, arrive 15 minutes before their noon opening time, and get in line. Yes, there will be a line by the time they open the doors, and you’ll be glad you were there first. 😉 Also if you arrive too early, there are a couple cute shops right next door so you can kill time. 🙂

Specific recs: Bread basket (why was the bread so GOOD), clam chowder, lobster roll (came with the most addicting and delicious sweet potato chips + coleslaw)

TT’s Montauk

This place was an unexpected and delightful find. It was located right by our hotel (and right by Gosman’s), so we passed by it several times and it seemed to always have a good scene, especially in the evenings. I read they were famous for their fish tacos, and I’m historically not a huge fan of those, so I wasn’t too keen on trying it. But then, one night for dinner, we were trying to go to The Dock (a nearby casual seafood spot) and they happened to be closed, so I gave in to Alex’s fish taco pleas. Honestly, SO GLAD I DID! It was genuinely delicious, and I even loved the fish taco I got. The portions here are NOT big, but that just means you can try more! We wanted to get ice cream after, so it was actually perfect for us. 🙂

Specific recs: Chips & guac, chicken tenga tacos, baja fish tacos, frozen margarita (omg, try at your own discretion. This stuff is goooood but SO STRONG. Def pace yourself and drink water 🙂 )

Inlet Seafood

This was our other fancy sunset dinner to celebrate our last night in Montauk. No reservations, so we made sure to not repeat our mistake from before and came EARLY. We arrived at 5:30/5:45 and were able to get a beautiful spot on the upstairs porch overlooking the water. It definitely got much more crowded soon after our arrival, so I would recommend arriving before 6 and possibly closer to 5 if you’re coming on a weekend evening. A lovely restaurant with delicious innovative food and great vibes. 🙂

Specific recs: General Tao’s cauliflower (okay literally the BEST CAULIFLOWER DISH I EVER HAD OUT; get this), pan-seared sea scallops, crunchy calamari roll, spicy lobster roll, and fried cheesecake for dessert. Yum.

The Frozen Anchor

This is a cute little ice cream joint right by Gosman’s and TT’s. We got it for dinner after our tacos at TT’s, and it hit the spot!

The Candied Anchor

A cute shop to fill up on all your classic coastal candy fixins. We got a bag of saltwater taffy because when in Montauk, but they have pretty much everything.

 

Hiking & Activities

For the most part, the hikes at Montauk are essentially nature walks haha, so don’t worry about having all the hiking gear or exerting yourself too much. One tip I will say is definitely have some sort of bug spray and take necessary precautions because there are tick warnings everywhere!

Shadmoor State Park

A lovely hike that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and truly feels like you’re standing on the edge of the world

Walking Dunes

A very interesting hike that takes you to the mysterious “walking dunes” which essentially move a bit every year. The terrain here is so different from anywhere else close by; definitely worth a visit!

Montauk Point Lighthouse

The fourth oldest lighthouse in the US (George Washington authorized its construction!) that’s located at the very very end of the island. In normal times, you can climb the tower for probably some pretty epic views, but that wasn’t an option now because of the pandemic. Still for sure worth a visit, and the lighthouse museum is super interesting! Pro tip: It gets very cold and windy here, even on warm days, so bring a sweater.

Montauk Point State Park + Camp Hero + Seal Haul Trail

After seeing the lighthouse, this is a nice walk to take not too far out from there. Apparently you can spot seals lazing on rocks if you follow the Seal Haul Trail, but we were sadly not able to find them. Also, cell service/data here is nonexistent so make sure you know where you’re going/what you want to see before starting this hike.

 

Beaches

The Jetty @ The Inlet

This is the only beach that we were genuinely able to explore and enjoy to the fullest because we lived right by it and got lucky with the weather when we were there. This is a harbor beach, so it’s smaller, more private, and definitely less crowded. You can find it by navigating to Gosman’s and then just walking a few steps to the beach. It’s a lovely place to swim during the day (it’s rocky the first few steps but then just smooth sand) and at night, stargaze. Bring blankets and come here after sunset for the most unbelievable celestial views. Love.

Kirk Park Beach

This is the beach that’s right by downtown, so it’s a nice place to bring your takeout food from Joni’s or Left Hand and just enjoy a little picnic. It’s a bit more crowded because of the location, but still super nice!

 

Shopping

Whalebone Creative

Located right by Duryea’s, this is a Montauk classic. Their shirts can be seen literally wherever you go on the island, and it’s a nice spot for some souvenirs!

Land Shark

Loved this spot for classic Montauk souvenirs that were tasteful and fun. Also where you can get the classic Montauk sweaters.

Wyld Blue

The most gorgeous shop in Montauk. It’s truly like walking into a luxury coastal living magazine. I caved and bought a candle here that literally smelled like dreams coming true. 🙂

Next time:

Like I mentioned, we were only here for 3 nights, so we obviously couldn’t do it all. Also, some spots that I had planned on going to ended up being closed when we were there. Just means there’s more to do next time!

 

Crow’s Nest – This is the restaurant I was most intent on going to and the one we sadly didn’t make it to. This is a quintessential fancy sunset dinner spot, and EVERYONE knows it, so you absolutely need to come way before 6pm to secure a good seat. No reservations.

Ditch Witch Food Truck – I was sad about this one. Apparently, this legendary food truck is only open weather permitting, and on the day that we were in the area, it was super windy and foggy and gray, so the Ditch Plains beach was quite empty, and the food truck was fully closed. I’ve heard SUCH good things about their breakfast and lunch options, so I would absolutely make it a point to stop by here if you’re spending the day at Ditch Plains, and the weather is cooperative.

Bluestone Lane Beach Collective – I didn’t go here because I know there are several locations of BL in NYC, but I looked inside and it’s definitely a very gorgeous space. They also have a very cute retail shop, in addition to the cafe, and the vibe here is definitely much more beachy/coastal/unique than in any of their other locations, so I’d def stop by next time.

Montauket – Kept hearing so much about this classic spot, but we just didn’t have the time to fit it in. Particularly famous for the sunset views (and I heard it gets CROWDED around that time), it’s a great place to get a drink on the island. They also serve food, but most sources I’ve read seemed to highlight the drinks!

Mudslides from Liar’s – SO sad we didn’t get to do this because a mudslide sounds like the best thing ever to me haha, but because our visit to Ditch Plains was a bust, we sadly couldn’t try this spot out. The dream would be swimming at Ditch Plains Beach, having a picnic of Ditch Witch Food Truck for lunch, and mudslides from Liar’s after a few hours of lazing on the sand. Next time!

Ditch Plains Beach – Probably the most famous and popular beach in Montauk and definitely a MUST-VISIT. Like I mentioned, we just happened to run into some bad weather, so it was totally empty when we came, and we didn’t stay long to hang out because it was really cold. 100% going back on a sunny day!

Hither Hills State Park and Beach – We only briefly stopped by this beach to have a mini-picnic and decided to hike the nearby Walking Dunes instead of the whole park because we were short on time. Again, it was pretty cold and windy so sadly didn’t get the whole vibe of the place and obviously couldn’t swim, but would love to return.

Navy Beach – The way I understand it, Navy Beach is a classic Montauk all-day affair. There’s a really popular beach, a great restaurant (requires reservations a while in advance), and amazing sunset views from everywhere.

South Edison Beach – Didn’t make it to this beach, but heard good things!

Shops: The 8th Drifter, Quincy, Summer Label – These all looked so cute but were still closed for the season when we were there. They were all mentioned on various Montauk travel blogs, so I think they’re definitely worth a pop-in!

 

And that’s a wrap for this quick and definitely not-all-inclusive Montauk guide! It might be a small town, but there are a ton of gems here, and as you can see, there is so much that we couldn’t fit in our short trip. I can definitely see how people keep coming back here year after year without getting bored. It’s genuinely the most perfect blend of trendy and quaint, luxury and casual. And pure magic.

If you’re a fan of beachy coastal laid-back vibes and great seafood, you’ll love it here. 🙂 ,

 

Comment down below with any questions or any of your own specific Montauk recommendations! I’d love to hear your thoughts!