This Is Where Celebs Love to Eat and Drink in Sag Harbor, Insider Reveals

Each summer for the last few years, my mother-in-law has said, “I’ve never seen Sag Harbor this crowded.” As a resident of the small Hamptons village for over a decade, she’s watched Sag Harbor’s popularity steadily tick up — the car, foot, and boat traffic has spiked year over year. Sag Harbor and Montauk are the only places in the Hamptons you can access directly by boat, and part of what’s ushering this tourism boom into Sag’s waterfront downtown is likely the number of celebrities who like to anchor their yachts in the harbor or stay in one of the town marinas and frequent the high-density of stylish restaurants.

While The American Hotel has been dominating the spotlight recently for its celebrity association, there are actually two restaurants where you’re most likely to run into a familiar famous face: Tutto il Giorno and Le Bilboquet. Tutto and Bilboquet, as they’re more commonly referred to, are two of the most popular restaurants in Sag Harbor, and therefore also some of the toughest reservations to snag in the entire Hamptons.

Tutto’s menu is limited to southern Italian classics, and diners typically discover a dish they love and stick to it. Last month, Bethany Frankel went so far as calling the rigatoni the “best bolognese in the Hamptons” and said the pane carasau, a crispy Sardinian cracker in the starters, is “amazing.”

I’ve been countless times with my family, and my go-to is the spaghetti — it’s a simple classic that’s delicious and hits the spot every time. Meanwhile, my family is very loyal to the tagliata dish, which is served with Prime New York Strip, fresh cherry tomatoes, rucola, and a balsamic reduction. On numerous occasions, we’ve seen notable people enjoying meals with friends and family here, from Bravo housewives to musical legends. Wine aficionados, like Joey Wölffer, are known to love this Main Street mainstay, too.

Part of what draws such an illustrious crowd to Tutto, which also has a location in Southampton and a cafe in East Hampton, is the emphasis on design. Most of what you see in the restaurant is subtly for sale: if you like the decor, take a piece home. There are also mannequins sparsely posed around tables in drapey styles from Donna Karan’s Urban Zen and a small store with the brand’s clothes and accessories tucked off the main dining room. On the summer weekends, a DJ plays low-key music inside, but you can also eat al fresco underneath twinkle lights surrounded by greenery on one of the two patios or in a small pebbled section out front.

At Bilboquet — a follow-up to its original Manhattan spot with outposts in Palm Beach and Denver, as well — you’re as likely to run into a celebrity during dinner as you are at the more rowdy bar scene afterward. (Disclaimer: if you can get in.) With an unassuming entrance on Long Wharf and hidden behind trees and bushes right on the waterfront, this chic, French-inspired spot manages to offer both seclusion and one of the best views in Sag Harbor, which you can enjoy from the expansive deck or window-lined main dining room laden with cushy brown leather booths and upscale nautical accents. The big, horseshoe-shaped bar surrounded by bulbous woven hanging lamps gets crowded during weekend after-dinner hours when a DJ plays.

Here, I’ve seen all walks of (famous) life, from fashion moguls to comedians to politicians, and celebrity news sites have reported actors like Amber Heard, Austin Butler, Emily Blunt, and Hugh Jackman have dined here. Bilbo, as it’s endearingly called by locals, is known for its signature Cajun chicken dish, which is truly delicious. The restaurant encourages guests to dress up to match the atmosphere, with loose attire guidelines precluding beachwear like flip-flops and shorts.

Tutto reservations are available via Seven Rooms and Bilboquet is on Resy, or you can try to stop in for a drink at the bars.