While the Hamptons—on the South Fork of Long Island—may get all the hype, there’s another fork to familiarize yourself with: The North Fork. In particular, the town of Greenport at the end of the fork, which is slowly but surely seeing more visitors. A former whaling and fishermen’s town, it’s set to become that of a getaway for those in the know on the East Coast. And what do you need for crowds and visitors? Lodging. Enter: The Menhaden.
The Menhaden
This 16-room boutique hotel has a black-and-white décor theme, with a minimalistic, hip feel. Pass by coordinated bikes (available to guests) outside before entering the lobby, where modern-yet-nautical touches abound. Once you enter your room (with keys! No plastic cards here!) you’ll be struck by how much light plays off the mostly white furnishings, keeping things airy and bright. Need a snack? Each floor features a galley kitchen, with local favorites like North Fork Potato Chips, local pastries, and a Smeg fridge stocked with drinks and yogurts. It was honestly one of the highlights of my stay.
The Menhaden
Visit wineries (the North Fork has more than 50!) and beaches nearby on your own (I definitely recommend having a car as Ubers can be infrequent, though their on-site Moke car can get you mostly where you need to go and most of Greenport is certainly walkable), or set up a bespoke experience like a sailing excursion. You can grab dinner and a drink at The Merchant’s Wife, which also features a roofdeck for guests. If you see him, say hi to Yancy, the bar director there who has some serious cocktail shaking moves.
The Menhaden
The hotel is a seriously dreamy escape, should you need one. (And really, nowadays, who doesn’t?)
The Menhaden is available for bookings here.
