Hamptons restaurants to try this weekend

Say what you like about the place, when it comes to the Hamptons’ dining scene, there’s nary a dull moment in summer, courtesy of its seasonal denizens’ inexhaustible demand for new places to eat. Tons of restaurants answer the call annually, some launching temporary pop-ups, others seeking a more permanent presence, or as permanent as an eatery can be in the Hamptons, that is. Here are three establishments in search of patrons whose loyalty will extend through Labor Day and beyond:

Buttero

31 Race Lane, East Hampton

Once home to Dopo La Spiaggia, Maurizio Marfoglia’s Italian spot has morphed, somewhat, into an Italian steakhouse, featuring a menu as inviting as its setting, particularly outdoors, where pink and purple hydrangeas hug candlelit tables on a quiet back patio. Start with a cucumber Collins ($22) or one of Buttero’s splash cocktails — low-calorie, low-sugar takes on the classics ($19) — as a prelude to such starters as burrata with caramelized figs ($25), clams casino ($21) and, especially, an irresistible salad known as Chop Chop ($18). Among the entrees are such headliners as a fine filet mignon ($54) and Gulf of Maine swordfish ($46), although fans of Buttero’s previous incarnation won’t be disappointed either, its menu featuring such holdovers as fettuccine with prawns and porcini mushrooms ($32) and a bucatini with clams and red sauce baked in parchment paper ($33). A few more spritzes of crème Anglaise are all that separates the banana bread pudding from a spot in the dessert pantheon. More info: 631-658-9063, butterohamptons.com

Fini

237 Main St., Amagansett

The slice comes at a price — $5.50 to be exact — but one bite into it, even the most devoted dollar-pizza type will likely conclude that it’s money well-spent. Open only since June 17, this tiny spot is an offshoot of the popular Williamsburg pizzeria. Fini’s leopard-spotted crust is a complex taste adventure all its own, as is the Gustarosso tomato sauce that serves as a sweet basis for several slices, although not the exceptional white pizza. The latter’s gathering of mozzarella, Fontina and Parmesan is happy indeed, and so is its lemon wedge sidecar, one squeeze of which will have you wondering why every white slice doesn’t come with same. Of note, Fini is mostly a takeout place, which is just as well, as anyone who stops to consume a slice at one of its few stools will be tempted to return to the counter for an entire 18-incher, once again heedless of any wallet dent left by Fini’s cheese ($32), white ($34) or pepperoni ($35) pies. More info: 631-394-5654, finipizza.com

Léon 1909

29 West Neck Rd., Shelter Island Heights

OK, it’s technically only Hamptons-adjacent, and OK, it opened last August, but this gorgeously imagined Provencal-focused restaurant — formerly a Capital One — is really hitting its stride this season. Local ingredients are showcased from the start with Léon’s bread basket, pillowy soft tranches made from wheat harvested at nearby Sylvestor Manor ($3 a person), and so are creative dishes like frito misto with za’atar-kissed broccolini and cauliflower swimming in a tart aioli ($27), chicken liver mousse with buttery toast points ($26), hearty strozzapreti with pancetta ($37) and perfectly crispy pan-roasted fluke with summer squash ($42). As good as it is, the menu is nearly — but not quite — eclipsed by the setting, from a brick-and-wood candlelit dining room with exposed trusses, rattan bar stools and a partially exposed kitchen where meats are roaringly fired, to a lovely pergola-shaded outdoor area, the perfect place to savor an early candidate for this summer’s greatest cocktail, a cucumber vodka, Strega and lime juice concoction dubbed Lueur d’Ete ($18). More info: 631-749-9123, leon1909.com

By Scott Vogel

scott.vogel@newsday.com

Newsday writer and restaurant critic Scott Vogel aims for a refreshing, gimlet-eyed take on the Long Island food scene, often while drinking a refreshing gimlet.