Little Creek Oysters reopens in new Greenport location
A platter of local oysters and clams at Little Creek Oysters in Greenport. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
If the new location of Little Creek Oysters lacks some of the maritime charm of the original, scruffy waterside spot, it offers some distinct upgrades.
"We now have heat!" partner Ian Wile exulted.
When Wile and his wife, Rosalie, opened their oyster bar 10 years ago in an old bait-and-tackle shop at the end of Bootleg Alley on the Greenport waterfront, the inside was almost an afterthought: The focus was on the outdoor tables where diners could shuck their own local oysters and wash them down with local beer.
But, before long, the shop became a beloved hangout with an expanded menu, collaborative chef pop-ups and, ultimately, a third partner, Travis Zurawski. During the winter, patrons huddled inside, trying to keep one another warm.
In October, however, this mollusk-based idyll was shattered when the partners were unable to renew their lease. The search was on for a new location that would suit Little Creek’s distinctive vibe. Amazingly, they found one, bought the property and redecorated — all before the end of the year.
The two-story building on Carpenter Street is less than two blocks from Bootleg Alley and, if there’s no view of the water, there is a view of the shipyard. A former rooming house, it was most recently the home of Greenport Distilling, the short-lived last project from Greenport’s protean serial restaurateur, the late Frank Purita, who owned D’Latte Cafe.
Little Creek now boasts a 16-seat communal table, a 17-seat bar and, upstairs, a "hangout" room (available for events) that accommodates 24 people. Plus there are close to 30 more seats outside. With so much weathered wood and vintage signage and knickknacks, the "new" eatery looks like it’s been operating for two decades, not two weeks.
Partners Ian Wile, left, and Travis Zurawski at Little Creek Oysters in Greenport. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
On a given day, you can usually find three or four different Peconic Bay oysters on the menu — right now there are Oysterponds Selects, Peconic Golds, Mermaid Makeouts and Davy Jones. They are $3.50 apiece, $21 for six, $42 for a dozen. Also raw: littleneck clams ($2.50 / $15 / $30), sea scallop crudo (with lemon, olive oil and chili crisp, $22) and fluke aguachile (a ceviche-like dish with red onion, cucumber, lime and jalapeños, $24).
Along with greatest hits such as grilled oysters, fisherman’s chowder, smoked fish, gussied-up Schaller & Weber hot dogs and trout sausage, new hot items include salt-boiled new potatoes in the style of the Canary Islands ($12) and a French onion grilled cheese sandwich on a pressed baguette ($12).
The bar dispenses nine beers (among them, Greenport Harbor Porter, Sand City Red Sand Ale and Alewife Sunnyside Winter), a mix of local (Macari, Paumanok) and international wines and seven signature cocktails, including some made with Little Creek’s own Top Water gin and vodka, which are collaborations with Greenport’s own Matchbook Distilling Co.
Little Creek Oysters, 211 Carpenter St., Greenport, littlecreekoysters.com. Open Monday noon to 8 p.m., Wednesday 5 to 10 p.m., Thursday noon to 8 p.m., Friday noon to 10 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m. Sunday noon to 8 p.m., closed Tuesday.
