Guide to Bellport: Restaurants, shows, shops and more
Accessible, low-key and with style to spare, the compact seaside village of Bellport is an appealing late summer day trip alternative to the East End.
Just 60 miles east of New York City and 1.5 square miles, it is surrounded by bucolic farmlands and the Great South Bay, full of surprising shops and cafes and boasts more than 80 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
While homeownership in Bellport has its perks — the private Ho Hum Beach on Fire Island is for residents only — there's plenty that can be done by a day-tripper. Here are some notable things to eat, buy, see and do in a day:
THINGS TO DO IN BELLPORT
The village is full of historical buildings, entertainment and museum exhibits to explore.
Bellport Lane walking tour
31 Bellport Lane
The Bellport Historical Society in Bellport. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Absorb some history and get the lay of the land by downloading the Bellport Lane walking tour map available on the Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society website. Call 631-866-7049 and then input location numbers from the map to learn about 14 architecturally and historically significant buildings. leading to and from the town dock. The walking tour starts at the corner of South Country Road. (bbhsmuseum.com).
Gateway Playhouse
215 S. Country Rd.
Day trippers can head to the Gateway in Bellport to see musical performances. Visitors can see “Jersey Boys,” a behind-the-music story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, from Aug. 4-Sept. 10. Credit: Reg Madison
For lovers of theater, this entertainment venue in town brings Broadway quality shows to Suffolk County. Fans can see the regional premiere of "Jersey Boys" through Sept. 10. Tickets are $27.50-$95. (631-286-1133, thegateway.org)
Marquee Projects
14 Bellport Lane
“We realized from the beginning there would be no gallery without the community around it,” says Marquee Projects gallery director Tonja Pulfer. Enhancing the gallery’s shows and bringing in visitors are artist talks, poetry readings and music events. Since 2017, she and her husband Mark Van Wagner have been exhibiting work in the pristine white space by both well-established artists like South African photographer Gary Schneider, and emerging talents, including Kansas City painter Emily Blair Quinn, whose free solo show of haunting oil portraits runs Aug. 4-Sept. 3. Free to enter. (631-803-2511, marqueeprojects.org)
The Something Machine
11 Station Rd.
Explore The Something Machine art gallery in Bellport. Visitors can currently see the work of Australian Filipina artist Marikit Santiago. In 2020, Marikit won the prestigious Sir John Sulman Prize for her work “The Divine.” Credit: Celia Werner
Located in a former auto body shop next to a still-operating gas station, The Something Machine is a cutting-edge contemporary art space overseen by renowned curator (he’s a veteran of both the Vancouver and the Venice Biennales) Jeffrey Uslip. On view now: A free solo show by award-winning Filipina-Australian artist Marikit Santiagofeaturing her highly personal, politically engaged oil paintings on recycled cardboard. Free to enter. (646-285-5746, thesomethingmachine.com)
Deer Run Farms
282 S. Country Rd.
Deer Run Farms in Bellport sells pies, homemade ice cream, flowers, fresh produce and handcrafted gifts. Credit: Valerie Nolan
About a mile out of town on South Country Road in Brookhaven is Deer Run Farms run by Bob Nolan, his wife Janet and his son and daughter. Bob's family has been farming since 1898. Check out the vintage photos of representatives from each generation behind the counter and then look through the back door right out onto fields full of arugula, escarole, zucchini and tomatoes. In addition to just-picked produce, the farm store, open Thursday through Monday year-round, features local honey, jam, baked goods and flowers. (631-707-2195, deerrunfarms.net)
WHERE TO EAT IN BELLPORT
There are several spots to grab a bite. Here are some where you can get a coffee, have dinner, a pint or dessert.
Brewport Coffee House
129 S. Country Rd.
Brewport prepares coffee for the morning rush in Bellport. Credit: Dawn McCormick
A popular gathering spot, Brewport Coffee House offers baked goods and a revolving menu of specialty lattes. with flavors like cinnamon bun and Almond Joy as well as Beachball cold brew iced tea on tap. (631-803-0809, brewportcoffee.com)
The Bellport Restaurant
159 S. Country Rd.
Nightlife such as it is in quiet Bellport is concentrated at The Bellport Restaurant, where chef and co-owner Taylor Alonso and his business partner and wife, former fashion pr exec Patricia Trainor, purchased the corner spot in 1990 and have been serving unfussy but refined food since 1990. Blue and yellow accents and mismatched bistro chairs give the place a country French feel. The lively bar at the center of the dining room is a magnet for local artists and musicians. Alonso’s menu items include seasonal seafood appetizers like corn-crusted fried oysters with fresh corn cream sauce ($17.95), pasta classics like bucatini cacio pepe ($19.75) and buttermilk fried chicken, ($25.75), a house specialty. The three-course Recession Special for $28.75 is a Monday night tradition. Brunch is served on Sunday. (631-286-7550, thebellportrestaurant.com)
Bellport Brewing Company
14 Station Rd.
Marty Howard, left, and Vickie Crabtree, both from Bellport sit in the beer garden at Bellport Brewing Company in Bellport. Credit: Randee Daddona
The local brew pub right off the main drag with sidewalk seating as well as a casual tasting room is open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It offers hyperlocal beers like Belle of Bellport, a blonde ale and Gammy’s Special Recipe, brewed with Long Island sweet potatoes. Pours are priced at $8. Menu items to soak up the suds include soft pretzels, chicken wings and pizza rolls. (631-909-4457, bellportbrewing.com)
Peter's on the Green
40 S. Country Rd.
Peter’s on the Green is a restaurant located at the 9th hole of the golf course at the Bellport Country Club. Credit: Union Square Advertising
A more substantial breakfast/brunch menu as well as lunch and dinner are offered at Peter’s on the Green, where members and nonmembers alike can take in the view of the Bellport Country Club golf course’s ninth hole while enjoying omelets, eggs Benedict ($15-$18), salads ($15-$20), burgers ($15-$17) and wraps ($16-$18). Tables are in the clubby dining room with a full bar, as well as on the shaded patio. Closed Mondays. (631-803-8440, petersonthegreenny.com)
Carla Marlas Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe
8 Bellport Lane
Carla Marlas Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closing at 10 p.m. on Sundays, to satisfy your sweet tooth for ice cream when the need arises. Jawbreakers, Pop Rocks, candy necklaces and other old-fashioned favorites are displayed in tin buckets. In addition to expected ice cream flavors including salted caramel and pistachio. There are also vegan and dairy-free options like peach cobbler and Brooklyn black and white cookie. Also available: Frosty Paws doggy ice cream in a Dixie pup cup. (631-803-6630, carlamarlas.com)
WHERE TO SHOP IN BELLPORT
From the latest trends to vintage finds, the Village offers an array of shopping opportunities.
Copper Beech
133 S. Country Rd.
The Hamptons may be known for international luxury brands, but Bellport excels in beautifully curated independent shops. First among equals is Copper Beech, an upscale dry goods store with soaring ceilings, overflowing with housewares, home furnishings, cookware, antiques and pantry items. Every item, from a colorful tin of La Dalia smoked paprika ($6.50) to a rattan carpet beater ($20), a straw plowman hat ($144) and a framed vintage crew team photo ($750) has been chosen for its utility and beauty by Copper Beech’s owners, designers Thomas O’Brien and Dan Fink. (631-286-0202, copperbeechbythesea.com)
Bellport General
138 S. Country Rd.
A skateboarder makes his way down South Country Rd., in Bellport. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Stop in for the full menu of espresso drinks at Bellport General and you never know what you might leave with. Standout items from this mod emporium include pillows made from vibrant Bolivian textiles, organic pancake mix, souvenir Bellport T-shirts and decks of cards for learning foreign languages. Everything has a cool edge, including tote bags, beach towels and coasters from Lateral Objects, shopkeeper and product designer Stefan Beckman’s line. (631-803-8121, bellportgeneral.com)
Good Merch. Consignment Shop
12 Bell St.
Good Merch. consignment shop in Bellport has a variety of home furnishings and décor. Credit: Donna Clarke
New furniture and décor arrive on an almost daily basis notes Good Merch owner Donna Clarke. All items are accepted on a consignment basis, but it’s not often that Clarke refuses what she’s offered, much of it from local designers. “Bellport has such good fashion and style people here that most of it is pretty great.” On a recent visit, potential vacation home accents included a set of three midcentury glass mushroom canisters for $260, a red and white painted wooden oar for $165 and a yard full of wrought iron garden and patio furniture. (goodmerchbellport.com)
The Village Silversmith
149 S. Country Rd.
Owner and jeweler Dwight Truillo has been selling his silver and gold designs at The Village Silversmith since 1970. His creations featuring sea horses, starfish, and clamshells make particularly meaningful souvenirs. Also of note are the shop’s enviable collections of vintage southwestern silver and turquoise jewelry and rare costume pieces from designers including Chanel. (631-286-1660, villagesilversmith.com)
The Storefront
139 S. Country Rd.
The Storefront boutique and bookstore in Bellport. Credit: Dawn McCormick
By design, there’s something for everyone at The Storefront: “We cater to the tastes of our eclectic residents and hopefully folks just visiting Bellport for the day,” says owner Melissa Feldman. Work by local artists is showcased in the Bellport-centric shop’s ground-level gallery space. Upstairs, customers can grab freshly brewed tea from a tea bar and browse a small but considered selection of cooking, design and children’s books, many written by Bellport residents. (631-803-2190, thestorefrontbellport.com)
WHERE TO STAY IN BELLPORT
Bellport Inn
160 S. Country Rd
You might be so charmed by the town that you’d like to spend the night. If so, reserve a room at the Bellport Inn, a circa 1889 property with rooms, suites and a stand-alone cottage that share a manicured garden outfitted with outdoor showers, lounge chairs and fire pits. There are bicycles to borrow, an honor bar and pantry stocked with locally made snacks. Guests can ride the residents-only ferry to Ho Hum Beach. Room rates start at $375. (631-677-1615, bellportinn.com)
