silver liningTHE AMERICAN DREAM IS THRIVING AT SILVER’S, A SOUTHAMPTON MAINSTAY SINCE 1923. BY MATTHEW WEXLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC STRIFFLER

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: Fresh Burrata and basil with red ripe tomatoes; alfresco

dining at Silver’s; Garrett Wellins is Silver’s third-generation chef/owner.

There was a time when you could buy an authentic Cuban cigar at

Silver’s, now one of Southampton’s most nostalgic and notable res-

taurants. Years later you might find military fatigues, British

woolens, or electronics. Today, you’re more apt to indulge in that East End

classic, a lobster roll (with 21st-century prices), and a glass of rosé.

Manning the kitchen (and the front of house and everywhere in between)

is Garrett Wellins, third-generation owner of

the quaint bistro that sits idyllically tucked

away on Main Street’s south end. Wellins, a

good-humored multitasker who could start a

side career as a double for Garry Shandling,

has been in the business since he was 8 years

old. With a smirk, he says his dad told him,

“Come to work or I’ll kill you.” He’s been

there ever since. While Wellins started by

doing small chores like stocking candy and magazines, his role evolved as

Silver’s continued to reinvent itself through the years.

The restaurant’s well-polished history dates back to 1923, when Wellins’s

great-aunt and her husband established themselves in Southampton as

tailors for Bergdorf Goodman. They encouraged his grandparents, who

had been operating a not-so-successful cigar store in New Jersey, to move

the operation to the East End. Silver’s Cigar

Store was incorporated and flourished for

the next 40 years as the local smoke shop, at

one point carrying more than 500 interna-

tional newspaper and magazine titles. Upon

entering the restaurant, the original humi-

dor still stands proud, but it is also a

reminder that the American Dream can

continued on page 66

“ Silver’s was a modest menu, but my dad was eager to survive and looking to create something more unique.”

—GARRETT WELLINS

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LEBRATING

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ABOVE: The lobster roll at Silver's is served with a mound of tail meat atop an Eli Zabar brioche bun. BELOW: The lemon tart is a favorite sweet treat at Silver's.

continued from page 64

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE You might think that Silver’s vintage 1911 NCR cash register is

an heirloom dating back to the store’s original inception. Not

so. Wellins bought the antique several years back, thinking it

would add a touch of nostalgia to the restaurant. The

maximum the till can ring up is $69.95, which should be

enough to keep the price of that lobster roll in check.

sometimes have a rude awakening.

The lethal combination of the New York City newspaper strike (1962),

the New York City transit strike (1966), and the relocation of the local post

office caused what Wellins refers to as a “mercantile vacuum” on Main

Street, and his father was forced to rethink the business model or close up

shop. He spent his last $5,000 to purchase a secondhand soda fountain and

Silver’s was—once again—reborn. “It was a modest menu, my dad had no

formal training,” recalls Wellins, “but he was eager to survive and looking

to create something unique.”

The historic building, which dates back

more than 100 years, reveals black and

white linoleum floors, a bar made from

a thick slab of marble, finely polished

brass fixtures, and cream-colored walls

that hold not Norman Rockwells, but

original paintings by Wellins’s mother,

Bess Silver. Trained as a dancer, Wellins’s

mom “always had some kind of art thing

going,” he says. “She was a draftsman dur-

ing World War II and eventually studied

at the Corcoran College of Art & Design

in Washington, DC.” The paintings of

dancers and nearby estates (which can be

purchased for the right price) add another

layer of local flavor to the restaurant, but it

is the fresh, European-inspired menu that

keeps customers coming back.

“I did most of the grunt work when we

went into the food business,” says Wellins

of his culinary training. “I worked with a continued on page 68

lot of good chefs and did some catering. I got interested in French pâtis-

serie. The menu evolved simply, but we put a European spin on it. My

family is of Russian heritage, so we have borscht on the menu. When we

arrived in Southampton we were some of the few ‘Red Sea’ pedestrians” (a

reference from Monty Python’s Life of Brian).

The menu relies on fresh, simply prepared ingredients, and the price

point doesn’t shy away from the fact that Silver’s

uses only the best. Carb-free din-

ers beware: an irresistible chunk

of warm, toasty bread will arrive,

drenched in fruity olive oil and

spiked with garlic and fresh pars-

ley. You will not be able to resist

it and with good cause. It’s the

perfect accompaniment to creamy

Burrata, basil, and tomato. This

alone could be lunch, but then you’d

be missing out on the restaurant’s

signature seafood dishes. The lobster

roll may carry a hefty price tag, but

the heaping mound of tail meat on an

Eli Zabar brioche bun ($40), lightly

dressed with mayonnaise and chopped

Silver's menu has evolved from modest beginnings to more

sophisticated lunch offerings.66 HAMPTONS-MAGAZINE.COM

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The artwork in the restaurant is by owner Garrett Wellins's

mother, Bess Silver.

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celery, is worth its weight. The crabmeat cakes

are baked instead of fried and served with a

Thai chili aioli and organic greens. Wellins

sources his seafood from The Braun Seafood

Company, which has been purveying fresh

catches since 1928. The rest of the menu pays

homage to European influences with dishes

such as a “French Picnic” of savory country

pâté, Brie, and accoutrements; roasted duck leg

confit; and salade d’ anjou, served with English

Stilton and French walnut oil.

Open only for lunch (Wellins says he served

dinner for 13 years and that was enough), Silver’s

can be a tough table to land during high season.

Weather permitting, head straight through the

main dining room for the back patio, where you

can dine alfresco under the shade of an enor-

mous canopied umbrella. “We’ve had the same

customers for more than 40 years—some famous

and some not so famous,” says Wellins, who is

tight-lipped when it comes to naming names.

“They were young adults who now have grand-

children. I take things seriously, and they trust

me to do the right thing.”

While you may see his own children—Ryan,

Patrick, and Mollie—working a lunch shift,

Wellins isn’t convinced that Silver’s will remain

a family legacy. “I hope it doesn’t come to the

point where somebody comes in and [finds me]

face down in a bowl of borscht.” 15 Main St.,

Southampton, 283-6443; silversrestaurant.com H

Bostwick’s Chowder HouseIf you are in the mood for fresh,

local seafood, but don’t want to

head further east than Amagansett,

Bostwick’s has all of your favorites,

including lobster, steamers, and many

types of local fish. The lobster roll is

outstanding, and for lighter fare, try

the Caesar salad with grilled shrimp.

277 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, 324-

1111; bostwickschowderhouse.com

East Hampton Golf ClubFind a friend who is a member to take

you. The clubhouse is magnificent, and

the restaurant's salads, sandwiches,

and pizzas are just as good.

281 Abraham’s Path, East Hampton,

324-7007; ehgc.com

Fairway Restaurant at Poxabogue Golf CenterDanny, the owner, is always there

with a smile and a menu—not that

you need it. The chicken salad in

pita is outstanding, or if you can

handle the calories, go for the tuna

melt. This place is a Hamptons classic.

3556 Montauk Hwy., Wainscott, 521-7100

power lunch at the beachLOEWS HOTELS & RESORTS’ CHAIRMAN AND ULTIMATE AUTHORITY ON LUXURY HOSPITALITY JONATHAN TISCH TELLS US THE TOP TABLES HE BOOKS FOR A MIDDAY MEAL.

continued from page 66

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Loews Chairman Jonathan Tisch weighs in on his favorite lunch bites like pizza from Sam's Bar & Restaurant, lobster roll at Bostwick's Chowder House, and the burger at Rowdy Hall.

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