Smokey Buns: East Hampton Restaurant Offers True Variety Year Round

Restaurants that stay open for a couple more months after Labor Day are one thing – restaurants that keep the flame going for the full offseason of Labor Day to Memorial Day, while still offering their full menu, are another. That’s exactly what Smokey Buns is.

Smokey Buns, located in the village of East Hampton, opened its doors in July, and saw all the usual Hamptons summer business – but looked to go beyond that.

“The central theme of Smokey Buns, or the philosophy behind it, is that the company really wanted to provide the community with a family friendly, fun and affordable option in East Hampton,” Helen Chen, Smokey Buns’s general manager, said. “These kinds of concepts are especially important to ownership because they’re year-round residents, and our priority at Smokey Buns is creating a welcoming environment where guests of all ages, every member of the family, can enjoy high quality, quick, flavorful meals without breaking the bank. We see that now, especially because we’re in our slower season, that most of our visitors are full family, and you know, it’s usually a quick dinner before the movies or a late night dinner, and I think this reflects our dedication to the East Hampton community.”

Operating with this kind of philosophy is not without its challenges, of course. There’s a significant difference in revenue between the high season and the offseason, but according to Smokey Buns’s owners, it’s owed to both employees and clientele to keep the restaurant going year round.

“We would save a few bucks if we closed,” David Hart, culinary director and co-founder of Tip Top Hospitality — which owns Smokey Buns, K Pasa and Sen, among others — said. “But then you have all these staff that you train, invest in, and if you lay them off, they’re obviously going to go and get other jobs, and then you have big problems next year. We take the attitude of seeing it all as an investment. If we are loyal to our staff, our staff will be loyal to us.”

Chen is a native of Mattituck, and thus familiar with the changes in lifestyle during the offseason.

“It’s definitely a drastic change,” Chen said. “But to back up our mission to be affordable year round, being high value, and also simplified and delicious, most of our team members are year-round… I’ve built a team of local high school students and a couple of college students, and they’re here to learn and make some pocket money. Even though business slows down, we’re able to manage it so that we can keep and retain all of our year-round team members.”

Smash burgers are Smokey Buns’s big hit – but it’s more than just a smash burger restaurant. In fact, there are two sides to it. One side, according to Hart, is an old-school ice cream counter, complete with a variety of hot Belgian waffles, ice cream and hot chocolate in the winter. The other side of the restaurant features their smash burgers along with an extensive bourbon and whiskey bar.

“We observe the community and hear feedback on what they need,” Chen added. “We felt there needed to be another breakfast option for all the people who live and work in East Hampton, particularly something that’s quick.”

In addition to smash burgers, waffles and the whiskey bar, Smokey Buns also offers what Hart and Chen call the best veggie burger in town – the mushroom smash burger, an alternative to the usual “Impossible burger” you’ll see at burger restaurants.

“David’s philosophy was, ‘If a guest doesn’t want to eat meat, why would they get something imitating meat?’” Chen said. “So we focused on creating something new. Our mushroom patty is completely homemade, with mushrooms, quinoa and chickpeas to make a vegan smash burger option.”

In addition to all the usual offerings, Smokey Buns also has daily specials – pay them a visit or give them a call to find out more.

Smokey Buns is located at 68 Park Place in East Hampton and can be reached at 631-907-4777, or peruse the menu by visiting their website at smokeybuns.com.