<div>Dining on <a href="http://www.jauntsetter.com/archive/trip_picks/a-train-no-plane-and-definitely-a-ferry-fire-island">Fire Island, our trip pick of the week</a>, most often consists of stepping into your backyard, firing up the grill, and bbq-ing yourself a brat or a <a href="http://www.jauntsetter.com/blog/why-not-somethin-fishy">fresh cut of fish</a> from the cooler. Because only a few towns here have restaurants, low key, do-it-yourself meals are pretty much the standard.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>But if you begin to feel a little cabin fever coming on, or just plain don't feel like cooking (it happens to the best of us), there are some worthwhile dining options in Ocean Bay Park, Ocean Beach, or Cherry Grove, some of Fire Island's more "developed" villages. Your transportation options include working up your appetite with a walk along the beach to your restaurant of choice or splurging on a <a href="http://www.loving-long-island.com/fire-island-water-taxi.html">water taxi</a> (not quite a stretch limo, but much more fun as far as we're concerned).</div><div><br /></div><div>Below, find our top picks for dining out on Fire Island, including a beloved seafood spot, the tastiest cookie, and a pizza parlour in a voyeur's paradise. Each eatery at this week’s <a href="http://www.jauntsetter.com/archive/trip_picks/a-train-no-plane-and-definitely-a-ferry-fire-island">Trip Pick</a> is worth a lazy, lingering meal with friends, or at least a quick refueling before you reconvene with your beach chair.</div><div><br /></div><div>xo,</div><div>your jauntsetter team</div><div><br /></div><div>_____________________________</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Matthew’s Seafood House:</strong> Fire Island dining should be like the low-key locale itself: simple and summery, with a few elegant quirks and a touch of quintessential kitsch. Situated on the bay in Ocean Beach, <a href="http://matthewsseafood.com/">this local mainstay</a> delivers all that and more, featuring the requisite outdoor deck and fishermen memorabilia and boasting a classic East Coast menu. For dinner, choose from favorites like the delectable New England Clambake, which offers a choice of steamed or raw Little Neck Clams with corn on the cob, or fresh Maine lobster with chowder. Everything here, from salmon to swordfish to shrimp, is fresh and prepared however you prefer. Prices are a touch high, but portions are very generous and the corn bread is warm and comforting. (If you think you can outdo the chef on your own, stop by Matty’s Market in front of the restaurant and pick up the daily catch to go.) [935 Bay Walk, Ocean Beach. 631-583-8016]</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Rachel’s:</strong> Open until around 4am on weekends, this Ocean Beach bakery is the best on the Island, drawing late night revelers and early risers in search of sweets. Stop in for coffee and a flaky pastry, grab lunch on the go, or stay for a full diner-style breakfast; choices include hefty breakfast burritos and various omelets and egg sandwiches, many with a southwestern flair (the owner used to call Santa Fe home). Rachel’s is known for its addictive chocolate chip cookies, which make a fine afternoon snack alongside a latte from the bakery’s espresso and coffee menu—prepare for Starbucks prices, however. [325 Bay Walk, Ocean Beach. 631-583-9552]</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>The Hideaway at Housers Hotel:</strong> Leaning further toward fine dining than anything else on Fire Island, <a href="http://www.housersbar.com/hideaway.html">this cozy Ocean Beach spot</a> is a suitable choice if you find yourself in need of a fish respite. Fresh herbs are grown on the restaurant’s deck (which has <a href="http://www.loving-long-island.com/image-files/dawn-on-the-great-south-bay-09-07-2006-large.jpg">beautiful views of Great South Bay, especially at sunset</a>) and are tossed with and sprinkled over various dinner items. Fettuccine with shrimp, clams and mussels sits in a light tomato sauce, while other items are more creative, such as scallops with lemongrass shrimp risotto and ginger carrot broth. The Hideaway also serves brunch and enticing lunchtime sandwiches like the panko-encrusted soft shell crab on rustic bread. [Bay Walk, at Evergreen Walk. 631-583-8900]</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Cherry Grove Pizza:</strong> Our last pick is known for having the best slice on Fire Island, if the New Yorker in you is itching for a fix. Aside from the delicious pies, the people-watching is what brings us here; Cherry Grove is probably what you picture when you hear Fire Island labeled as a gay destination. And gay Cherry Grove is, down to its <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/78/194809762_97c6566059.jpg?v=0">scantily clad beach boys</a> who frequent this reasonably priced pizzeria, fittingly tucked underneath the, well, flamboyant <a href="http://icepalacenightclub.com/nightclub.html">Ice Palace dance club</a>. By the way, while Cherry Grove and The Pines are super gay friendly destinations, not all of Fire Island is a Gay Paradise (not that we'd mind it if it was!). For an amusing answer to the question: "Is Fire Island Gay?" check out this <a href="http://www.chancehouse.com/is-fire-island-gay">blog post from The Chance House</a>, a special summer share we featured in our <a href="http://www.jauntsetter.com/current_issue/trip_picks/a-train-no-plane-and-definitely-a-ferry-fire-island">Trip Pick write up</a>. [Dock Walk, Cherry Grove. 631-597-6766]</div><div><br /></div> 2009-05-05T16:01:56Z 172 digging-in-fire-island-s-fresh-seasonal-fare 2009-08-27T15:30:01Z