Aw Shucks
Long Island oysters are experiencing a resurgence after a long period of overfishing, hurricanes and pollution. The perfect companion to the perennial U Pick apples, Little Creek Oyster Farm & Market in Greenport is offering sustainable oysters straight from Peconic Bay, and U Shuck ’em. Little Creek provides the glove and oyster holder, plus oyster opening 101. The farm is also a marketplace for other small local harvesters meaning the mollusk selection changes often. With all this momentum, owner Ian Wile hopes to “elevate the Peconic Bay back to its rightful place in the oyster world.”

Gastronomy @ Gurney’s
Gurney’s in Montauk has always been about waterfront spa and hotel bliss, but now there’s an excuse to visit just for the cuisine. Jennifer Oz LeRoy, veteran of Tavern on the Green and part of a legendary restaurateur family, has completely revamped The Seawater Grill. In addition to his cooking chops, new executive chef Seth Levine brings some molecular gastronomy to the table. Salads are decked out in balsamic pearls created with an algae extract and the rack of lamb sports a garland of crystallized mint leaves.

The Elephant Gets the Snail
Slow Food Huntington has bestowed the “Snail of Approval” (suggested nickname: “Snailie”) upon The Purple Elephant in Northport. The vegetarian hot spot joins West East Bistro in Hicksville and Sip Tea Lounge in Huntington as champions of the slow food philosophy. A nationwide program, slow food is thoroughly vetted as sustainable, authentic and humane from growth (or birth) to the point the plate is set on the table. Purple’s new bistro typifies this approach with its grilled tempeh “Reuben,” using kimchi, vegan cheese and spicy Thousand Island on rye.