⚡From locally caught squid, red shrimp, striped bass and tuna, Almond Restaurant's seafood strategy centers on fish-to-table dining — connecting patrons directly to East End maritime traditions.

The Local Connections

We work with Pete Haskell, a fishmonger in West Hampton who only deals with local catch. He has a program covering something called bycatch, which are things caught in the net that would otherwise be thrown back or killed and not used. These are really delicious things that are underutilized. I try to focus on them as much as possible, so all through the season, I'm getting squid and raw red shrimp from him.

Underutilized Treasures

Squid is delicious, but most of what you find on menus is caught in Cape May, New Jersey, or sometimes Indonesia, sent overseas to be cleaned and packed, then shipped back here, which is wild. Pete has facilities where everything is caught, processed, and frozen locally. 

The Seasonal Approach

Gosman's in Montauk also connects us with the local Montauk fishermen. Striped bass season usually starts July 1 and ends December 31, so for those six months, striped bass is on the menu pretty much all the time. In deep winter, no one's going out fishing — that's why it’s great to have Pete Haskell who can supply us local monkfish, shrimp, and calamari all year round. 

Inside Tip ✨

The East End of Long Island was settled as a farming and fishing community, and it's largely still that way, which is great. The tuna on our menu is caught 30-40 miles out in the canyons during tuna season. When someone catches a big tuna or swordfish or mahi-mahi, we get a heads up. We also work with underutilized fish like butterfish and blowfish — little things without much of a market — a truly sustainable practice.

Contact

🌐  Almond Restaurant

About

This card was written by Chef Jason Weiner, who opened Almond Restaurant in 2001 with Eric Lemonides – friends since they were six and five growing up in Brooklyn. Jason honed his craft in kitchens from New York to San Francisco to Las Vegas before settling in the Hamptons with his wife Almond Zigmund, an artist whose name and art graces the restaurant. Jason, together with Eric, have built a beloved restaurant focused on local sourcing, French bistro techniques, and unpretentious hospitality that now includes L&W Market.

Lead-in Image

Photo of mackerel; @almond_bridgehampton / Instagram