Wainscott

Located in East Hampton, the hamlet of Wainscott, like many Hamptons communities, is very small, consisting of a mere 628 residents, as of a recent census. What it lacks in excitement, however, it makes up for with its own quiet charms. Wainscott isn’t a place for people craving the thrills of bustling nightlife but for people craving a getaway from the bright lights and loud noises of Manhattan. So quaint is Wainscott, in fact, that up until 2008, it housed the very last single-room, public school in New York State.

Wainscott was named after a village in Kent in which Charles Dickens set his classic novel, Great Expectations. Most of the original settlers in the area originally came from this place.

Although one would be hard-pressed to find major chain stores in Wainscott, there are a variety of options, including antiquing at stores like Georgica Creek Antiques and Harbor Antiques, which on the outside looks like a small, ramshackle house but which actually has a huge interior, stuffed to the brim with antiques, particularly of the wicker variety.

Wainscott is also home to two fantastic bakeries, Breadzilla, which features particularly excellent chocolate mousse, and Levain Bakery, which originated in New York City. It also has some terrific restaurants, such as Saracen, which offers delicious food and romantic views out on an idyllic pond, full of gliding swans, The Seafood Shop (a seafood market), Phoenix, and La Capannina.

And for those who do want to go dancing, Wainscott actually does have a single club, The Star Room, where rather famous DJs are regularly booked.

Area hotels include the Enclave Wainscott and Wainscott Inn. Transportation is provided by the Hampton Jitney. People wanting to get around town without cars can also rent bicycles at a convenient area location.