There’s a scent of spring in the air and that means it’s time to ponder some of life’s important questions, such as…
Who is going to be the hottest restaurateur in the Hamptons this summer?
“No one is expecting the answer to be 25 miles west, in the improbable town of Riverhead,” according to Town and Country Magazine.
The fanfare begins, as former Frisky Oyster owner Dennis McDermott gets ready to open a trendy new restaurant in an old bank building on the corner of East Main Street and Maple Avenue.
McDermott and his new venture, The Riverhead Project, are featured in the April issue of Town and Country, the venerable Hearst lifestyle publication catering to the affluent social set.
“There’s a demographic out there that’s looking for a place to congregate. And that’s basically what happened in Greenport with the Frisky Oyster,” McDermott told Town and Country, explaining his decision to open an upscale restaurant and lounge in the “Palm Springs-style” bank building built in 1962. “I created a wave and the other restaurants came. I’m banking on that to happen with The Riverhead Project,” he said in the piece.
“Riverhead is a gorgeous town and there’s so much potential… My feeling is that it’s a town about to be reborn,” McDermott told Town and Country.
This is the first time the restaurateur has ever made the pages of the magazine that bills itself as “America’s premier lifestyle magazine for the affluent.”
He’s excited. To McDermott it’s further affirmation that his gut feeling about downtown Riverhead is on target. It’s about to “happen,” he says, brimming with enthusiasm.
McDermott said today he’s on schedule for an early May grand opening. “The kitchen is pretty much finished. The bar is built. I’m waiting for the marble and the fireplace. We’re getting close,” he said.
You can follow the restaurant’s progress on its Facebook page and check out its new website.
McDermott says he will soon begin hiring and welcomes resumes: The Riverhead Project, 300 East Main Street, Riverhead NY 11901 or by fax to 631-284-9301.
The phone number at the restaurant is 631-284-9300.
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