Estia's "Little Kitchen" in Sag Harbor, NY
is just far enough out of reach that it makes people feel as if they should keep it a secret. Colin Ambrose bought Estia in Amagansett in 1991. He transformed the sleepy coffee shop into a full service restaurant featuring Mexican flavors using local fish and vegetables. In 1998 he opened the Sag Harbor location.
Tony's Coffee Shop was established on the Sag Harbor Turnpike, outside of Sag Harbor in 1959 by Elsie Gangie and her husband Tony. When Colin first walked through the door with his kids for a root beer float he instantly fell in love with the place. It was a plywood shell with an antique counter, a whirlitzer juke box and a garland stove.
Today Estia's Little Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch and dinner year round. The menu is influenced by the flavors of Mexico. On occasion a menu item is born through requests by regulars. One day we developed a dish of red beans cooked with chorizo, rice, queso fresco, avocado, 2 eggs any style and corn tortillas. After Jon Robin Baitz ordered the dish for the 20th time Colin added the item to the menu naming it "Robbie's Gringo Hash".
In a similar moment a hungry Alec Baldwin ordered an egg white burrito with spinach, diced vegetables and veggie burger. Today served with freshly sliced fruit salad and house made salsa "Big Al's Burrito" is one of the most popular breakfast items. Alan Alda orders the dish every time him and his lovely wife Arlen visit.
The list of spot light visitors is long. Many chose to entertain in the private dining room. To name a few, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker and Nathan Lane have dined there. The "back room" has also serviced Eric Fischel and his wife April Gornic with their friend David Salle and a host of other East End artists such as Dan Rizzie, John Alexander and Donald Sultan.
Everybody is welcome at the Little Kitchen. The restaurant features fresh food, a lot of times locally harvested, friendly service with a smile, and a warm room with an open door every day but Tuesday.