Celebrity stylist turned fashion mogul Rachel Zoe was born to be a Hamptonite. She’s alighted on the East End every summer of her life, and her aesthetic embraces the tony enclave. “Caftans all day, every day!” Zoe tells Alexa when asked to describe her Hamptons uniform. “I am basically in one-shoulder gowns, vintage Halston and YSL flowy dresses with espadrilles or cork wedges, hats and big sunnies.”
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star has sashayed across most of the island at this point. “We started in Amagansett in the dunes, then made our way to East Hampton, Sagaponack and Water Mill,” explains Zoe, 54. “I always stayed with my family, and then when I had my own family [including sons Skyler, 15, and Kaius, 12, with ex-husband Rodger Berman], I started to rent my own house.”
What’s the allure? “The Hamptons is an incredibly magical place,” she says. “Even though we have beaches in LA, that East Coast summer just hits so differently.” The mom of two will be returning to the South Fork this season. When she’s not hosting friends and family for backyard dinner parties, here are the hot spots and kid-friendly favorites she and her children will frequent.
“Rebecca Hessel Cohen [the founder and creative director] is one of my closest friends, so any chance I get to stop in and support the brand, I do. It has some of my favorite lacy dresses for summer, and I have been obsessed with the two-piece sets.”
NATUROPATHICA, 74 Montauk Highway, East Hampton
“When I am in the Hamptons with my family, I try to spend at least one day at the spa with my mom and sister getting massages, trying to slow down and relax.”
“This is the place to shop for vintage bags. I never leave there without a vintage Chanel or Hermès bag. It is full of treasures, and the guys that own it are so sweet.”
“The Summer in a Bottle sauvignon blanc and rosé are on rotation all summer long. But really, every wine here is amazing, and I love gifting it to my friends all year. I also like taking the kids to the Wölffer Wine Stand for live music on Fridays.”
“The restaurant is right on the water, and my boys love to run out on the rocks and play on the dock while we wait for dinner. Food is served family style — we love the lobster Cobb. And if I have the branzino, a crudité platter and a glass of rosé, I feel like I’m in Saint-Tropez.”
“If I need a touch-up or have an event, I love coming to Warren Tricomi.”
CROW’S NEST, 4 Old West Lake Drive, Montauk
“I celebrate my birthday here each year before I head back to the West Coast. My kids, still even at this age, roll down the hill the whole time and go crabbing while we wait for dinner. I always start with a glass of Sancerre. The food is the yummiest — mezze platter, endive or beet salad, kabobs, roasted carrots, the pasta — you really can’t go wrong here.”
LE BILBOQUET, 1 Long Wharf, Sag Harbor
“A great place for a special occasion. The salmon, salads and artichoke are my favorite dishes. It is so nice sitting outside on the marina.”
“Every dinner party or event I have thrown in the Hamptons has included flowers by Sag Harbor Florist.”
“I’ll take my kids to Candy Kitchen while I get my afternoon caffeine. They love getting a post-beach sweet. The peach ice cream is our family’s top pick.”
MARY LOU’S, 474 W. Lake Drive, Montauk
“Dancing here till 2 a.m. is the best way to end any night.”
