Eight Decades of Ellsworth Kelly Draws A Packed Crowd to the Parrish Over 400 guests… Read More →
After a sold-out pop-up debut, the East Hampton outpost of a downtown Manhattan favorite returns… Read More →
Your Quick SPARK Guide to the Hamptons’ Latest Restaurant and Store Openings and ClosingsOpening /… Read More →
Sometimes it’s worth the Jitney ride … SPARK’s top NYC event picks this week—from a… Read More →
From choice food and wine tastings to top live music events, sizzling film screenings, and… Read More →
A decades-long collaboration between Leslie Gelb and East Hampton artist Chris Liles results in “Wake… Read More →
On the East End, where environmental changes first ripple through whispers before becoming spectacle, hundreds… Read More →
When the garage becomes the destination, not the afterthought. In the Hamptons, scarcity defines the… Read More →
A shrinking opportunity to get into the Hamptons—without overpaying to do it. As the East… Read More →
A behind-the-scenes look at the agents, teams, and headline-making deals shaping the East End market.… Read More →
Camp Rubirosa Becomes the Hamptons’ New Summer Ritual
After a sold-out pop-up debut, the East Hampton outpost of a downtown Manhattan favorite returns to Race Lane, at the former Dopo LaSpiaggia space, as a permanent seasonal fixture—complete with communal tables, sunset dinners, and a menu built for repeat visits.
The Hamptons often sees new restaurants popping up, but every once in a while, one appears with the clear energy of a spot that’s already made its mark. Camp Rubirosa falls into that rare group. It started as a buzzworthy pop-up in East Hampton last summer and has now grown into something more lasting—a seasonal fixture that’s already noted on many calendars.
After a fully booked opening, the team behind Rubirosa is bringing Camp Rubirosa back to Race Lane at the former Dopo LaSpiaggia space. This isn’t just a fleeting summer fling; it’s shaping up to be a regular part of the season’s social life. While many dining concepts can feel either too polished or short-lived, Camp Rubirosa’s appeal is simpler and more genuine: people want to return. Often and gladly.
What sets Camp Rubirosa apart is its choice not to mimic Manhattan’s vibe in miniature. Instead, it takes the essence of the Mulberry Street original and reinterprets it in a looser, more nostalgic way that fits the East End. The experience feels less like a standard restaurant visit and more like a familiar gathering. Communal tables invite different groups to mix organically. A bar outside draws guests in early, before they even sit down. Sunday Suppers stretch naturally into twilight hours. The pace leans with the sunset rather than the clock.
The space itself supports this atmosphere. A brick fireplace anchors the main dining room, which then opens up to a series of casual, semi-outdoor areas—Ciao Hall, followed by the Piazza—blurring the lines between inside and outside. The overall vibe sits somewhere between an Italian trattoria and a backyard dinner party, touched by a sort of summer-camp nostalgia that feels thoughtful but not overly designed.
The food carries the same straightforward spirit. Rubirosa has long been known for Italian American comfort dishes that aim for accuracy rather than reinvention, and that approach continues here. What changes is a seasonal touch: staples stay familiar, but each summer brings small shifts and new dishes that reward return visits without making newcomers feel lost. It’s a steady rhythm with just enough variation to make it feel like a ritual.
And that’s exactly what Camp Rubirosa is becoming—a seasonal ritual. The Hamptons thrives on a balance of routine and fresh experiences, with certain spots marking the passage of summer. Camp Rubirosa is positioning itself firmly in that tradition—the kind of place you book not because it’s new, but because it’s part of the season’s flow.
Opening on May 15, last year showed that waiting to snag a reservation probably won’t work in your favor.