Southampton has received a delightful addition this year with Rocco DiSpirito’s new restaurant, Il Pellicano. With 15 bestselling cookbooks, several television shows, and a James Beard Award under his belt, now Hamptonites get the opportunity to taste and savor his creations in person. With Chef Rocco there each night, cooking, tasting, and greeting guests, Il Pellicano is an unparalleled dining experience. Each dish bursts with flavor and Chef Rocco makes sure guests feel taken care from the first bite to the last.
Menu Highlights
“I wanted to do something Italian-inspired but not necessarily traditional because we’re not in Italy,” he explained. “So you can’t do authentic Italian. You have to work with the ingredients that are available locally.” Through partnerships with local suppliers like Haskell Seafood and Gosman’s, Il Pellicano features local tuna, shrimp, and lobsters. DiSpirito describes his culinary approach as “coastal Italian meets coastal Long Island.”
Norwich Meadow Farm Crudites
A perfect way to start the meal is with this gorgeous basket of crisp vegetables with herbal cream dipping sauce. It is as beautiful as it is delicious.
Local Blue Fin Tuna Crudo
“This dish features wild Bluefin from Montauk waters,” DiSpirito explains. “It’s all my favorite ingredients from an Italian deli sandwich—pepperoncini, capers, red peppers, lemon juice, and olive oil on top of raw bluefin tuna.”
Italian BLT salad(Burrata, lettuce, and tomato)
One of our favorite dishes is the BLT. It’s a delicious salad made with creamy burrata, crisp lettuce, and heirloom tomatoes.
Italian Parsley Fregola Vongole
The Vongole at Il Pellicano is a masterful blend of simplicity and flavor. Fresh Manila clams are the star of this dish, complemented by semolina pasta, and a parsley sauce with a hint of garlic. The perfectly balanced flavors with the fresh clams make this one of the best we have ever tasted.
Black Sea Bass
This is truly one of those dishes where you will savor every morsel. The sea bass is complemented with a medley of local corn, tomatoes, and red pearl onion. The balance of flavors and textures is incredible.
Sweets
While there are just two desserts on the menu, they are spectacular. The Burnt Basque cheesecake with Amerena cherries tastes almost like a crème brulee. It literally melts in your mouth and the cherries are the perfect accent. For the chocolate lover, the Chocolate Gianduja Crunch is heavenly.
A Dining Experience to Remember
Beyond the exquisite menu and Chef Rocco’s unparalleled hospitality, Il Pellicano offers an ambiance that is both elegant and inviting. Guests can eat al fresco on the patio or enjoy the sophisticated Hamptons chic décor of the dining room with large paintings of pelicans accenting the walls.
Rocco DiSpirito’s Il Pellicano is more than just a restaurant. Chef Rocco has put his heart and soul into Il Pellicano and we can’t wait to go back. With a menu that highlights the best of the Hamptons. “I’m here every night, cooking, supervising, creating the menu, and making sure the food is good. Come say hi if you come in.”
Il Pellicano Southampton
136 Main Street, Southampton, New York 11968, United States
