🐝 Global Food Tour

Smuggler’s Cove, Community Table On The Clock, Greenport in Bloom

Together With Tim O’Keefe

Good Morning, North Fork! Has it felt like the longest week ever for anyone else, or just us?

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

  • Smuggler’s Cove

  • Community Table On The Clock

  • Greenport in Bloom

Ready, Set, Go!

The Local Advantage 🏠

Ever walk into a home and just get that feeling? It goes beyond square footage and layout. It is the character of the space that creates that sense of everything working together. 

Character shows up in the details. Custom woodworking you simply do not see in many renovated homes. Solid panel doors with period hardware that carry a sense of history. Even something like exposed brick in a thoughtfully updated kitchen creates a contrast that ties the past and present together.

These are the kinds of features that make buyers feel their own future possibilities. This is not always easy to find.

There is a home out in Orient for sale right now that brings these elements together in a way that feels just right. Check out the listing 👉 23530 Main Road, Orient

If you want to experience the feel in person, give Tim a call and walk through it together.

The Lowdown

Smuggler’s Cove 🍽️

Sterling Harbor is getting a noticeable shakeup, and it starts with a familiar name stepping aside.

Porto Bello has officially changed hands as of January 2026, with ownership moving from Peter Harbes and Bruce Garritano to the Donagher family. By Memorial Day, the waterfront staple will reopen as Smuggler’s Cove Bar & Restaurant, bringing a full redesign, new menu, and a rooftop deck into the mix.

The new owners, are leaning into a coastal meets Irish identity, aiming for a casual marina feel.

Inside, crews are already reworking the space with new flooring, lighting, and an expanded bar. But the real head turner is upstairs: a rooftop deck designed to capture harbor views, complete with shade for peak summer sun.

In the kitchen, new chef Vince Palm is building out a menu centered on coastal cuisine with European influence, using local seafood and produce. Behind the bar, expect a mix of North Fork wines, European bottles, cocktails and yes, Guinness.

The plan is a mid-May soft opening, followed by a full launch by Memorial Day.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Community Table On The Clock ⏳

A small table outside of Front Street Station quietly helping people for years, is suddenly facing a hard deadline.

Sharon Sailor, owner of Front Street Station, was notified by village officials that her longtime donation table must be removed within 10 days or face steep daily fines. The issue, according to the village, is zoning: displaying goods outside doesn’t qualify as a permitted use under code.

The table has been there since 2020.

It started during the pandemic as a simple way to share extra items: clothes, household goods, anything useful, with neighbors who needed them. Over time, it became a 24/7, no questions asked spot where people could take what they needed or leave something behind.

Get the full story 👉 Patch

Greenport in Bloom 🌸

For the month of May, Greenport will host the annual “Greenport in Bloom” festival, a celebration of its Tree City USA status and the 300+ cherry blossom trees scattered throughout town.

The festival started in 2017, thanks to former Greenporter Hotel owner Deborah Rivera Pittorino, as a way to shake off the long offseason and give local businesses a much needed boost before Memorial Day crowds arrive.

It kicks off May 2 with a 5K through the village, that same night, things shift to live music and spring cocktails around town, including a cherry blossom sangria making the rounds.

For those who want to slow it down, the festival’s first-ever guided “petal tours” on May 8 and 9 offer a closer look at the different cherry varieties.

Mid-month, the focus turns to hands-on creativity and Memorial Day weekend brings vendor pop-ups, and the festival wraps May 30 with a Taiko drumming performance at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

Get the full story 👉 Northforker

Top Stories From The Week 📖

📈 A Plan to Fill Greenport’s Vacancies Greenport is making a push to bring its vacant storefronts back to life and it’s getting some serious outside help to do it.

🏠 Short Term Rental Crackdown Southold Town is sending a clear message to short term rental owners: play by the rules now, or risk being shut out later.

🌊 Daily Plunge Crew While most people on the North Fork are still checking the forecast before even thinking about the water, a small group of local women are already in, every single day.

🛍️ New Boutique on Love Lane Bella Grace Boutique just opened its doors, adding another stop for spring and summer style right in the heart of Love Lane.

Stories with a ($) require a third party subscription

From Fabric to Masterpiece 🧵🪡

Looking to wrap yourself in a piece of art? Meet Kate Douglass, the mastermind behind Quilts by Kate Douglass, where each quilt tells its own unique story. Based in Orient, Kate blends time honored techniques with fresh, modern designs, creating quilts that bring both beauty and warmth to your home. 

A proud member of the Modern Quilt Guild and the American Quilters Society, Kate’s work goes beyond quilts alone. In addition to full size statement pieces, she also creates table runners, placemats, coasters, and  cosmetics totes, perfect for thoughtful gifts, special occasions, or a little treat yourself moment.  Ready to add a little extra charm to your space? Check out her latest pieces 👉 Here

Ready to start your quilt journey? Contact Kate via Instagram or email at: [email protected] to begin creating your very own handmade masterpiece today!

Photo of the Week

📸 submitted by Donna Campbell

Tag @NorthForkBuzz or email us at [email protected] to get your photos in The Buzz!

Foodie Friday 🍽

Global Food Tour 🌎

You know when the same event keeps coming up in conversation, over and over again, usually followed by “the food is unreal”? That was the Greenport School Multicultural Festival for us.

We had been hearing about the Multicultural Festival since last year. Not just as a great community night, but as the food event you don’t want to miss. And when you get a tip like that from a trusted source, you take it seriously. (We’re hoping by now The Buzz has earned that same level of trust in your group chat.)

So we went. And yeah, they were right.

From the second you walk in, it’s not just a festival, it’s a full on passport to everywhere. Tables lined up representing: Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, France, Guatemala, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela, and that’s before you even decide where to start.

And here’s what makes this one different: this isn’t “festival food.” This is home cooking. Dishes that don’t come from a menu, they come from someone’s kitchen, passed down, perfected, and made with a level of care you can taste immediately.

You could feel it at every table. Families proudly serving dishes that clearly meant something to them. Explaining what it is, where it’s from, how it’s made, and watching people try it for the first time. It’s a food tour, a cultural exchange, plus a “how did I not know about this sooner?” all wrapped in one.

We bounced around as much as possible. A little of this, a little of that, doubling back when something hit. We stopped keeping track and just kept saying yes.

There were so many standout dishes, different flavors, and moments where we took a bite and immediately looked at one another with that, “you need to try this” look.

That’s kind of the whole point of this event. It’s not about finding the one best thing, it’s about experiencing all of it.

This incredible event is put on by Greenport School’s Multicultural Club, which was founded in 2019 with a mission to celebrate Greenport’s diversity. And honestly, mission accomplished.

The next festival may not be until next year, but if you’d like to support the Greenport Multicultural Club in any way, you can reach out to the club’s advisor, Ms. Salgado, at [email protected].

Take it from us: if you enjoy great food (and we’re assuming you do if you’ve made it this far), this is not one you want to miss.

Come hungry. Bring friends. Try it all.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored

A Quick Reminder: We Want Your Recipes

Just a reminder that we’re opening up this Foodie Friday space to you, we’d love to start highlighting your go to dishes in upcoming Foodie Fridays. Have a recipe you swear by? Send it over. We especially want to hear if you’re using local ingredients!

How to submit:
Email us at [email protected] with:

  • The recipe (ingredients + steps)

  • A photo (even an iPhone pic is perfect)

  • Your name

  • Optional but encouraged: a short story - when you make it, who you make it for, or why it’s special

  • Bonus points if you tell us which local purveyors you hit up for the ingredients

Live Music + Fun Breakdown

Friday

Corey Creek | Kelli Baker | 4-8 PM
Billy’s By the Bay | Tetra | 4:30-7:30 PM
Main & Mill | Catie Egan | 5-7 PM
Tuckers Taproom | Ahmad Ali | 5-8 PM
Ram’s Head Inn | Gail Storm | 5:30-8:30 PM
Little Fish | Frank Palmeri | 6-9 PM
First & South | Julia King | 6-9 PM
First Fridays on Love Lane | Bubba Jam | 6-9 PM
Touch of Venice | Rick Anzalone | 6-9 PM
*One Woman Winery | Brandi Disterheft | 6-9 PM
Southold Social | K + R Music | 6-9 PM
Twisted Sisters | Sahara | 6:30 PM
Jamesport Farm Brewery | Trivia | 6:30-8:30 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Gpt) | Open Mic | 7pm
Clam Bar at Alize Brewing | Jay Shepard | 7-10 PM
Lucharitos | Karaoke with DJ Henry Eau | 9 PM

*Reservations required


Saturday


Osprey’s Dominion | The Blend | 1-5 PM
Bedell Cellars | Matt Taylor | 1-5 PM
Corey Creek | Julia King \ 1-5 PM
Pugliese Vineyards | Village Green Music | 1-5 PM
Pindar Vineyards | Kelli Baker | 1-5 PM
Jason’s Vineyard | Erin Chase | 1-5 PM
Clovis Point | Haig Mathosian | 1-5:30 PM
Terra Vite | Christiaan Padavan | 1:30-4:30 PM
Jamesport Farm Brewery | Ben & Jerry | 2-5 PM
Billy’s By the Bay | Sahara | 3-6 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Pec) | Route 48 | 4-7 PM
Hotel Moraine | Jeff LeBlanc | 5-7 PM
Tuckers Taproom | Marty Attridge | 5-8 PM
Ram’s Head | Lisa & Tom ft. fiddler | 5-8 PM
Little Fish | Erin Chase | 6-9 PM
Twisted Sisters | Alien Surf Dogs | 7-10 PM
The Clam Bar at Alize Brewing | TBA | 7-10 PM

Sunday

Raphael | Como Brothers | 1-4 PM
Sannino Vineyard | Perfect Strangers | 1-4 PM
Osprey’s Dominion | Scott Goldstein | 1-4 PM
Pindar | Paris Ray | 1-5 PM
Corey Creek | Bruce MacDonald | 1-5 PM
Pugliese Vineyards | Alex Alexander | 1-5 PM
Bedell Cellars | Nick Kerzner | 1-5 PM
Jason’s Vineyard | Emy McB | 1-5 PM
Clovis Point | George Tebbitt | 1-5:30 PM
Jamesport Farm Brewery | Bethany Vollaro | 2-5 PM
Tuckers Taproom | Erin Chase | 2-5 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Pec) | Sitting Ducks Trio | 3-6 PM
The 1901 Grill | Bingo with Benji | 6 PM


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THANKS!

Thanks for reading the North Fork Buzz today. Like what you read? Send it to someone who loves food tours.

Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships