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🐝 The Great Burger Quest

🐝 The Great Burger Quest

Water Fight, Greenport Blues, Burger Quest

Thomas Loncar
August 15, 2025

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Good Morning, North Fork! We’ve entered the “don’t care, won’t care” portion of the week.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

Water Fight
Greenport Blues
Burger Quest

Ready, Set, Go!

The Lowdown

Water Fight 💧

For nearly two hours on Wednesday night, Riverhead officials, backed by Southold reps and Suffolk County legislators, lined up to tell the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) “not so fast” on its plan for an 8.5-mile, 24-inch pipeline from Flanders through Riverhead to Southold.

The sticking point: the water would come from high-capacity Pine Barrens wells, skip Riverhead entirely, and (critics say) bring traffic chaos, environmental risks, and maybe even eminent domain along for the ride.

Southold officials want proof the project won’t drain resources, and some residents are already under lawn-watering restrictions. Still, a few Orient homeowners with PFAS-contaminated wells are all for it.

The next flashpoints: Riverhead’s Monroe balancing test hearing on August 19, SCWA’s meeting that same night, and a draft environmental impact statement expected later this year. Until then, the only thing both towns agree on is they’re not ready to hand over the keys (or the pipes) without more answers.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Summer’s Grand Finale 🎆

Mark your calendars, Peconic Landing and the Brecknock Hall Foundation are bringing back their End-of-Summer Music and Fireworks Celebration on Sunday, August 31 (rain date Sept. 1) at Brecknock Hall.

Since 2012, this free North Fork tradition has packed the lawn with more than 1,000 people for an evening of live tunes, dancing, and fireworks. Things kick off at 6:30 p.m. with Code Bleu, an eight-piece band ready to belt out hits for every generation. Around 8:15 p.m., Starfire Corporation lights up the sky.

Get the full story 👉 Patch

Greenport’s Got the Blues 🎶

On Saturday, August 23, the North Fork Arts Center will turn into a temple of soul, rhythm, and guitar licks that hit you right in the feels. This isn’t your background music while you sip wine kind of show. NFAC is all about giving the music, and the musicians, the spotlight they deserve.

The night’s headliner, BLUES People, isn’t just good, they’re decorated, with decades of stage experience and recent wins at multiple blues competitions. They’ll be joined by the fiery Michael Hill Duo and the stirring New Moon Acoustic Blues Duo to warm up the crowd. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

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Foodie Friday 🍽

Our team member Sarah is our resident straight-shooter and fearless leader of the Great Burger Quest. She’s not here for Instagram gimmicks, overhyped menu descriptions, or “you had to be there” burger cult followings. Sarah’s mission is simple: find the absolute best burger on the North Fork and tell you exactly why it deserves the crown.

Her process is as legit as it gets: ten categories, each scored 1–5, for a total possible 50 points. If a burger makes the cut, it’s because it earned every last point.

This week, Sarah took her taste buds to the Old Mill Inn. The results? Let’s just say the burger left such an impression that even a perfectly good NY strip couldn’t compete.

And fair warning: Sarah doesn’t hand out perfect scores like free ketchup packets. When she says it’s good, it’s good.

Old Mill Inn 🍔

Presentation: 4

Nothing fancy here, just a basket lined with paper, a burger, fries, and a side of ketchup. Exactly how a burger should show up. But here’s the twist: the simple look didn’t even hint at the flavor bomb waiting inside.

Preparation: 5

I’m a ride-or-die medium rare loyalist. So when the waitress politely announced this burger was coming out well-done, I almost called for a time-out. But she promised it would still deliver, and she wasn’t lying. The thinner patty was cooked to perfection, locking in every bit of that rich, beefy flavor.

Flavor: 5

Perfect score, no hesitation. The double patties were salted like a pro was behind the shaker, and one bite told you everything you needed to know about the quality of the beef.

Bun: 5

The bun did its job. Full stop. Soft, chewy, buttery and the right ratio of vessel to contain all that was on the inside without having a total bun bite, or a complete innard bite (you know what I mean). The burger was juicy, but not too much that you're loosing bun to soggy erosion.

Cheese: 5

Melted Gruyère. This is where the burger hits its home run. Nutty, melty, and rich, the kind of cheese that doesn’t just show up, it changes the entire game.

Toppings: 5

Sautéed onions and housemade pickles. The onions = Perfection. I’m an onion girly through and through, so they were an A+ flavor boost. Even if you’re not Team Onion and skip them, you’ll still get a great bite, but you’ll be missing that sweet layer that plays so well with the pickles’ tang.

Fries: 4

The fries? Great. Perfectly salted, crispy on the outside, potatoey on the inside, basically the dictionary definition of what a fry should be. The kind you drag through leftover burger drippings like it’s a sport.

Serving Size: 5

Two patties, a solid pile of fries, the perfect entrée-sized burger. You’ll leave full, satisfied, and still able to stand up without unbuttoning anything.

Cost: 5

$26. And for this level of quality and flavor, I’d happily hand over that cash over and over and over again. Worth. Every. Penny.

Overall: 5

This burger’s a contender for best on the North Fork. Trust me, I know… it’s the first one on my quest. My husband went for the special NY strip, and we agreed to go halfsies. First bite of burger? My brain immediately screamed, “This is the best burger I’ve had in a long time.” Second bite, plus a fry? “Okay, seriously… this might be the best burger I’ve ever eaten.”

I kept my mouth shut while he worked through his steak. Then he took his first bite of the burger half. Chewed. Swallowed. Looked at me and said, “I f’d up.” Followed quickly by, “I will order this burger every time we come here.”

The strip was good, very good, but compared to this burger, it never stood a chance.

Final Score: 48/50

Pro Tip: Pair this burger with the Old Mill Martini. It’s the kind of duo that makes you wonder why they don’t come as a combo on the menu.

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

Live Music Breakdown

Friday

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THANKS!

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships