Places We Love: Eckart's Luncheonette, Westhampton Beach

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — When I first started making the journey to the East End, way back before I had my son or had even become a community journalist covering these towns and villages, I headed out with friends, crowding into a car packed with suitcases and anticipation.

Back then weekends were filled with beach days at Neptune's and Summers, music at CPI and dancing at Marrakesh. We were young, just starting our careers in the city and wanting so much to be a part of the place that shimmered with the stuff that dreams and headlines were made of.

But even then, in the midst of the music and crowds and the constant push to find the next hot spot, to be beckoned beyond that proverbial velvet rope, there were places, feelings, that took root and shaped the person I'd become — and they weren't found on a dance floor.

The beaches, of course, heart-stopping in their vast beauty, the tumultuous ocean crashing against endlessly blue skies. The shops, the libraries, the small-town art shows and craft fairs and parades, all spoke to the person I already was, really — and who would emerge and take shape as I found my voice in motherhood and my writing.

And then there were places, places that just called to me, places that had stood the test of time and were as comforting and warm as a quilt covering knees chilly from the salty night breeze.

Eckart's Luncheonette, located at 162 Mill Road, was one of the first places I ever stopped for lunch in Westhampton Beach.

And from the first, I was smitten. As a young journalist, just the rows of newspapers and magazines, capturing the headlines that defined generations, drew me in. The tin ceiling, the booths, and that amazing floor. For 111 years, Eckart's has been a fixture in Westhampton Beach — and it's a touchstone.

The menu has kept hungry diners coming back for generations. Open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., breakfast and lunch are served all day.

The food, it's just the kind of comfort fare that nurtures. Omelettes bursting with flavor, an eggs Florentine that's decadently delicious — and hands-down the best turkey club I've ever had, anywhere. The menu is filled with old-fashioned goodness, classic favorites and new additions, including a chicken bacon ranch melt on grilled ciabatta.

Eckart's, evolving with the time, has even teamed up with Westhampton Beach Brewing Co. to present a Beer Garden on July 21, with dining and live music by Christine Sweeney, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

But it magic, always, will live in its rich history.

Established in 1911, Eckart's was opened in 1911 by Jacob Eckart as the "Outside Inn" Barroom, according to history printed by the eatery. During Prohibition in the 1920s, Eckart's Soda Shoppe was born. By 1949, Warren "Red" Eckart, Jacob's son, and his wife Shirley, ran what became the Luncheonette until their daughter Shirley, or "Dee," and her husband Ray took the reins in the 80s, the history read. Today, the fourth generation of Eckarts keeps the business going strong.

And therein lies the heart of what makes Eckart's so wonderful. Yes, the food is delicious and always satisfying to the soul. But what gives the luncheonette its flavor is the years of history in every booth, the memories made by generations of friends and families who've gathered to share stories and laughter, tears and tight bonds. In an ever-shifting world, where so much changes — just look at the headlines on the vintage newspapers to see just how much we've all endured – Eckart's has stood, strong and solid, a haven and an oasis in a world where so much is new and different.

We've all changed. Certainly, since the day I first stepped into Eckart's, dressed up for a night out in the Hamptons, I've become a mother, discarded designer jeans for diaper bags and later, backpacks and books, soccer cleats and tennis shoes. I've shepherded a group of giggling kids into those booths and now, my dearest mom friends and I are back to just us, the children grown and busy with their lives. No doubt, they'll bring their own babies back one day.

But the booths, the menu, the time-worn magazines and wonderful tin ceiling, it's all still there. Echoing with yesterday and the memories still to be made every time that front door opens.

Eckart's is magic. Go. Order a turkey club. And visit one of the best places you'll find anywhere on the East End, ever.