Sign up for our Newsletter

The Mattituck is one of the king sized rooms at the Bay Breeze Inn (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)

Bay Breeze owners David and Donna Perrin, with innkeeper Leigh Austin, and chef Kristi Macdonald (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)
Bay Breeze Inn owners David and Donna Perrin, with innkeeper Lee Austin, and chef Kristi Macdonald (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)

With renovations now complete, South Jamesport’s Bay Breeze Inn & Bistro is fully open for business. 

The historic inn, built in 1860, was previously known as the Bayview Inn and Restaurant. It was purchased last year by David and Donna Perrin and Frank and Donna Scarola, who also own the Cedar House Bed & Breakfast in Mattituck.

The inn opened this spring and the bistro followed earlier this month.

Most of the inn’s improvements include new paint, trim, new floors, bathroom tile and furniture. The front entrance, which used to be the dining area, is now a warm and spacious lobby with cozy couches, chairs, a flatscreen TV and a self-serve coffee station.

“We [mostly] gave it a cosmetic facelift,” said Ms. Perrin of the renovations, noting that with the building having been constructed in the 19th century, the types of renovations the owners could and would do were limited.

The Mattituck is one of the king sized rooms at the Bay Breeze Inn (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)
The Mattituck is one of the king sized rooms at the Bay Breeze Inn (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)

The inn consists of six rooms, three with queen-size beds and three king size, all with private bathrooms. Prices range from $100 to $300 per night with a two-night minimum during the busy season. A small cottage on the premises houses two additional rooms that come with brand new kitchenettes. The cottage rooms can be rented separately for between $850 and $1,100 for the weekend or the entire cottage is available for $1,950. Weekly rates are also available.

Each room is named after a North Fork hamlet or village, so guests can stay in either the Cutchogue, the Southold or the Greenport. The cottage rooms are called the East Marion and the Orient.

“We wanted to give each town some love,” Ms. Perrin said. “So we started west and headed east, our first room is the Riverhead and we went in order of the [hamlets].”

Guests can also utilize the inn’s rights to a private Peconic Bay beach a short walk away.

The Bay Breeze Bistro dining room (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)
The Bay Breeze Bistro dining room (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)

Originally the new owners did not plan to open the restaurant at the inn, but changed their minds after receiving feedback from guests and neighbors. Ms. Perrin then left her job as a wine wholesaler, committing full-time to the Bay Breeze. Kristi Macdonald, the former executive chef at North Fork Country Club, was hired to run the kitchen.

Ms. Macdonald and the Perrins immediately began planning meals for the inn and its neighbors. The Bay Breeze Bistro which includes a dining room and bar, seats 52 and serves lunch as well as all-day breakfast.  It’s open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and also offers takeout.

“We wanted the locals to feel like they had somewhere to go to, a place that they can walk to,” Ms. Perrin said. “If you’re a seasonal guest or tourist, we’re very happy you’re here and we’re going to let you know that. We also want to make sure the word is out that we’re a neighborhood place, too. We want to it to be a place where everybody knows your name and we’re going to be open year-round.”

The breakfast menu includes omelets and benedicts, while the lunch includes burgers, sandwiches and salads.

“Each item has a little twist,” Ms. Macdonald said. “With the burger, we use dry-aged beef, which has a little bit more flavor or our Cutchogue club sandwich, which instead of mayonnaise, we use home-made garlic aoli.”

Chef Kristi Macdonald in the kitchen at Bay Breeze Inn (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)
Chef Kristi Macdonald in the kitchen at Bay Breeze Inn (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)

Desserts are homemade from scratch and can’t be found anywhere else, like the drunken croissant.

“We do homemade whipped cream, marinated berries with chocolate sauce,” Ms. Macdonald said. “It’s a killer dessert that’s unique to us.”

All sauces, creams and dressings are created on the premises. Local purveyors are also heavily incorporated into the menu. Look for North Fork Roasting Co. coffee on the breakfast menu, Backyard Brine pickles on the lunch menu and Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, as well as other local craft breweries on tap in the bar.

“We knew with this location we had something special,” Ms. Perrin said. “It allows us to support other local small businesses that we believe in. It’s one big circle where we all help each other out like a family and that’s what we really are about, we’re about family.”

Bay Breeze Inn & Bistro is located at 46 Front Street in South Jamesport. For more information called (631) 779-3454 or visit baybreezeinnli.com.

The new Bay Breeze Inn & Bistro (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)
The new Bay Breeze Inn & Bistro (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)
X
X