Southold’s Little Fish serves up locally sourced, globally inspired coastal cuisine by the sea
THE GIST: Located just a few steps away from Kenney’s Beach in Southold, Little Fish is a sea-centric oasis with a menu that taps into coastal influences from around the globe. Founded in October 2022 by Arden Gardell, whose family owns the iconic 668 The Gig Shack in Montauk, the lively restaurant offers innovative and flavorful dishes using fresh, local ingredients that reflect the bounty of the seasons.
THE VIBE: The cedar-shingled shack has a relaxed yet playfully tropical feel. Near the entrance, guests play games of beer-can-shaped cornhole and dine alfresco at paint-splattered picnic tables beneath towering palm trees and floral umbrellas. Inside, colorful chairs are draped in cozy sherpa throws, surrounded by salmon-pink and bold blue walls and whimsical splatter-painted murals overhead. Musicians perform weekly as bartenders serve popular sips like Rum Punch and The Kraken Dark N Stormy.
THE FOOD: Seafood is a standout at Little Fish, but it’s just the beginning. Drawing from his background in Turkish cuisine and experience helming Kontiki in Greenport, chef Ryan Barth-Dwyer plays with flavors of the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Polynesian, Southeast Asian and other wordly coastal cuisines. Nearly all sauces and seasonings are made in-house, with a commitment to exploring local, underutilized seafood options and employing sustainable cooking practices to minimize waste.
Monkfish Tikka Masala: In this creative twist on the British-Indian staple, slow-cooked monkfish —underutilized in the restaurant industry — shines in a creamy homemade tikka sauce infused with warm spices. Accompanied by tangy mint raita, white rice, and bok choy from Deep Roots Farm in Southold, and garnished with microgreens from Koppert Cress, it’s a sustainable fusion of local ingredients and bold flavors.
Hot Honey Jerk Ribs: These are irresistibly sweet and juicy baby back ribs, served with a side of creamy cilantro slaw. Marinated overnight in Coca-Cola, dry-rubbed, and braised in red wine, the slab of ribs are then twice-glazed and roasted with a Coca-Cola reduction mixed with the remaining fatty pork juices, homemade jerk seasoning, and other Caribbean-inspired flavors.
Piri Piri Half Chicken: This rendition of the popular Afro-Portuguese dish features a succulent, roasted half chicken paired with homemade aji amarillo paste—a creamy, bright orange hot sauce crafted from yogurt, feta cheese, Turkish red pepper paste, and aji amarillo chilies, offering a touch of sweet heat. Served alongside vibrant salsa verde and local seasonal vegetables, and topped with delicate pea flowers from Treiber Farms in Peconic, the dish is just as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the palate.
The 411: Little Fish
50 N. Sea Drive, Southold, 631-765-8756
web: littlefishnofo.com
instagram: @littlefishnofo
Open 7 days
lunch noon-3 p.m.
happy hour 3-5 p.m.
dinner 5-9 p.m., 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
