Guide to Bellport: Restaurants, shows, shops and more

Bellport Village has spent decades as a summer destination for seasonal visitors, but the crowds thin out after Labor Day, and the South Shore village turns into a picturesque autumn escape ideal for a day trip or weekend stay. Its compact downtown is lined with independent storefronts, art galleries and inviting cafes that remain open and capture the season's quieter pace. A left turn down Bellport Lane leads to the marina, where the crisp salt air rolls in off the Great South Bay with a view across to Fire Island.

The village includes two beaches of its own: a ferry-only ocean beach on Fire Island known as Ho-Hum and a bayside beach called Mother's Beach. Add one of the region's best-known theaters, the Gateway Playhouse, which draws its own crowds well past summer with an annual Haunted Playhouse each fall, and it's easy to see why locals treat Bellport as an easy escape close to home in any season. 

For Long Islanders looking for that kind of getaway a little closer to home, Bellport makes an easy day trip. Here's how to spend it. 

Though many shops are closed Monday and Tuesday, "the town is lively Wednesday to Sunday throughout the summer and fall," says Bellport Apothecary design assistant Sharon Munson. "Visitors love coming to Bellport for the charming stores and hyperlocal feel."

Start with coffee at Bellport Apothecary

Inside a storefront with exposed, 100-year-old ceilings, the apothecary pours lattes and specialty drinks like lavender lemonade alongside a selection of natural beauty and home goods, plus clothing and accessories.

151 S. Country Rd.; bellportapothecary; 631-431-6825. Open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Browse Copper Beech

Copper Beech is not your average home goods store. Housed in a historic 1918 building at the corner of South Country Road, the store combines a home decor boutique with everyday pantry items. It offers both imported and local decorative housewares, kitchen tools, glassware, vintage clothing and small gifting items. Don't miss out on the fresh bread, specialty grocery items and prepared foods in the back of the store.

133 S. Country Rd.; copperbeechbythesea.com; 631-803-8121. Open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday to 6 p.m.

Hunt for antiques at Cornell Auctions

Formerly Thos. Cornell Galleries, Cornell Auctions, Objects & Trade has been a fixture of the village's antiques scene for decades, specializing in fine art, mid-century design and estate pieces pulled from homes across Long Island and New York City. The gallery holds monthly auctions and accepts consignments but visitors can also purchase items off the floor that have not been sold yet.

152 S. Country Rd.; cornellauctions.com; 631-289-9505. Open Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Shop cheese at Off the Wheel

Bellport went without a full-service grocery in 2023 when the IGA closed, a gap that Jennifer and Collin Preziosi filled in May with Off the Wheel. The Italian specialty market carries about 40 imported cheeses (most $18 to $40 a pound), 15 varieties of cured meats, butcher cuts and prepared foods like sandwiches ($14 to $16).

139 S. Country Rd.; offthewheelcheeseshop.com; 631-803-0115. Open Wednesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sit down at Porters or The Bellport

Porters on the Lane serves modern American food and cocktails with seasonal outdoor seating and a roaring indoor fireplace. For something more casual, The Bellport, a country bistro at the end of Main Street, draws a loyal Friday-night crowd of regulars and weekenders alike.

Porters on the Lane: 19 Bellport Lane; portersonthelane.com; 631-803-6067. Open Monday to Thursday 4 to 9:30 p.m., Friday to Sunday noon to 10 p.m.

The Bellport Restaurant: 159 S. Country Rd.; thebellportrestaurant.com; 631-286-7550. Open Monday, Thursday to Saturday 5 to 10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m.

Sweet treats at Carla Marlas

Across from Porters sits Carla Marlas Ice Cream Parlor & Candy Shoppe, a sweet shack serving old-fashioned floats, sodas, egg creams and sundaes. There's also a nostalgic candy counter and doggie ice cream cups for pets along for the trip.

8 Bellport Lane; carlamarlas.com; 631-803-6630. Open Monday to Thursday 1:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday 1 to 10 p.m. and Saturday noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 9 p.m.

Catch a show at Gateway Playhouse

The oldest professional theater on Long Island, Gateway Playhouse was built out of a barn on a former farm and resort property on the eastern edge of the village. It runs a full slate of musicals and children's theater through the summer season and anchors Bellport's reputation as a day-trip destination beyond the beach.

215 S. Country Rd.; thegateway.org; 631-286-1133

Stay the night at Temperance Hall

The inn opened steps from the village's shops and restaurants inside a historic building recognizable by its pink front door. The property's suites lean coastal and cozy, there's a seasonal heated pool tucked into a garden courtyard and guests get access to village amenities for the length of their stay, including a guest pass for the Ho-Hum ferry, making it one of the few ways for non-residents to reach that beach at all. Rates start at $375 per night.

164 S. Country Rd.; temperancehallbellport.com; 631-286-5654