Westhampton Beach Brewing Co. opens in Manorville

Westhampton Beach Brewing Company opened its new restaurant, Westhampton Beach Brew and Grille, in Manorville on Friday, Aug. 29.

Local residents were invited in to sample the restaurant’s offerings and the brewery’s drafts.  A ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Town of Brookhaven supervisor Dan Panico was held at around 3 p.m.

Westhampton Beach Brew and Grille is part of the Westhampton Beach Brewing Company’s efforts to expand and reach out to more of the local community.

“The addition of WHB Brew and Grille was twofold,” Westhampton Beach Brewing Company CEO Brian Sckipp said.  “Firstly, it was an idea we had included back in our original business plan in 2016.  The goal was to increase name recognition and distribution and then add a kitchen to our tasting room in Westhampton Beach.  In 2024, we determined it would increase our brand exposure to add a full restaurant [in which] we could feature our craft brews.  We had a solid following in Manorville and knew there might be an opportunity to make it a second home.”

“We always wanted to do food along with the brewery and were lucky enough to have this opportunity now,” Westhampton Beach Brewing Company CFO John Salvaggio added.  “And [we] have really enjoyed the transition.”

Sckipp and Salvaggio explained why they chose Manorville as the location for the new restaurant.

“We love the Manorville area and have always [a] had solid following of craft beer enthusiasts from the area,” Sckipp said.  “The town really deserved an upgraded restaurant and craft experience of their own.  We decided to bring a taste of the Hamptons to Manorville.”

“It was a great fit for us,” Salvaggio added.  “Plus, we love the people from Manorville.”

Sckipp and Salvaggio also discussed the obstacles they faced in opening the new establishment.

“We were determined to do a renovation and receive permits to open within a month,” Sckipp said.  “We were pretty close and did get the doors open for a soft opening in about six weeks.”

“We [needed] extra staff—which was a challenge; [we also needed to find] the right people, and the renovations took a little longer than expected,” Salvaggio continued.

Westhampton Beach Brew and Grille offers dishes such as flatbreads, wraps, ribs, burgers, wings, ribeyes and chicken.  The restaurant also offers a selection of its parent company’s brews to accompany the food, as well as cocktails and other specialty drinks.

“We source all our chop meat from our favorite Hampton’s butcher, Justin’s Chop Shop, in Westhampton Beach.  Justin has created a special blend that has already prompted people to nominate us for Best Burger on LI,” Sckipp said.  “Earlier this month, our Riptide Double IPA was the Gold Medal winner at the annual Tap New York Competition.”

Sckipp detailed the business’s contributions to the Marty Lyons Foundation.

“We are very proud to work regularly with the Marty Lyons Foundation,” Sckipp said.  “A portion of the proceeds from the sales of our Tropical Storm NEIPA goes to the foundation.  In fact, we will be donating 10 percent of all draft beer sales from the grand-opening/ribbon-cutting day to the Marty Lyons Foundation.  Marty is also looking to schedule a few days this season to come and watch some New York Jets games at the restaurant with our customers.  On any of those days, we will again donate 10 percent of draft sales to his cause.”

Sckipp and Salvaggio shared their plans for the future of the business.

“Right now, we are focused on refining the menu and making sure the residents of Manorville and the surrounding towns continue to embrace our efforts,” Sckipp said.  “As the fall quickly approaches, we are planning ‘Tunes on Tap’ live music every Friday at 7 p.m. Additionally, we are getting ready for the return of the NFL and [added] some new TVs, including four 55-inch TVs, making one giant screen.  The Brewery will be hosting an Oktoberfest in Westhampton on Sept. 27, and will take part in The Fall Festival Series at Lenny Bruno Farms every weekend in October.”

“Our goal is to be flexible with the community,” Salvaggio said.  “We have already done many fundraisers for families in need, as well as community member functions.  But we are looking to create a fun atmosphere that we change with the season.  For example, we are looking to have a few weekends dedicated to Oktoberfest this fall—really looking to embrace the football season and make the brew and grille a destination.”