In every town in America, there is a go-to diner that everybody at some point has lunch at. In Southampton, that restaurant is Sip ‘N Soda. The place is so legit, so well run, so local and so under the radar. You gotta go.
On a whim, my co-workers decided to head out to Sip ‘N Soda for some lunch. My first thought was, “Oh yea, that’s the Candy Kitchen of Southampton. Maybe I’ll get a Greek salad.”
When we got there, I realized however that Sip ‘N Soda is entirely its own thing. It’s three generations owned, is adorable and clean and the food is fresh and expertly made. The menu is seemingly so simple, but everything is on another level with quality.
The French fries, for example, are thick along and fried to such perfection that you are almost alarmed by them. You can get a turkey BLT for about $10, you can get a handmade lemonade that will zap your senses into a Norman Rockwell painting, or you can dare to enjoy their famous Lime Ricky. They got milkshakes, they got homemade ice cream which includes flavors like banana and Nutella, they got pastrami sandwiches tuna melts, and salads. For lunch, with a tip for your waitress included, you are walking out of there completely satisfied for $20 in cash of course.
I ordered a turkey BLT with fries, and my co-workers ordered the crispy chicken BLT and the chicken souvlaki. We all ordered the fresh-made lemonade, this was a showstopper, I strongly recommend. The thing that’s super cool about Sip ‘N Soda is the ice that they use for their drinks. Everything is served with crushed ice, which is just so awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever had a more unique yet simple tasting lemonade in my life. The crushed ice makes freezing cold and you can tell that the lemonade didn’t come from a box, but was hand-made fresh using a recipe that goes back over 50 years. Every sip is nostalgia.
Do you know that scene in Back to the Future where Michael J. Fox walks into the diner to order a sugar-free Pepsi? That’s what this place is like. It’s completely timeless. It deserves all of the respect in the world and it should continue on forever. I am a fan of Sip ‘N Soda, which is the restaurant business done right. I’ll be there again and again for lunch with my friends and family and I encourage you to do the same.
