The Best Holiday Gifts Are the Ones You Eat at Hamptons Specialty Food Shops
By Joe Mollica
The way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach. Which means bringing the gift of beautifully packaged food to your next soiree, family get-together or Yankee trader is pretty much guaranteed to get you on the ‘nice’ list this ugly-sweater season.
Whether you want to inspire a home chef with a gastronomic surprise, impress the foodie in your life with a hard-to-find delicacy, or just simply can’t resist good things in a pretty package, the gift of food is always a crowd pleaser.
That said, beautifully wrapped, thoughtfully-made edible goodies abound on our local shelves. On the South Fork, in particular, local gourmet markets and food shops have decked their halls this festive season with look-too-good-to-eat curated selections for everyone who believes that eating well is life’s greatest pleasure.
From scratch-made products to hard-t0-find exotic ingredients to locally-made crafts, the South Fork is the perfect place to purchase gourmet food gifts for everyone on your list this holiday season. Here are some Hamptons specialty food shops where you can fill your baskets.
Named one of the top 50 food stores in the world by the Financial Times, the little Sagaponack shop is a Hamptons gourmet institution. Owner Sybille Van Kempen’s hospitality brand is famed for its house-made baked goods, prepared foods, sauces and soups. Shelves are stocked for the holidays with tons of edible gifting ideas for the merry season.
50 Sagg Main Street, Sagaponack, loavesandfishes.us/loaves-and-fishes-foodstore
“The relaxed neighborhood vibe” of this eclectic Bridgehampton market from the team behind Almond is “committed to the longevity of our greatest vice: delicious food.” From prepared foods to staple house-made pantry goods, L&W specializes in handcrafted, small batch farm-to-table items like jarred artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, kimchi and olives, plus fun sauces, pickled things and plenty of artisanal pantry items inspired by the global food market.
2493 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, landwmarket.com
Cavaniola’s Gourmet
Sag Harbor’s one-stop for fresh, home-made prepared food and specialty products. Think gourmet cheeses, olives, sausages and cured meats, house-baked bread and an array of top of the line jarrred, canned and packaged products from Italy and beyond. Cavaniola’s East End food family also includes a wine cellar and a kitchen.
89B Division Street, Sag Harbor, cavaniolas.com
L’Épicuriste
A boutique food shop in Bridgehampton stocked with gourmet international ingredients, hand-crafted delicacies made in-house, and a charming selection of decor and home goods. Stretch your culinary imagination with everything from elegant baked goods to truffled vegetables to French pâtes de fruit. The perfect place to stock up on holiday Panettone.
2466 Main Street, Bridgehampton, lepicuriste.com
Hen of the Woods
With seasonally-driven produce, exotic grocery items, and locally sourced specialty products, Hen of the Woods is crammed with items produced by local farmers and purveyors. Known for carrying a wide variety of mushrooms, along with other high-end treats like oysters, caviar and uni, Hen of the Woods has an extensive selection of exotic produce and other coveted culinary ingredients, all sourced ethically.
48 Hampton Road, Southampton Village, 48hampton.com
Buco al Vita
From the table to the kitchen to home decor, old world meets new world with unique handmade work from artisans bringing the Buco brand’s vision to life at this ultra charming food shop and boutique in Amagansett. Food-wise, they carry beautiful olive oils, an array of tinned fish and small-batch food products from local producers.
225 Main Street, Amagansett, ilbucovita.com
Vetted Hamptons Resources
