A Food Lover’s Guide to SOFO Gift-Giving

This holiday season, say it with a bite.

This year, shop for your food-loving friends and family at the South Fork’s most interesting destination markets. From imported seafood to homemade bread, the stores of the East End have exactly what you (and your loved ones) need to make this a holiday to remember. So dig in! 

Carissa’s Bakery 
Carissa’s Bakery, in East Hampton, is full of excellent giftable food treats, from fine cheeses to elderflower syrup to homemade Madelines. The restaurant and bakery also offers a curated selection of teas and associated items — which is where the Kettl matcha chocolate bar comes in. This bright green bar is made with shade-grown, stone-milled Japanese matcha and Belgian white chocolate. The bars all contain over two servings of matcha and truly highlight this incredible imported item. It’s the perfect gift for any tea lover, chocolate lover, or passionate foodie you happen to be shopping for. But since the items at Carissa’s are ever-changing, don’t fret if this bar isn’t available by the time you make it in. The store has more than enough to charm your gift list. 

Hen of the Woods Market 
At Hen of the Woods Market, in Southampton, there’s no end to the culinary delights you might stumble upon in search of the perfect gift. The store has been known to carry everything from Steve Sando’s coveted Rancho Gordo beans to Towari fresh buckwheat noodles, made by soba master Kotani Shuichi. Imported butters, hard-to-find luxury seafood items, and exotic mushroom are also on the docket (as are pantry items, like high-quality soy sauce and sushi-grade rice). Take a walk through the store for a gift that will truly inspire. 

Sagaponack Farm Distillery 
Dedicated spirits lovers will fall head-over-heels for the South Fork-made items available at Sagaponack Farm Distillery. In addition to the world-class vodka, made from Sagaponack’s very own potatoes, the distillery makes and sells potato-based whiskies, aquavit, and even a rhubarb liqueur. Their new line of chocolates, made from Single Spud potato spirit, milk chocolate, ganache, and even rhubarb, are one of the most delicious things to come out of the East End this year. 

Mecox Bay Dairy Farm Store
Give the gift of cheese after a trip to Bridgehampton’s Mecox Bay Dairy Farm Store. The store, which is open daily, has a wide variety of dairy-based treats for gifting (and, let’s face it, for eating over the holidays). The dairy’s critically acclaimed cheeses are certainly gift-worthy, but you can also find other fun items at the farm store, too, like Mecox Bay Dairy tote bags, pastured meats, and fresh eggs. Put together a tailor-made gift bag, filled with the best cheeses on the East End — and don’t forget to buy an Atlantic Mist for the road. 

Harbor Market and Kitchen
In Sag Harbor, Harbor Market and Kitchen is a must-visit for foodies in the know. At the petite store and restaurant, you can find everything from organic coffee to homemade chocolate chip cookies wrapped in cellophane. The market is also a great place to find bespoke home and table items, like salt cellars, serving vessels, and vases.