One of my favorite foodie destinations in the Hamptons is Pepalajefa, a gourmet-to-go shop located in the heart of Sag Harbor Village. Having opened last season, owner Livia Hegner named the shop for a Spanish restaurant owner she fondly called “Pepa la jefa” or “Pepa the boss.” She shares,“If it’s too much of a mouthful – just call us Pepa!” KDH loves Livia’s esoteric approach to interpreting her sophisticated European family recipes in a way that feels like Hamptons comfort food. I popped by Pepa’s official sophomore season opening to see what Livia has up her white chef sleeve for summer….

Livia Hegner’s KDHamptons Feast End Diary:

KDHamptons: This will be your second season in the Hamptons. Are there any big changes in store at Pepalajefa?

Livia: Yes! We now offer American coffee and sell our lovely French Bull line of dishes & tableware [above] exclusively in the Hamptons. Food wise, we will offer some asian dishes and salads. There really is no asian food out here~ I miss it so much~ so I will try to aleviate the crave like this!

KDHamptons: Tell us your 3 personal favorite new additions to the Pepa menu?

Livia: Well of course: the thai noodle salad, the tunafish with our special marinade, and our glutenfree meat balls.

KDHamptons: Do you bake the Sunday breads on premise?

Livia: I do bake the “zopf” [Sunday bread] on the premises in the morning. It usually comes out of the oven at the latest around 11am. [note to self: arrive pepa at 10:55 am]

KDHamptons: What do you love most about having a business in Sag Harbor?

Livia: The fact, that for this year I have a full season at my disposal, as I started a little late last summer. And I love the quaintness of Sag Harbor.

KDHamptons: What made you choose to carry the French Bull collection [above]?

Livia: I love French Bull tableware. It is an American brand made of bright colored melamine with a modern spin. The melamine material is quite durable, and boasts the bold pop culture signature style of designer Jackie Shapiro. I love the patterns, colors and versatility of their pieces for entertaining in the Hamptons.

KDHamptons: Tell us about the Cauliflower Mont Blanc [below] that you added to the menu?

Livia: The Cauliflower Mont Blanc is a family dish from my mother. We grew up with it, and I always loved it as a child. I also think it looks very cool and is a great conversation dish for a buffet lunch or dinner. We steam a full head of cauliflower, lightly cover it with our special homemade mayonnaise, add finely chopped Italian ham, and dust it with chives~ it’s quite delicious!

Livia derived the vision for the menu from a lifetime of travel and family-inspired recipes. Her goal is to introduce customers to a European approach to cuisine with new flavor combinations, preparations and seasonings.

The shop was designed by Craige Walters to exude an international atmosphere that transports customers by putting a fresh twist on the classic Italian macelleria. The walls are covered with global newspapers [above] inspired by the owner’s global travels to small off-the-beaten track destinations. Custom lighting from Portugal and bold colors complete the space.

Hot and cold sandwiches include: EU-style roast beef sandwich with chopped Romaine, grilled radicchio and homemade mayonnaise on a baguette; Spanish bocadillos of toasted bread with choice of Russian salad [diced potatoes, peas, French green beans, chopped eggs and fresh herb mayonnaise], tuna salad, ham and cheese, egg salad; and steak sandwich with warm sliced New York strip steak, onion confit, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese on a baguette.

In addition to the full lunch and dinner menu, light breakfast offerings will also be available. Also, the shop offers an assortment of packaged house-made dressings, spice rubs and seasonings [below] that will give the home cook an array of international flavoring options.

*Pepalajefa is open from Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to midnight.

Location: 7 Main Street, Sag Harbor, NY 11963 [631] 899-4630 www.pepalajefa.com