7a Foods Reopens with New Menu

Open at 10 a.m.: 7a Foods, 1045 State Road, West Tisbury, 508-693-4636.

The latest Martha's Vineyard seasonal business to return for 2013 is the one MV Patch readers named as the best sandwich maker on Martha's Vineyard last year: 7a Foods on State Road in West Tisbury, to the rear of the Alley's General Store parking lot.

Proprietors Wenonah Madison and Dan Sauer, who are also the parents of two young boys, have made their "farm to take-out" shop a mecca for hungry Islanders, summer people and tourists.

Their "regulars" have included everyone from local fishermen to President Barack Obama's Secret Service agents, Madison said, and 7a Foods staff have scores of breakfast orders memorized for customers who want "the usual."

Obama himself hasn't made it into the shop, but Governor Deval Patrick has been a customer.

This will be the third summer Madison and Sauer have run their own place, she said. The couple formerly sold produce from their Aquinnah farm at the farmers market, but now grow only for the 7a kitchen, in which chef Sauer uses local ingredients whenever possible.

The shop has a new menu (attached) for 2013, but "some of people's favorites will be back," Madison said.

Among the most popular sandwiches returning for another season:

• Marco's Meatballs ($9.95): Local beef, pork and ricotta meatballs with parmesan on a sub roll
• Liz Lemon ($9.95): Hot housemade pastrami, turkey, swiss, coleslaw, Russian dressing and potato chips on rye 

7a Foods also has soups, salads, vegetarian offerings including chili and an assortment of specialty groceries such as Mast Brothers chocolate, Chilmark Coffee, Stumptown Coffee, oils and vinegars.

7a Foods opens its doors today at 10 a.m. Starting Tuesday its hours for spring will be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Click here to read 7a chef/co-owner Dan Sauer's recipe for Braised Chicken Thighs in Red Wine with Kalamata Olives.

For more about 7a Foods, please see

• 7a Foods Gets Best of 2011 Nod
• And the Winner Is…7a Foods!
• The Chef at Home: 7a Foods' Dan Sauer

Stay Patched in! Follow Martha's Vineyard Patch on Twitter | Like Martha's Vineyard Patch on Facebook | Sign up for the daily email with links to the latest news | Got something to say? Start a blog and share your views.