A little over a month ago, Swiss-born father/son team Christoph and Robin Mueller opened Alpina Swiss Bakery on Montauk Highway in downtown Water Mill.
Specializing in artisanal sourdough bread, cakes and pastries baked in an onsite open kitchen, along with coffee and tea drinks, freshly made juices and savory quiches, Alpina Bakery is situated right next door to its sister operation, Hampton Kitchen Delicatessen, which opened about three years ago.
Armed with a strong baking team, led by chef Humberto Guallpa (culinary director of all the North Fork eateries as well as the bakery and the deli) and head baker Maria Lucero, specialty items offered at Alpina Bakery include homemade beer pretzels, museli, bürli (a traditional Swiss bread), zuger kischtorte (Swiss cherry torte), Swiss rolls, in addition to the rotating hand-made pastries and breads available. To place an order, click here.
Originally from Zurich, Christoph spent five years of his life living in the mountains, developing a deep love for Alpine culture. With a background in real estate, he’s no stranger to working in the food service industry, as he’s the owner of Green Hill Kitchen, Anker and Alpina restaurants in Greenport. “My idea was to sell the food that we’re making there somehow here on the South Fork and this space here was for rent so I called the landlord, and they told ‘me oh, the food business it’s not such a good idea here, but you know, I own the deli next door, would you like to take that over?’, and I said ok.”



After a couple of years, the adjacent space was still available, so Christoph decided to take it over and run it as a Swiss-style bakery with his son Robin serving as manager for both businesses.
“I was always a baker and a cook,” Christoph says. “Baking is a particularly interesting art; you’re dealing with a live thing.
“We’re utilizing the best, state of the art machinery and classic baking techniques, really focusing on Swiss specialties and efficiencies,” adds Robin of the newly opened bakery. Robin is no stranger to food service either, as he’s helmed his side hustle, Hamptons Raclette since 2021, providing the beloved Swiss melty cheese dish to patrons at a slew of East End locales.
“Baking is a particularly interesting art; you’re dealing with a live thing,” says Christoph. “Sourdough is a live thing. It takes care and time and patience; you can’t force anything. But it adds to all your products, plus it’s an amazing flavor.”
Alpina Bakery is located at 670 Montauk Highway in Water Mill, 631-500-9500.