Tempting Gifts for the Food and Drink Obsessed
The products listed here were selected by a member of the editorial staff. Should you choose to purchase a product through a link on this page, we may receive an affiliate commission.
Ayako and Family, for those caught in a gifting jam.
Image: Courtesy Ayako and Family
When we think of Seattle, we think of coffee. And beer. And teriyaki. And all the people we know who spend their time chasing popups, filming mukbang, and perfecting their craft in the kitchen.
With any luck, you've got a foodie in your life who feeds you well and generally steers you in the right culinary direction. Now's your chance to return the favor.
Products with an “Add to Cart” option are available for purchase through The Shops at Seattle Met, a new online marketplace completely dedicated to local businesses. Curious? Read our lists of PNW-inspired outdoor gifts and presents for little ones—or browse our full selection of gear from Terra Bella, Villa Jerada, and more.
Eat & Drink Editor's Pick
Getaway, Book Larder Local
Image: Abrams Books
Star Seattle chef Renee Erickson's debut cookbook, A Boat, a Whale, and a Walrus, has graced gift guides and best-seller shelves since time immemorial (...2014). In 2021, she released a second inspired by her food-driven travels in far-flung places like Rome and Paris; this signed edition from Fremont's Book Larder makes an especially ideal gift for culinary tourists longing for a getaway of their own.
70 Percent Belize with Bourbon, Spinnaker Chocolate Local
The coworkers you love…as coworkers. The family members you kind of forget about until holiday get-togethers roll around. Seattle-made chocolate bars from Spinnaker provide an opportunity to show those more-than-acquaintances that you’ve paid attention when they mentioned their bourbon collection or their spice obsession.
Two-Piece Glass Flute Set, Chambong Local
Image: Chambong
Ah, the champagne of bongs. This Seattle-born, high-society take on the fraternity classic may look built for bachelorette parties—and don't get us wrong, it absolutely is—but it's appreciated for far more than chugging prosecco. Per Matt Storm of Fremont pizza-and-beer haven the Masonry (and newish brewery Fast Fashion), folks in the brewing industry have enjoyed a novel chambong or two since its invention in 2015, making it the perfect half-kidding gift for partiers of every ilk.
Harissa, Villa Jerada Local
Chefs from the (sadly soon-to-close) London Plane to Mamnoon swear by everything in Seattleite Mehdi Boujrada's Levantinian and Moorish pantry. Villa Jerada's harissa, beloved (and award-winning) for its complexity, is a must-have for recipes like Boujrada's family shakshuka and adds brightness to grilled fish. Buy it alone, or in gift sets inspired by Morocco ($66) and built for making shakshuka ($40).
Eat & Drink Editor's Pick
Instant Vortex Pro 9-in-1 Air Fryer Oven, Sur la Table Local
Image: Sur la Table
Some foodies love to cook—they relish the zen of prep work, the hours spent dredging and spicing until everything is just so. Others just want to eat damn good food. For the latter camp, the once-trendy, now essential air fryer's quick, crispy meals are a revelation. This one happens to look sleek, too.
Leather Cast-Iron Skillet Handle Cover, Hardmill Local
Image: Hardmill
Cast-iron enthusiasts are more protective than some perfectly caring parents. Kevlar-threaded leather handle covers from Seattle-based Hardmill will keep their babies looking sharp, protect their hands from heat, and stand the test of time as well as their best-loved skillet. (You can grab it in the longer size ($25) too if your giftee—like any parent—would balk at picking a favorite.)
Cascadia Creamery Sleeping Beauty Cheese, DeLaurenti Local
Image: DeLaurenti
Show up to your holiday party with a wedge of great cheese to guarantee an invitation next year. This one from Trout Lake–based Cascadia Creamery comes with a built-in conversation starter: It was aged in air from lava-tube caves. Eugene, Oregon's Kiva Grocery—which describes Sleeping Beauty as "like sinking into a warm, comfortable chair"—recommends pairing it with a soft rosé. Here's one you might consider bringing to the party.
EH Works Canvas Apron, Flora and Henri Local
EH stands for Erica Hanson, whose Seattle-manufactured aprons and accessories are as simple and functional as they are good-looking. Seriously—we’ve seen people look cute in aprons before, but cool feels like a designation reserved for this sturdy canvas number. Which makes it ideal for anyone too distracted by the prospect of stuffing to remember to take the apron off for dinner.
Rovr Icer Keepr Combo, Evo Local
Image: Evo
Why should embarking on a boat day or a nature hike or a picnic date mean forgoing expertly mixed cocktails? Rovr's pail cooler organizes booze, mixers, and all the accoutrements around up to three pounds of ice—some adventurers, after all, are more spirited than others.
Le Creuset 9-Quart Signature Round Dutch Oven, Terra Bella Local
The ideal kitchen would be stocked with a dutch oven in every size Le Creuset has to offer. But if you're looking to splurge on a chef with a crowd to cook for (and without Mary Poppins' cabinets), the extra-large nine-quart provides holiday peace of mind: Just about anything they could think to make will fit with room to spare.
The Litterless Lunch Gift Set, Knack Local
Image: Knack
Nothing stifles groans about returning to the office quite like a carefully assembled grain bowl or leftovers from a delicious home-cooked meal. The local gifting experts at Knack paired a tumbler from Wallingford-based Miir with Porter's beloved plastic bowl and a packable silverware set for a lunch that actually feels like a break.
Click and Grow Smart Garden 3 Self Watering Indoor Garden, Nordstrom Local
Image: Nordstrom
Garden-to-table cooking's easier said than done when the garden's nonexistent and the dining table plays triple duty as a desk and catch-all. Such is the life of an apartment dweller. But there's no need to be resigned to it. This micro-plot fits into an eight-by-18-inch stretch of counter space (no sunlight required) and self-waters three plants or herbs. Basil's included, but reviewers report success with cilantro and thyme, too.
Garlic Chili Crisp, KariKari Local
Image: KariKari
The Capitol Hill–based husband-and-wife duo behind KariKari represent both sides of the foodie coin: "expert-level food maker and expert-level food taster ;)" (winky face theirs). Together they've crafted a hot, crunchy, garlicky chili oil that enhances any meal, with a label that spices up any countertop.
Kitchen Goggles, Terra Bella Local
Onions are an essential part of so many dishes. Weeping openly over a cutting board is not. These goggles offer a practical, and silly, solution.
Build-a-Box of Six Saisons, Fair Isle Brewing Local
Image: Courtesy Fair Isle Brewing
For when gifting beer feels just right, but gifting a frosty six-pack just doesn't. Fair Isle Brewing, Washington Beer Awards' 2021 small brewery of the year, elevates brews to wine-levels of fanciness. Choose from two dozen different brews to make a custom box for a connoisseur or frequent host.
Rocket Espresso Appartamento Espresso Machine, Seattle Coffee Gear Local
Image: Seattle Coffee Gear
No, it's not called "appartamento" because it's right on par with Seattle's median monthly rent. Small enough for urban living but capable of pulling a shot that compares with those from much clunkier (and pricier) machines, this is the red-bow-topped steel showstopper your espresso-obsessed loved one really wants to wake up to.
Only Flans Unisex Hoodie, Eric Rivera Cooks Local
Image: Eric Rivera Cooks
Eric Rivera closed his Ballard restaurant, Addo, to take his ever-changing show of themed nights and Puerto Rican flavors on the road. Show your appreciation for his time in Seattle—and his full-throated support of restaurant workers, vaccine mandates, and giving a shit—with one of his best pieces of merch to date. We'd definitely subscribe to his OnlyFlans.
Rolling Crystal Whiskey Glasses, Viski Local
Image: Viski
These glasses from Seattle-based Viski are giftable on their novelty and looks alone, but they're more than just a pretty face: The movement provided by their curving base helps bring out tasting notes by aerating spirits (whiskey anoraks go nuts for that sort of thing). Pair a set of glasses with a local liquor, like Westland's commemorative single-malt Kraken bottle ($75) or Bainbridge Organic Distillers' World Whiskies Awards–recognized Battle Point Organic Whiskey ($55).
Eat & Drink Editor's Pick
The Jam Tee, Ayako and Family Local
Image: Ayako and Family
In a region known for foodies and foraging, fruit preservation is something of a competitive sport—and Ayako and Family consistently comes out on top. Find a variety on their site, from greengage plum ($20) to apricot ($16). This shirt, in particular, is our jam.
Pourigami Travel Coffee Dripper, Miir Local
IMAGE: MIIR
Real Seattleites don't give up their artisanal beans for a week in the woods. Wallingford-based Miir's pocket-sized foldable dripper makes a great gift for coffee connoisseurs and campers alike.
