When it comes to Christmas gifts, they say that it's the thought that counts, but after years of receiving an awful lot of socks, we have to say that the gift itself is pretty important. That doesn't mean you have to spend all of your hard-earned cash. We've rounded up the best Christmas gift ideas for foodies, across different price points, so you can whip up some festive magic for everyone on your list this year — and cement your status as Christmas gift-giver extraordinaire.
We're spreading joy with foodie Christmas gift ideas for everyone on your list, whether you're buying your significant other a top-tier item that will make them rush for the mistletoe or need help filling up those stockings with a few extra cute-as-a-button trinkets. We've got the best bottles for hosts or hosting this season. Plus, plenty of our items are from local retailers, so you can skip the busy shopping malls and pick up gifts from Toronto shops or online.
You can also support local makers peddling festive wares at events like the One of a Kind Show or Kimpton Saint George Hotel’s annual Holiday Market Sip ‘N’ Shop — where you can shop with a glass of wine in hand. And a nice dinner or a gift card for one of the best restaurants in Toronto always wins people over. Whatever you do, remember to take away the stress of the festive haul and have fun with it. Whip up a Christmas cocktail or winter warmer and start your shopping here. Big or small, basic or boujee, we've got the gifts that keep giving. And don't forget to keep something back for yourself, OK? You've earned it.
Christmas gift ideas for every foodie on your list
Bathed in sexy evergreen, KitchenAid's latest Design Series stand mixer is a stunner. The sturdy walnut wooden bowl is as much a statement piece on your kitchen counter as it is functional for the home baker. You can even roll pasta with it, by adding on one of the over 10 attachments available for purchase.
Indigenous-owned wellness brand Standing Spruce is an organic farm that utilizes old world medicine and ancestral knowledge to craft natural, sustainable and ethically made products. Their deliciously scented, vegan Gingerbread & Coffee Bar brings the essence of holiday baking into the bath routine. Ground Christmas spices provide gentle exfoliation while molasses mineralizes skin. Stuff it in their stocking and buy an extra one for your own enjoyment this season.
At 58 per cent alcohol, this high-proof bottle from Canadian Club will be your whisky-lover's favourite gift under the tree this year. Aged for 18 years, this dram features plenty of oak-forward flavour, smokiness, baking spice and a luxuriously silky mouthfeel.
Barocco's wide array of award-winning blends and limited-edition bespoke offerings will satisfy the coffee lover on your gift list. Taste profiles range from traditional mocha, nutty and full-bodied blends to adventurous fruit forward, micro lot, single origin releases. Fresh off winning 15 medals at this year’s Golden Bean North America competition, Barocco Coffee arguably boasts Canada’s finest selection.
These playful playing card coasters are sure to spark conversation during a games night or holiday gathering — and they make a great gift for those foodies who have everything. A collaboration between sustainable fashion brand Reformation and quirky U.K. brand Shrimps, these crocheted coasters are made with regenerative wool. They're part of a whole limited-edition collection of novelty knits featuring classic motifs inspired by playing weird card games with your cousins this holiday season.
Say goodbye to meat and hello to a world of flavours, courtesy of Ruth Salem Sader's new cookbook. The author, the granddaughter of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants, grew up around Middle Eastern spices and flavours — and now she's sharing them with us. Try your hand at dishes like Lebanese Tabbouleh, Okra Stew, Rice with lentils, Fried Falafel Balls and Turkish Coffee with Cardamon.
Toronto's own Devan Rajkumar has released a colourful cookbook that home cooks will turn to repeatedly when looking for restaurant-quality, flavour-packed weeknight meals. Born into a Guyanese household, the Canadian TV personality brings more than 100 recipes to life, all of which are deeply influenced by his Caribbean family heritage and South Asian ancestry.
This spreadable holiday-spiced honey needs to be on your festive charcuterie board. Made with Canadian raw honey, and unpasteurized, it's delicious on toast, crackers, mixed into a hot chocolate or licked straight off the spoon.
Grape Witches will match your freak with its custom, curated holiday gift box. Choose your 'freakiness' level, on a scale of 1–5, and your preferred 'vibe' (hidden gems, weekday bangers, rare jewels) and budget, and let the talented Grape Witches team pick natural wine bottles you'll love.
Whether you're gifting this bottle, or serving it at your holiday festivities, you can't go wrong with Maverick's ready-to-pour espresso martini, whisky sour, cosmopolitan or paper plane. Bottles range from 100 millilires to 1.14 litres. Simply chill, and serve!
Whether they're a whisky collector or simply appreciate a good dram around the holidays, the dark spirit-lover on your list will adore unwrapping Forty Creek's special batch Maplewood Select. It's a blend of rye and corn whiskies, and delivers a balance of sweet and smoky, with a silky texture.
One gift card — countless dining experiences for the foodie on your list. Oliver & Bonacini gift cards are available and redeemable at all O&B restaurants, including over 15 restaurants in Toronto. From classics like Canoe, Jump and Biff’s Bistro, to newer locations like Aera and La Plume in The Well, and The Joneses and Ceci Bar at Berczy Square, there is something to suit every taste on your holiday shopping list. The best part: They never expire.
Give the gift of a delicious holiday cup of coffee this season — or add festive cheer to your own home brews. Nespresso's Festive Collection features a selection of limited-edition flavours like Peppermint Pinwheel, Gingerbread, Almond Croissant Flavour and Peanut and Roasted Sesame Flavour. Yum.
Anyone who loves the iconic Canadian dessert will get a kick out of this soap's rich chocolate aroma, while the creamy coconut lather leaves skin feeling smooth and refreshed. And it's from an Indigenous-owned company that specializes in small-batch candles, soaps and bath products made with natural ingredients.
This blend of four whiskies just arrived in Ontario. It's an easier sip than other bourbons at a similar price tag, and remarkably easygoing — this is excellent in an old fashioned, or a paper plane. Pick up a bottle for the dad who's always browsing what's new and noteworthy at the LCBO.
Lake & Oak’s superfood teas and latte blends are a delicious hit of wellness in a cup. Soothing and caffeine-free, Vanilla Cookie Calm is perfect for swapping out that nighttime sweet treat. To round out this gift, shop their tea accessories or go for the Holiday Cozy Gift Box ($54.95) with the addition of Spiced Coconut Chai and Mint Cacao Bliss. Holiday relaxation: activated.
Securing a reservation at Toronto’s top restaurants can be as challenging as buying concert tickets on TicketMaster (IYKYK). Skip the sweaty palms situation with DINR Premium. The app’s new paid membership unlocks priority access to same-day and exclusive reservation slots you won’t find anywhere else. Plus there are member-only benefits like first access to coveted culinary events and curated wines you won't find at the LCBO. Whether you gift them a DINR Premium Membership or get one for yourself and bring them along, your foodie friends will love it.
The benefits of using a reusable water bottle are obvious, but if you're not diligent with your cleaning, they can start to develop an unpleasant aroma from bacteria buildup. Enter Monos's Kiyo Water Bottle. Its UVC technology eliminates 99.99 per cent of germs for a good-tasting, good-smelling and clean drinking experience, every time.
A bottle of this award-winning, bold red from luxury wine brand The Prisoner Wine Co. is already an excellent gift, but from December 8 to January 4, it's even more enticing with a limited-edition custom designed gift box created by local Toronto artist Anthony Riccardi. Savour this robust, ripe and smooth pour with notes of prune, dark chocolate, toast and rich dark fruit preserves, alongside grilled steak or a holiday roast.
Wielding powerful infrared technology to cook your favourite meals without pre-heating, the best feature about this T-Fal beauty is the viewing window, so you can ensure your food is prepared to perfection, every time. That, and the six-litre capacity make this a great gift for college students.
This medium-bodied California red sets the scene for a romantic holiday evening. Pour you and your boo a glass beside the crackling fireplace, then savour notes of cinnamon and vanilla as the snow gently falls outside.
Feel like visiting America's Finest City, but you can't quite make the trip stateside? This cookbook rounds up 70 recipes from San Diego's best restaurants and chefs, so you enjoy a sprinkling of the foodie city from the comfort of your kitchen.
If you know someone who lives and breathes all things coffee, Breville's latest high-tech espresso machine is so worth the splurge. New cold brew and cold espresso options are just the beginning; this commercial-grade machine auto-grinds, steams and even connects to your WiFi for seamless system upgrades.
Make a better choice for your morning cup of joe with these organic, fairtrade coffee beans. Birch Bark Coffee Co., a First-Nations-owned and operated business, makes delicious roasts you'll want to savour. They aim to honour the rich heritage of First Nations cultures.
Help them add complexity to their cooking and salad dressings with Maison Orphée's line of flavoured extra-virgin olive oils. Choose from Spicy, Lemon, Basil or Garlic; plus, they're all cold-extracted to maintain their exceptional flavour profile.
Covered in adorable doodles and the Grape Witches logo, these funky ceramic wine glasses are the perfect vessel for your funky natural wine. Created by Canadian artist and designer Dasha Valakhanovitch, no two glasses are the same — they're a truly unique gift idea.
If you have trouble getting enough iron in your daily diet, the Lucky Iron Leaf is here to save the day. Rid yourself of mental fog and the other side effects of iron deficiency by simply adding this leaf to your soups, stews or other boiling liquids for at least 10 minutes.
This Canadian company specializes in ethically made home and personal care items. All of their products are biodegradable, phosphate-free, dye-free, scented with essential oils and never tested on animals. Plus, their soaps come in glass bottles or large-format refills to cut down on plastic waste. This holiday, upgrade their kitchen (and yours) with these luxuriously scented soaps that are good for you and the planet.
Toronto-favourite, Roselle Bakery is releasing an adorable puzzle, just in time for the holidays. At 504 pieces, it's a fun activity for the whole family. Dessert — and puzzles — do indeed make us happy.
No weakly waters here — these sparklings pack a punch with flavours like Light Wave (cucumber, pineapple, lavender) and Love Bite (grapefruit, ginger, juniper). Skip the holiday hangover and bring this non-alcoholic option for hosts or hosting. Being sober never tasted so good.
Farm Boy's Holiday Gift Basket is stuffed to the brim with delicious snacks, ingredients and drinks that will delight palates and raise eyebrows. Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn, Ketchup Chips and Street Taco Roasted Peanuts appear alongside kitchen staples like balsamic vinegar, salad dressing, tomato sauce and pasta. Non-alcoholic beer and a canned mocktail are there to wash it all down. It's a foodie wonderland, all wrapped up with a bow.
Joey Maggiore, the Brunch King himself, recently released his debut cookbook, featuring 70 recipes to help you pull off the best meal of the week at home. The Arizona chef is known for Instagram-famous dishes like Carnitas Hash and Billionaire Bacon, but now he's bringing the boujee to your kitchen with recipes like Crème Brulée French Toast Sticks and Birria Bao Benedict.
Who knew making fizzy drinks could look so cute? Breville's InFizz Soda Machine comes with a convenient, large, one-litre bottle, and lets you customize how much carbonation you want to infuse your bevvy with. It's loads of fun.
