Best Gifts for Foodies
We've all got a foodie in our lives. They describe favorite meals with tears in their eyes, were onto sous vide back before it was trendy, get their kicks from grocery shopping and love asking the chef to surprise them at any semi-secret, off-the-beaten-path eatery they can find.
Whether it's a friend, relative, significant other or coworker, an abundance of choices may leave you scratching your head when an occasion for gift-giving approaches. What are some of the best gifts for foodies, whether they love cooking, eating or both?
From hands-on culinary experiences to handy gadgets and more, here's a sparkly lineup of gifts for foodies that will go to great use in anyone's culinary collection. And — hint, hint — you might just find something for yourself, too!
Cooking Classes
One of the best gifts for foodies isn't necessarily something tangible, especially for the foodie in your life who already has "everything." Instead, the perfect foodie gift idea may be an experience gift.
Whether the recipient has a new culinary obsession, is looking to discover the secret recipe for a favorite dish or wants to learn to cook like a chef, there are cooking classes near you that run the gourmet gamut, making them ideal gifts for foodies who like trying new things.
These sessions are led by top-rated local chefs and welcome all tastes, skill levels and dietary needs. There are cooking classes in NYC, Denver and beyond, making it easy to find the perfect one in your area.
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Online Cooking Classes
If the foodie you're gifting has a busy schedule, give them the opportunity to join a world-class chef revolutionizing cooking from their own kitchen with live online cooking classes. Professional chefs offer sessions from around the country — and the globe — that anyone can tune into.
During a live-streaming virtual event, attendees can follow along with step-by-step coaching on how to make their favorite dish (or one they've always wanted to try). From online healthy cooking classes to online French cooking classes, there are many choices.
No matter what theme you choose when opting for this foodie gift, your giftee will gain a range of culinary tips from a professional chef, turning their kitchen into an interactive classroom. If you're looking for some unique gifts for foodies, these online experiences definitely fit the bill!
Private Chef Experiences
Treat the gastronome in your life to a fine-dining culinary experience crafted by a professional private chef near you. This is one of the best gifts for foodies who love to eat more than they love to cook. Hiring a private chef is the perfect way to elevate any date night or dinner party with gourmet fare, from Italian to Spanish to French and beyond.
They can choose the cuisine, date and time, and a local chef will source the finest ingredients and bring kitchen equipment to their place to prepare an incredible meal, with cleanup also provided.
Best of all, there are chefs across the country and beyond! From private chefs in Houston to Orlando and everywhere in between, this unique foodie gift is a great choice no matter where your giftee is located.
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Food Tours
Treat that adventurous foodie in your life to a cultural and culinary exploration of their city's tastiest haunts. By combining sweet and savory food tastings with fascinating stories, local culture, history and architecture, a food tour near you creates the perfect recipe for one of those one-of-a-kind gifts for foodies.
As with other experience-based gifts for foodies, you can take food tours across the U.S. and even internationally. Take a look at the schedule for food tours in Chicago, NYC or almost any other city today to discover the perfect gift for your favorite foodie.
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Online Mixology Classes
Foodies also love a good cocktail pairing. If you're looking for some gift ideas for foodies that aren't so on the nose, give them the opportunity to master the art of cocktail making from home with online mixology classes!
Under the guidance of a professional mixologist, they'll learn all about the history of certain cocktails while receiving expert advice on stirring and shaking the best flavor combinations.
Mixologists also provide tips on pouring techniques, how to select tools and equipment, and more, making this one of the best foodie gifts for those who want a comprehensive class on all things mixology.
Virtual Wine Tasting
If your favorite food enthusiast is a self-proclaimed wine snob, a virtual wine tasting is an ideal gift for foodies to indulge their interests. Taught live by some of the best sommeliers and chefs in the industry, virtual wine tastings bring the refined elegance of a wine tasting experience to your home.
With this sophisticated gift for foodies, your recipient will get the chance to sip and sample wines from around the world, learning all about each selection's distinct flavor profile, grape variety and history. They'll even get to learn about gourmet food pairings that complement each wine.
Foodie Gift Card
Your food-loving friends and family can choose their own gourmet foodie gifts when you present them with a foodie gift card. Recipients of this flexible gift for foodies can shop for their own cutlery, appliances and more.
This gift for foodies also allows them to choose from a range of culinary experiences, including hands-on or virtual cooking classes, tastings and tours. Gift cards are available in any amount over $10, and they never expire. It's like giving gourmets the keys to the culinary kingdom!
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Espresso Maker
The coffee lovers in your life will undoubtedly feel their hearts race when they open this gourmet gift for foodies, even before the caffeine hits their bloodstream! The Fino Stovetop Espresso Maker is a compact and affordable espresso maker that delivers bold-flavored espresso without taking up a ton of counter space.
The vintage styling of this great gift for coffee lovers adds charm to the cooktop, and the European-made blend of aluminum and stainless steel provides a safe and dependable espresso-making experience every time. It's an elegant gift for foodies that brings robust coffee to any kitchen, and even transports for travel, where good coffee is always a necessity!
Cheese Knife Set
Any food lover knows a cheese plate is fundamental to the success of a party or gathering. When done right, a cheese plate is the centerpiece of the hors d'oeuvres table, a captivating conversation piece and a creative masterpiece.
And to properly pull off a gourmet cheese plate, you'll need a set of specialty knives designed for slicing their way through a variety of cheeses. One of the best gifts for foodies in this category is the Zwilling 3-Pc Cheese Knife Set. It's both a tool and a statement piece for anyone plating a mighty spread of cheeses and accouterments.
Milk Frother
Lovers of elegant coffee recipes will enjoy receiving the Aerolatte Milk Frother With Stand, one of the best food gifts for helping budding baristas turn their home brew into cafe-style creations. This rechargeable whipper is battery-operated for cord-free convenience and rests in its stylish charging port when not in use.
Available in several attractive colors, it's a gift for foodies that's a sleek and artful addition to any home coffee station. The powerful whisk makes fluffy foam out of any milk, from traditional to alternative, giving your favorite foodie the chance to try out their latte art skills or to simply enjoy a light and luscious coffee-topping treat.
Baking Dish Set
The trio of vessels in the Staub 3-Pc Mixed Baking Dish Set gives foodies an array of ceramic cookware to enhance their delicious creations.
The 9"x13" rectangular baking dish will accommodate everything from lasagna to cakes, while the 11" oval is a perfect size and shape for side dishes and small casseroles. And with its fancy fluted edge, the 9" pie dish is a winsome choice for pot pies, quiche and desserts.
As one of the best bakeware sets on the market, it's the ideal statement gift for foodies. This sophisticated set even comes with a glossy finish and handles that help each piece transition seamlessly from cooking to serving.
Go with classic white for a timeless look. Or, choose from a selection of colorful exteriors, such as bold and vibrant red, for one of the best food gift ideas to add panache to any table.
Sushi Making Kit
Looking for some gifts for foodies that step outside of the normal gadgets? If so, a sushi kit is one of the best foodie gift ideas, offering something a little different to your food-obsessed friend or family member.
Best of all, making sushi at home is relatively simple with the right equipment, ingredients and most importantly, practice, practice, practice. With items like bamboo rolling mats, rice paddles, rice spreads, cutting tools and sauce dishes, the foodie in your life can start making sashimi, nigiri, rolls and more right in their own kitchen.
A specialized kit like the Global Grub DIY Sushi Kit can help make the process even simpler. This convenient gift for foodies comes with sushi rice, nori, wasabi powder, the all-important bamboo rolling mat and more. All of the best sushi-making kits also come with instructions on how to roll sushi, what filling and topping ingredients to choose and much more.
Pizza Making Equipment
The good news is that anyone with basic cooking skills can make great homemade pizza. The bad news is that most of the essential tools needed to make it are not typically found in one's kitchen. So, if you have a pizza lover in your life, the best gift for foodies could be a pizza-making set.
You'll want to consider a few essential pizza-making tools as you create this gift for foodies, such as a Fante's Pizza Peel for easily transporting pies and a Fante's Pizza 13" Stone for a crispy crust.
There are options to fit any budget, which makes this fun gift idea for foodies perfect for almost anyone, whether you're looking for something affordable or to really splurge. As an added bonus, more pizza-making equipment for them means more invites to pizza night for you!
Grill Pan
With the Anolon Accolade 11-Inch Square Grill Pan, foodies can turn their stovetop into a full-service grill no matter the weather. The large interior surfaces provide a generous space for steaks, fish filets and more.
Browning and braising are a cinch with this workhorse, and a top temp of 500°F allows you to cook a range of dishes across various temperatures. This brand also offers great quality, which makes this not only one of the best food gifts but also one of the absolute best grill pans on the market for the serious foodie looking to add long-lasting pieces to their cookware collection.
Cookie Press
Give the baker in your life the Mrs. Anderson's Baking 18-Piece Baking Cookie & Icing Gun, a modern take on a nostalgic tool. This gift for foodies allows them to create dozens of buttery cookies quickly and easily, in a variety of charming shapes. It's an extremely handy tool that takes rolling and cutting out of the cookie equation and brings in the rich flavor and crisp texture of traditional European-style butter cookies.
There are eight decorative discs included, perfect for producing traditional shapes found in popular tinned butter cookie collections, including flowers and hearts. This cookie tool is a must-have for churning out holiday treats in short order and is easy enough for kids to use, too.
That's not all, though! This gift for foodies also doubles as an icing gun with eight nozzles, allowing your giftee to pipe any design their heart desires easily and without the need for added extras.
Air Fryer
One of the most practical gifts for foodies, a Zwilling Air Fryer will likely become your giftee's favorite appliance! With a deep 4-quart basket for making generous servings of delicious recipes that fry without oil, it offers a new way to think about food preparation.
As air-fried dishes are a little healthier than deep-fried ones, this is an especially great gift for foodies who value healthy eating. Plus, it can cook all types of dishes, from fries to bacon and even pizza.
The drawer and tray are both dishwasher-safe as well for easy clean-up. This convenient and easy-to-use gift for food lovers is basically an invitation to try a whole new world of air-fried recipes!
Sous Vide Starter Set
One of the best gifts for foodies is also one of the best well-kept secrets of professional chefs. The Zwilling Fresh & Save 7 Pc Plastic Vacuum Starter Set makes it easier than ever for home cooks to prepare perfectly cooked food.
Sous vide cooking is the process of vacuum-sealing raw food in plastic pouches and cooking it slowly in a temperature-controlled water bath. The vacuum packaging seals all the natural juices, flavors and seasonings into whatever you're cooking.
Additionally, the excellent temperature control offered by the sous vide method means food will never overcook. Translation: The recipient of this gift for foodies will be able to cook chicken breast so tender that they can cut it with a fork and scrambled eggs with the consistency of fine custard.
Of all the gifts for foodies on this list, a sous vide set is most likely to have future dinner guests asking your friend, "What's your secret?"
Marble Serving Board
With the Maison du Fromage Round Cultured Marble & Wood Cheese Board, you'll be giving your favorite foodie the gift of stylish serving to make their entertaining occasions even more special. This modern marble and wood cutting board acts as the perfect cutting and serving surface that's eye-catching and easy to keep clean.
If your recipient is caught up in the charcuterie board trend, this gourmet gift for foodies provides the perfect platform for elegant displays of cheese, cold cuts, crackers and fresh fruit. And for presenting an artful array of small bites or tempting desserts, the rounded edge makes easy work of slicing, serving and scooping.
Fondue Set
Fondue is a fun throwback trend for fashionable foodies to get in on. Give the Twine Cast Iron Fondue Set and set them on their way! This stylish cooker features a removable plug for easy clean-up and comes in a sophisticated a minimalist cream, black and light wood design, giving a touch of elegance to any party.
Easy-grip handles make it safe and simple to handle, while six forks and a slick nesting lid allow non-slip cooking and dipping. It's undoubtedly one of the best fondue pots on the market, perfect for cheeses, chocolates, broths and just about any other meltable ingredients that make the menu.
Guests can gather 'round and chat as they dip, making this gift for foodies the perfect choice for those who love to host.
Dutch Oven
Dutch ovens are a versatile kitchen essential that will serve any foodie for years to come. When opting for this gift for foodies, look for one made with cast iron that is easy to care for, such as the Ballarini Bellamonte 7.5-Qt Round Cast Iron Dutch Oven.
Perfect for family-sized one-pot dinners, roasts and more, a large Dutch oven would make one of the most useful gifts for foodies who love to feed a crowd!
While not the best choice if looking for highly affordable presents, this piece of cooking equipment is ideal for those who want to splurge and makes one of the best Christmas gifts for foodies. This high-end product is also one of the best Dutch ovens for bread, making it a top gift for bakers.
Finding a great present for the self-proclaimed food lover in your life doesn't have to be a guessing game. Even if you aren't sure of their favorite type of dish to cook or prepare, the items recommended here offer something for a diverse range of tastes, skill levels and cooking styles.
Whether you need inspiration for birthday, anniversary or Christmas gifts for foodies, or you're just looking to get a special someone a token of your appreciation, these varied and thoughtful foodie gifts can be your perfect starting point.