They’ve been to the Michelin-starred restaurant. They’re on first-name basis with the city’s top chefs. They know about the cool underground spots seemingly before they’ve even opened. What then, could you possibly buy the on-the-pulse food fanatic that they haven’t already thought of themself?
Often, the best tack is to be straightforward: gift luxurious versions of their go-to comfort foods, be it a bumper box of their favorite cookies or designer set of tea. And for the home chef, it’s all about improving that kitchen experience – go for top-of-the-range tools or boujee ingredients (we’re all over the Noma Projects’ flavor pack).
For the fine-dining fiend, the baking buff and the eating enthusiast, we present Elite Traveler’s 2025 food and drink holiday gift guide.
See all of our gift guides here.
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Cookie assortment, Levain
Nothing beats Levain – and now, your loved ones can enjoy NYC’s favorite cookies at home. The gift set includes all of the original flavors: chocolate chip walnut, dark choc chip, oatmeal raisin and dark choc peanut butter chip. There’s an option to get just four cookies, but, realistically, it has to be the 12 pack.
Price
From $32
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The Flavor Pack, Noma Projects
You’ve heard of Noma – but have you heard of Noma Projects? If not, let us help: an off-shoot of the world-famous Copenhagen restaurant, Noma Projects is a place for the team to experiment with and share culinary innovations, including its housemade pickles, ferments and sauces. The mixed Flavor Pack includes some of its staples, such as pumpkin seed praline and a yuzu hot sauce.
Price
$180
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Panettone, The Macallan x Birley Bakery
How do you luxe up a panettone? With a dose of The Macallan, of course. The bumper 1kg cake is made with rich whey butter, dark egg yolks and Tahitian vanilla, studded with raisins, and presented in a cheerful festive box. Arrive at all of your holiday parties with one in hand and you’ll be everyone’s favorite guest.
Price
£50 (approx. $65)
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The Somerset Cheese and Cyder Hamper, The Newt in Somerset
A rival for its French cousins, few places in the world do cheese and cyder (also known as cider) better than Somerset, England. Top hotel The Newt has boxed up a selection of its home county’s finest exports, including five cheeses and two bottles of estate-made cyder, as well as some indulgent accompaniments.
Price
£150 (approx. $197)
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Algarve-style tinned cuttlefish, ABC+
Portuguese tinnery ABC+ is a forerunner in a new league of cool and confident artisanal tinned fish brands. This Algarve-style cuttlefish honors traditional Portuguese techniques: hand-prepared fish is expertly seasoned and soaked in olive oil and white wine. It’s as good stirred into pasta as it is dolloped on crusty bread.
Price
$45.99
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Salon de Thé, Byredo
Byredo might be best known for its fragrances, but it’s also highly regarded for its teas. The Salon de Thé set features the #2 Flower Therapy, a blend of two jasmine green teas, and #5 Tea Odyssey, a bergamot and orange blossom black tea, for a fully immersive tea-drinking ritual. Naturally, they smell amazing, too.
Price
$120
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Winter Tales Chocolate, Dandelion
Go above and beyond the standard candy this Christmas with Dandelion’s limited edition Winter Tales Collection. Made in collaboration with Dany Kamkhagi, owner of Houston-based artisanal chocolatier Mostly Chocolate, the 20-piece box offers a selection of classic holiday flavors such as gingerbread, peppermint and Turkish coffee, each in 70 percent Colombian chocolate.
Price
$98
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Picanto salt and pepper mills, L’Objet
Every good home chef needs a set of good tools – and the humble salt and pepper mill should not be ignored. L’Objet’s offering is hand carved from European and smoked oak to create a striking two-tone effect. Far from form over function, the set has a high quality metal grinding system for perfectly distributed seasoning.
Price
$395
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Special reserve Kaluga-Huso hybrid caviar, Petrossian
Ah, caviar: the ultimate and enduring hallmark of haute cuisine. Dolloped on pasta, scooped up with chips, bumped alone or even spooned on top of ice cream, this delicacy is as versatile as it is luxurious. And for the best of the best, it has to be Petrossian. Push the boat out with the Special reserve Kaluga-huso hybrid – a clean, buttery caviar offered only in very small batches.
Price
From $565
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Mother-of-pearl caviar set, Lorenzi Milano
So, you’ve bought your foodie friend a pot of caviar. Now, they need something to eat it with. Meet Lorenzi’s mother-of-pearl caviar set, complete with a creamy serving dish and accompanying spoon. Unlike other crockery materials, mother-of-pearl is non-reactive, meaning it won’t alter the flavor nor the temperature of the roe. Also, it looks incredibly glam.
Price
€686 (approx. $795)
