Gifts for Foodies Who Love to Eat (and Cook)
- 20 gift ideas
- From under $25 to $100 and up
- 8 niche picks
Good gifts for foodies are ingredients and tools for eating well: flaky finishing salt, saffron, a real Modena balsamic, tinned fish, chili crunch or hot honey, plus a Japanese chef's knife or a flavor-pairing book. These 20 ideas lean toward pantry treats and the table, with pack sizes stated plainly.
Quick picks
- Best overall: The Flavor Bible Lists which flavors pair with each ingredient. Idea 17
- Best splurge: A Japanese chef's knife A Japanese chef's knife for a foodie who cooks seriously. Idea 13
- Best small gift: A bamboo salt cellar A lidded salt box keeps flaky salt within pinching reach. Idea 14
- Best for dinner parties: A raclette grill Melts cheese at the table for potatoes and charcuterie. Idea 15
- Best under $25: Tin to Table A cookbook for the tinned fish in the pantry. Idea 19
A foodie usually enjoys ingredients they would not buy on a normal grocery run: a finishing salt, a good vinegar, a jar of something spicy. This guide focuses on eating and the pantry, with a few table pieces and books. We state pack sizes in the ideas, so you know whether you are giving one jar or a case.
The ideas are grouped into salt and spice, oils and sauces, tinned fish and pantry, table gifts and books. Cooking equipment lives in Cooking Gifts, so this list sticks to food and a few special pieces.
Ideas 1 to 3
Salt, spice and finishing touches
Small flavor upgrades that a foodie uses every week.
1. Flaky finishing salt
Maldon's pyramid-shaped flakes add crunch to steak, salads and chocolate, which suits a foodie who salts at the table. This listing is a pack of three 250 g boxes, so it makes a generous gift that can also be split into smaller gifts. Check that the person likes a flaky salt and does not already stock it.
Tip: A pack of three 250 g boxes; split it into several gifts.
2. Black truffle salt
A pinch of black truffle salt on fries, eggs or popcorn is an easy luxury, which suits a foodie who likes a fancy finish on simple food. It works as a small gift for a host or a coworker who cooks. Check for any ingredient concerns, and note that a little goes a long way.
Tip: Pair it with eggs or popcorn kernels for a ready gift.
3. Saffron threads
Good saffron makes paella and risotto, and it is the kind of ingredient many home cooks rarely buy for themselves, which suits a foodie who cooks Spanish or Persian dishes. It is used in small pinches. Check the person cooks with it, and tuck in a recipe card for paella or risotto.
Tip: Add a recipe card for paella or risotto.
Ideas 4 to 8
Oils, vinegars and sauces
Bottles and jars for eggs, rice, pasta and pizza.
4. A real Modena balsamic
Giusti is a historic Modena producer, and a bottle of balsamic vinegar of Modena suits a foodie who loves Italian food and uses vinegar for more than salad dressing. This listing is an 8.45 fl oz bottle. Check whether they already have a favorite balsamic, and pair it with good olive oil.
Tip: An 8.45 fl oz bottle; pair it with a bottle of olive oil.
5. A jar of chili crunch
Momofuku's chili crunch goes on eggs, noodles and rice and quickly becomes a table staple, which suits a spice lover who likes a crunchy condiment. This listing is the extra spicy version, so check the person's heat tolerance. It is also an easy gift for a coworker who cooks.
Tip: This is the extra spicy version; check their heat level.
6. Chili-infused hot honey
Chili-infused honey on pizza, fried chicken or cheese is a sweet-and-spicy finish, which suits a foodie who likes to experiment at the table. This listing is a 24 oz chef's size bottle, which is a large amount for one person, so it suits a household that cooks often. Check for any honey or heat concerns.
Tip: This is the 24 oz chef's size, a lot for one cook.
7. A crunchy garlic chili topping
S&B's crunchy garlic topping is a Japanese table condiment that turns plain rice or eggs into a snack, which suits a foodie who loves Japanese food. This listing is a pack of two 3.88 oz jars, enough to share or keep a spare. Check that they like garlic and chili before you buy.
Tip: A pack of two 3.88 oz jars; keep one and give one.
8. Japanese barbecue sauce
Bachan's is a Japanese-style barbecue sauce that works as a marinade or a dip, which suits a griller or a fan of teriyaki flavors. This listing is a 2-pack of 17 oz bottles, so it suits a household that uses sauce regularly. For more outdoor cooking ideas, see grilling gifts.
Tip: This is a 2-pack of 17 oz bottles; share one with a friend.
Ideas 9 to 12
Tinned fish and pantry staples
Stock-the-shelf gifts that arrive in tins, jars and boxes.
9. Spanish sardines in olive oil
Spanish sardines in olive oil are the classic starting point for a foodie who is building a tinned fish board. This listing is a case of 12 cans at 4.2 oz each, which is a lot of tins, so it suits a regular fish eater or a gift to split. Check for fish allergies and tastes before you buy.
Tip: A case of 12 cans; split it between gifts or share it.
10. Italian tuna in olive oil
Good jarred tuna in olive oil is rich and tender, a different food from the usual canned kind, which suits a foodie who makes salads and pasta. This listing is a pack of six 6.7 oz jars of Tonnino yellowfin fillets in olive oil. Check for fish preferences, and serve it straight from the jar on bread.
Tip: A pack of six 6.7 oz jars; plan to share or keep a few.
11. Artisan Italian pasta
Rustichella d'Abruzzo makes traditional Italian pasta, a pantry treat for a pasta lover who is ready to move up from the supermarket box. This listing is a 2-pack of anellini, a small classic soup pasta, at 17.6 oz each. Check how they cook, since anellini suits soups and baked dishes more than long-strand sauces.
Tip: A 2-pack of 17.6 oz anellini, a small soup pasta.
12. A ceremonial matcha kit
A ceremonial-grade matcha with a whisk set is a calm ritual, which suits a foodie who likes tea and wants to try making matcha at home. The Jade Leaf kit includes the matcha and a whisk set. Check whether they enjoy the taste of matcha, since it is grassy and a little bitter. For more tea ideas, see tea gifts.
Tip: Check that they like matcha before you buy a kit.
Ideas 13 to 16
Table and kitchen gifts for foodies
A few special pieces for the table, the knife block and the party. Bakers have their own list at Gifts for Bakers.
13. A Japanese chef's knife
A Shun Classic chef's knife is thin and light, the kind of knife a foodie who cooks seriously wants for slicing. It is a long-term piece, but knives are personal, so check whether they already have a favorite and how they like a knife to feel in the hand.
Tip: Ask what knife they use now; knives are personal.
14. A bamboo salt cellar
A lidded salt box keeps flaky salt within pinching reach on the table or counter, which suits a cook who salts by hand. This listing is a bamboo salt cellar with a lid. It pairs well with a box of flaky finishing salt from earlier in this guide, and is a low-cost small gift.
Tip: Pair it with a box of flaky salt for a ready gift.
15. A raclette grill
A raclette dinner melts cheese at the table for potatoes and charcuterie, a social way to eat, which suits a foodie who loves dinner parties. This Swissmar grill has a granite stone and a crepe top. It is a bigger purchase, so check their table space and whether they host often.
Tip: Check table space and an outlet before you give it.
16. A hot sauce party game
The Hot Ones game brings the show's hot sauce challenge to a party, with hot sauce included, which suits a heat seeker who likes hosting friends. It is a push-your-luck game, so it works for guests who like a dare. Check the age label on the box, and skip it for anyone who avoids spicy food.
Tip: Check the age label and guests' heat tolerance first.
Ideas 17 to 20
Books for foodies
Cookbooks and food writing for people who read as they eat.
17. The Flavor Bible
Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg's reference lists which flavors pair with each ingredient, and it is used by chefs and curious home cooks alike. It suits a foodie who improvises in the kitchen rather than following recipes. It reads like a reference, so it works for browsing as well as for planning a dish.
Tip: Pair it with a pantry staple like saffron or vinegar.
18. Ottolenghi Simple
Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook of bold, vegetable-forward recipes cut down to fewer ingredients suits a foodie who loves Middle Eastern flavors and cooks on weeknights. It is a good fit for someone who has been curious about his cooking but finds the longer recipes daunting. Check whether they already own it.
Tip: Pair it with saffron or a spice for a ready gift.
19. Tin to Table
A cookbook about serving tinned fish suits a foodie who is building a pantry of tins and wants ideas for boards and quick meals. It is the companion to the tinned sardines and tuna in this guide. Check whether they enjoy tinned fish before you buy it, and pair it with a tin or two.
Tip: Pair it with a few tins for a ready gift.
20. Kitchen Confidential
Anthony Bourdain's memoir of his years in restaurant kitchens is blunt and funny, written in the voice that later carried his food and travel television. It suits a foodie who reads as much as they cook, and likes restaurant stories. Check that they enjoy a blunt style before you buy.
Tip: Check they enjoy blunt, restaurant-kitchen stories.
Frequently asked questions
What are good gifts for foodies?
Start with ingredients a foodie would enjoy but rarely buys: flaky finishing salt, saffron, a real Modena balsamic, chili crunch, hot honey or tinned fish. For the table, a chef's knife or a raclette grill suits someone who cooks seriously or hosts. A book such as The Flavor Bible suits a foodie who improvises.
What do you get a foodie who has everything?
Look for something specialist or fun: saffron, a real balsamic from Modena, Italian tuna in olive oil, a raclette grill or a Hot Ones party game. A reference such as The Flavor Bible or a tinned fish cookbook also fits. Check what they already stock, since a foodie often has a favorite.
Is tinned fish a good gift for a foodie?
Yes, for someone who enjoys fish. Spanish sardines in olive oil and Italian tuna in olive oil are a good start, and Tin to Table gives ideas for serving them. Check pack sizes: the sardines here are a 12-can pack, and the tuna a pack of six jars. Check for fish allergies first.
What are good stocking stuffers for foodies?
A bamboo salt cellar, a jar of chili crunch, black truffle salt, a crunchy garlic chili topping or a small matcha kit fit a stocking. A paperback such as Tin to Table is also easy to wrap. See Stocking Stuffers for more small gift ideas.
What should I check before giving food as a gift?
Check for allergies and dietary needs, especially fish, gluten in pasta and honey. Look at the pack size, since some listings here are multi-packs, and check the best-by date on the label before you wrap it. Heat levels matter too, so ask about spice tolerance for items like chili crunch.
What is a good gift for a foodie who loves to cook?
A chef's knife, a book such as Ottolenghi Simple, a raclette grill or a salt cellar with flaky salt suit a foodie who cooks. If you want more tools and gear, Cooking Gifts covers cookware and kitchen equipment, while the ideas here focus on ingredients and the table.
