This list of gifts, for the foodie in your life, hits at all levels and at a variety of price points. There’s something here for the person who enjoys cooking. The person who crawls into bed at night with a cookbook. The person who knows the Los Angeles food scene inside and out. And the person who just... loves it all. Let’s dig in.
1. 'Trader Joe's Five Items Or Less'
If you faithfully shop at Trader Joe’s like so many of us do, then you probably already know the L.A.-based author behind this title and the 400,000+ strong Instagram handle, @traderjoes5itemsorless. This cookbook, around $12 for the paperback, is the guide to getting food on the table with minimal TJ ingredients. A great gift for someone just starting out on their own, or busy parents, or busy anybodies. Ok, this book is for everybody. Want an example of her wizardry that is perfect for a meatless Monday? Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip & Soy Chorizo Pasta.
2. Red Boat Fish Sauce x Twaydabae collab
This mashup involves two favorite things: Red Boat Fish Sauce, and Chef Tue Nguyen, whose Vietnamese recipes went viral during the pandemic on TikTok and Instagram (where she is @Twaydabae) and led to the opening of Di Di on La Cienega Boulevard. The “extra special, single barrel fish sauce,” New Bae Seasoning Fish Sauce, is the result. $14.99. Add it to chicken stock and pasta sauces to punch up the flavors with some umami. Also try the Twaydabae Fish Sauce Chicken Wings recipe on the Red Boat Fish Sauce website.
3. Hedley & Bennett x Star Wars Mandalorian collab
May the force be with you in the kitchen. L.A.-based Hedley & Bennett, known for having some of the best chef aprons on the planet (so roomy, so durable, pockets in all the right places...) has been busy on the collaboration and licensing front. They now have Snoopy aprons, Minnie and Mickey aprons, Sesame Street, National Parks. We want them all. Aprons start around $65 for kids, and go up from there, and would be a perfect gift for someone who loves to cook. But the collab that caught our eye is the Ultimate Star Wars Mandalorian Bundle, $500. It includes a Beskar knife collection set (chef's knife, bread knife and utility knife) with a lifetime guarantee, Mandalorian and Grogu aprons (so you're never without an apron while one is in the wash) and a three pack of kitchen towels that also get rave reviews on the website ("Great texture and thickness. Excellent quality..." and "Love how big these are...").
4. Steak and wine from Meat & Vino in Long Beach
This quaint market on Wardlow Road in Long Beach is a neighborhood spot for prime cuts of beef, seafood, cheese and charcuterie and beer and wine. Owner Al Valdez offers a highly curated monthly subscription for $59.99 — choose from two 14 ounce New York strip steaks, or two 8 ounce filet mignons, or one rib eye, plus, a bottle of wine. And you don’t have to lock in. You can change your meat selections month to month, and choose whites or reds depending upon the rest of your menu. Valdez said the wine makes the subscription a deal just on its own — these are wines that usually sell for around $45, “but I get heavily discounted because of my connections." Valdez said he enjoys the challenge when subscription customers come in and tell him what kind of vibe they’re going for — Backyard barbecue? Date night? Boss coming over for dinner? — and he helps them select the wine and meats to fit. “We are a customer service priority business,” he said.
5. 'Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling'
The Mexican food authorities are following up their acclaimed cookbook, Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico, with a cookbook all about Mexican-style grilled meats and the spirit of asada — a backyard barbecue that will have all your friends, relatives and neighbors vying for an invite. This hefty cookbook hits all the highlights: In addition to a primer on grilling meats, seafood and vegetables, there are recipes for salsas, apps, marinades, drinks and desserts and more.
6. Festival De Mole bundle
Also from Lopez’ adored Oaxacan food restaurant, Guelaguetza: A bundle of mole sauces that can help get dinner on the table in style. There’s a mole negro, a mole rojo and a mole coloradito, featuring warm chili spices balanced with a touch of sweetness and richness from raisins and walnuts. “Best mole ever, and so easy to make,” said one customer review. Tastes “just like the Oaxacan Mole that you get” in Mexico, said another. You’ll find plenty of recipes on the website, including braised short ribs with mole red wine sauce, chicken taquitos con mole crema, as well as mole negro syrup for your pancakes. Keep some jars on hand for nights when you only have time to warm up some corn tortillas, tuck in some rotisserie chicken shreds and drizzle on some mole. Dinner, done.
7. Philippe's holiday ornaments
Sure, you could put up some traditional holiday ornaments such as stars and ribbons and bows. Or, you could show your love and adoration for all things French dip. Did you know that Philippe’s, home of the original French dipped sandwich, also does holiday ornaments? There’s a beef dip sandwich ornament, signage ornaments, and even an ornament dedicated to their famous pickled eggs. For a real L.A. stocking stuffer, pair an ornamental homage to their legendary spicy mustard... with a bottle of the real thing. Ornaments range from $3.95-$10.95, and its $5.95 for a bottle of that spicy hot mustard.
8. 'Here We Go Again'
The actress (Saved By The Bell and Beverly Hills 90210) is out with her second cookbook, Here We Go Again, conjuring up delicious meals from ingredients that many of us already have in our refrigerators. Think, a "Pizza For Breakfast Sandwich" made with leftover pizza, a fried egg, and prosciutto, and "Cornbread Skillet Sloppy Joes" which uses leftover tomato paste and shredded cheese. She told LAist that the leftover theme was inspired by her childhood in Long Beach, and her mom's creativity in the kitchen to save money. The big winner here? Less food waste. A great gift for young adults, the eco-minded and someone looking to be more efficient in the kitchen. (Everyone?)
9. Be Bright Coffee
“When did choosing coffee become so confusing?” That’s the question that L.A.-based Be Bright coffee starts out with. Answer a few simple questions on their website such as, How do you take your coffee? (With sweetener? Cream? Black?) add your preferred brewing method and you’ll be matched to the perfect coffee just for you, just the way you enjoy it. There are dark and bold blends, rich and smooth, decaf, or ask for something “unique and surprising.” A bag of the City On A Hill dark & bold blend promises to satisfy all bold coffee drinkers, with flavor notes of molasses, dark chocolate and roasted peanuts. $17 for a 12 ounce bag. Throw in a mug for an extra $15, and you've got a great gift set. Coffee subscriptions also available. Roasting takes place on Tuesdays, to order. You can give Be Bright a try in person, at their bricks-and-mortar location, 7311 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. (Try the Vivid Cream Latte, which is a brown sugar latte — swoon—with sweet foam and cocoa powder). They are open daily, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
10. '¡Viva Desserts!'
East L.A. food writer and recipe developer Nicole Presley puts her twists on Chicana-proud desserts, and American desserts “Mexicanized” in ¡Viva Desserts!' Traditional and Reinvented Sweets from a Mexican-American Kitchen. You’ll find recipes for churro muffins, Choco-horchata cheesecake, Mexican chocolate cookies, apple empanadas, arroz con leche brulee, and more “flantastic” recipes.
11. Gusto Bread hat
Gusto Bread bills itself as an artisanal panaderia in Long Beach, where they specialize in baking with fresh corn masa and fermented sourdough culture, resulting in favorites such as Pan de Maiz, the sourdough California Loaf and cheddar cheese and jalapeno sourdough bolillos. There’s so much more, though, rich flaky biscuits, polvorones and a whole grain spelt cookie which sounds kinda boring but is anything but: Think rich, salty, nutty chocolate chip cookies. But there is a big problem with Gusto. Stuff sells out. Early and often. So, if you have your heart set on something, like bringing their rich, flaky biscuits to the holiday dinner table, order online so you won’t be disappointed to find empty shelves upon your arrival. Rep this mighty little bakery by wearing its ballcap, which comes in mustard, charcoal or mulberry, $22. There are also skeleton Ts — designed by Long Beach-based artist Pree Moreno — that are designed for Day of the Dead, but can also be worn any day of the year. They come in black and a citrus-y orange, in long sleeves, short sleeves and kids sizes.
12. AmBoy SZNgs
Amboy Quality Meats & Delicious Burgers in Chinatown is known for its burgers, thanks to owner Alvin Cailan, previously of Eggslut and, more recently, the popular YouTube series The Burger Show, co-hosted with George Motz. In the show, Cailan and Motz travel to remote cities throughout the country, trying different regional styles of burgers. This extensive research is put on full display at Amboy. For around $10, you can get the Amboy classic, featuring a sesame seed bun, a smashed patty, American cheese, grilled onions, and their signature burger sauce, which is just one of the delicious reasons why Amboy made our list of Cheap Fast Eats to be found in Chinatown. You can have a taste of Amboy at home with Cailan’s custom seasonings collab with Spiceology: There’s Chicken SZN, Everything SZN, Burger SZN and Fries SZN, all $16 each. (We can testify that the Fries SZN can and should go on pretty much anything and everything.)
13. Set The Table dress
Lisa Says Gah is an Echo Park-based spot that bills itself as an anti-fast fashion, pro-community, anti-shop kind of shop. And it sells all kinds of food-themed clothing, which we can’t get enough of. There’s the Tapas Collection, featuring all things small plates patterned onto dresses, Ts and more. The Italian Summer collection, with wine bottles, baguettes and sardine tins showing up on pants, throws and totes, the Cin Cin homage to cocktails, and the Set the Table collection, featuring all things fine dining on tops, Ts and skirts, and this stunning Penelope dress, $188.
14. Limoncello earrings
Also from Lisa Says Gah: An extensive college of food-themed earrings, all in the $50ish range: Think: Martini olive earrings. Hot dog earrings. Sunny side up eggs earrings. Farfelle pasta earrings. There are also anchovy earrings, in silver or gold. Cherry and tomato earrings. You get the idea. The limoncello hoops, seen here, are made of blown glass and are $48.
15. Sad Girl Creamery T
You know what would put a smile on someone's face? A Sad Girl Creamery T — and a few pints of such “Latin nostalgic flavors” as cajeta latte, chocoflan and guava jam cheesecake. Or, if you order ahead, a dulce de leche espresso cake or strawberry tres leches shortcake. The Culver City sweets shop has made a name for itself by promoting “big hoops and ice cream scoops” as a Latina-owned destination, and for using its sweet powers for good, promoting mental health awareness and resources on its website and across social media. Pints of Sad Girl ice cream are also available at select stores across L.A. Sad Girl Airbrush T, $20.
16. The 12 Craft Beers of Christmas
Really, who wouldn’t like a box of craft beers for the holidays? At Stateside Crafts in Long Beach, dedicated to the exploration of American-made craft beers and farmhouse ciders, the collection is constantly evolving. There's even wine. But you can always expect to find hundreds of craft beers and dozens of ciders and ever changing tasting flights. Let Patrick Homa (is he ever not there?) curate a box of brews to give for the holidays — $85 for a 12-pack. Or, consider setting up a flight club subscription, $35 a month, for a four-beer tasting (usually light to dark) that arrives at the door with a gift card. And if you move quickly, you can get in on the 12 Beers of Christmas, while supplies last: This won't be online until late November, but Homa selects 12 beers that represent a cross section of styles from independent American craft brewers. Each beer is tucked away behind a perforated beer-centric image. It's like an advent calendar, but for beer!
17. La Sorted’s Pizza’s Dodger blue T
La Sorted’s Pizza is the place we go when craving a slice, per Cheap Fast Eats Silver Lake edition. Don't miss the Adriana, which uses house pesto and bits of sliced garlic that drip with absolute flavor. La Sorted’s is also a destination for Dodger fans. (The name is a reference to the late, great Dodgers coach.) So their T, celebrating three years in business, combines it all for fun and fanship. $35.
18. Headley & Bennett chef crocs and bling
Okay, so this is a controversial entry on this list. The world is divided at this very moment, and you probably know why: You either adore Crocs, or you despise them with the fury of the sun. Well, we're in the first camp, and this is our list. And we're loving on Hedley & Bennett's version, $77. The bling buttons on their own are $17. Yes, Chef!
19. Tapas party in a box
We hit up La Española Meats in Harbor City for all things Spain: Wine, bomba rice, chorizo riojano, jarred piquillo peppers, we could go on and on. If you want to give a little taste of Spain for the holidays, consider their tapas party gift box, $73.99, which includes a bottle of wine, two types of cured meats, a bag of Torres snacks, a jar of olives and an olive bowl that you'll continue to use long after the rest of the food is a fond memory.
20. EVOOs & cava vinegar gift set
Also from La Española, this holiday gift set, $54.95, featuring Badia Gardeny Cava Vinegar and two bottles of Hacienda Guzman organic EVOOs. Because anyone who cooks or entertains will tell you: You can never, ever have too much good olive oil in the house.
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Editing and writing
- Rene Lynch, Gift Guide Editor
- Ross Brenneman, Education Editor
- Bonnie McCarthy, Freelance Writer
- Gab Chabrán, Associate Editor, Food and Culture
- Mariana Dale, K-12 Reporter
- Larry Mantle, AirTalk Host
- Christine N. Ziemba, Best Things To Do Reporter
Art
- Erin Hauer, Visual Designer
- Olivia Hughes, Illustrator
Other support
- Sabir Brara, Digital Product Project Manager
- Redmond Carolipio, Copy Editor
- Anne To, Intern, Copy editing
- Chanelle Berlin Johnson, Director Audience Engagement
- Kristine Malicse, Associate Editor, Audience Engagement
- Megan Garvey, Executive Editor
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