One of the perils of city living is that there’s just no space! \u00a0I love receiving gifts but with a small\u00a0house and very little storage space, I gravitate towards cheese and a nice bottle of wine as my gifts of choice. \u00a0Also, there’s something very personal about gifting food. \u00a0I love opening a bottle of wine or a special condiment with a unique story. \u00a0There are so many great edible gift ideas in Washington, DC that it’s difficult to choose! Editor’s note: This post was originally posted last year, but we updated some of the listings and offerings.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
From restaurants to bakeries, there’s something for every foodie at every price point at our nation’s capital. These small businesses not only have delicious edible gift ideas, but they give a personal touch when looking for the perfect gift.<\/p>\n
For the foodie history lover: \u00a0Carpe DC Food Tours<\/a>.<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0If you have a special person in your life who a. loves food and b. loves history. \u00a0I took this tour this past fall and learned so much about the U Street\/Shaw area<\/a>. \u00a0Although I know the U Street area well, I was still able to discover some hidden gems on the tour. \u00a0One of the things I enjoyed the most about the tour was the effort placed on local-owned restaurants such as &Pizza and Ben’s Chili Bowl. \u00a0Order your gift certificate here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
For the Italia lover: \u00a0Via Umbria<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0I had the chance to sit down with the team at Via Umbria and learn about their story before they opened their beautiful culinary and retail space in Georgetown. \u00a0Suzy Menard, one of the proprietors fell in love with Italy when she and her husband, Bill lived there as newlyweds. \u00a0Decades and numerous trips later, they decided to open via Umbria where they offer cooking classes, food to go, and hand-selected items predominantly from the Umbria region of Italy. \u00a0Suzy’s edible gift ideas: \u00a0Panettone, or “big bread,” \u00a0(holiday tradition in Italy),\u00a0Torrone (nougat) and of course, Italian wine.<\/p>\n
For the cookie lover: \u00a0Hollin Hall Pastry Shop<\/a>.<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0When in doubt, gift beautiful cookies. When chatting with Alexandria’s Hollin Hall’s pastry chef, Nadia Patnode, she says her number one requested item is cookies-and dozens of them. Last minute gift? \u00a0Although a pre-order is the most efficient, they team at Hollin Hall still bakes plenty of cookies for an at-store pickup. \u00a0Not a cookie fan? \u00a0Chef Nadia recommends the Yule logs, spongy cake filled with delicious chocolate frosting.<\/p>\n
For those hard to find European ingredients:\u00a0\u00a0Mediterranean Way<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0Owners Niko and Oana hand pick their selection of olive oils, balsamic vinegar (Oana actually lived in Modena), cheese, and other edible delights. \u00a0Niko, a Greek native walks customers through their extensive olive oil selection. \u00a0Niko’s edible gift ideas:\u00a0\u00a0two of the Greek products they import exclusively: a small organic honey producer, Stayia Farm who makes an organic thyme honey with Royal Jelly and Bee Pollen, and Arom Orange Jam which is handmade on the island of Syros, Greece. \u00a0A delicious and original gift choice.<\/p>\n
For the spirit lover: Don Ciccio e Figli<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0 <\/em>I enjoy\u00a0concluding a dinner party\u00a0with a nice digestif. \u00a0Since living here in DC,\u00a0\u00a0I have served Don Ciccio e Figli to plenty of parties as I have had it gifted to me by several friends. Nice friends I have! \u00a0Not only delicious, this is local-made limoncello, distilled right in our nation’s capital. Looking for something fun to do with your visitors during the holidays? \u00a0Don Ciccio & Figli has a beautiful tasting room that is open for tours.<\/p>\n
For the wine lover:<\/strong><\/em> When I talk about edible gifts in DC, I also mean wine. Because grapes are a food group, right? I love giving wine and spirits as gifts. Gran Cata Wine Co<\/a> is a beautifully designed wine shop in the heart of Shaw. Last year, I went to Pedro (one of the founders) looking for a special bourbon for the Dutchman. He took his time going over his picks based on my budget and recommended Eagle Rare Bourbon and I won Christmas! Their specialty is Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese wine. However, they have an extensive selection of small-batch spirits and craft beers from around the world.<\/p>\n
For the home cook:<\/strong><\/em> A spice kit from local-owned Bazaar Spices is a great idea for your favorite home cook. If you have a friend who loves to experiment with new recipes, this is perfect for them. They offer a wide range of customized gifts with spices, grains, herbs, and specialty flours. Stop by their shop at Atlantic Plumbing to pick up or shop online<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Joseph Magnus Bourbon<\/p>\n
For the lover of luxury spirits: I am not a big Bourbon fan BUT for Joseph Magnus Bourbon<\/a>, I make an exception. I recently had a taste of their local made Bourbon and was sold. This month, Jos. A. Magnus & Co. will be releasing 10 specially curated gift sets which are perfect for a top client or a very special person in your life.<\/p>\n