The London Gift Guide: Celebrate the Holidays, Support Restaurants

Table of Contents

• Ready to Eat
• To Prep at Home
• Spices, Salsas, & Sauces
• Holiday Cocktails and Wine
• All Things Apparel
• Hats
• Bags and Other Accessories
• For the Home
• For the Bookshelf
• Experiences

Ready to Eat (or Heat) 

The Bubbledogs Experience (£50)

Simple but effective, this easy-to-assemble kit features gourmet hot dogs for two, tater tots, plus a bottle of Bubbledogs‘ very own rosé Champagne. You’ll have to source your own fancy stemware, though.

More Great Picks:

• Christmas Party Hamper from Bodega Rita’s (£85)
• Boxing Day Hamper from Hicce (£85)
• Barbecue Brisket, Ribs, Duck, and Gammon from Smokestak (£30 to £150)
• Quality Chop House Deluxe Christmas Hamper (£110)
• Hot Dogs, Tater Tots, and Rosé Champagne kit from BubbleDogs (£40)
• Kaluga Hybrid Caviar (30g) from Ikoyi (£60) 
• Single Origin Chocolates from Hicce (£25)
• Christmas Panettone from Burro e Salvia (from £32, Pre-Order) 
• Frozen Pizzas (choice of toppings) from Homeslice (£17.50 for a two-pack)
• Char Siu Kit from Wun’s Tea Room (£18.81)

To Prep at Home (Some Assembly Required)

DIY Babka Kit from Shuk (£20)

This killer at-home babka kit from Israeli specialists Shuk has all the hard work done already, and comes with chocolate hazelnut with cookie crumb, date and pistachio, or a Christmas babka with brandy cream, mincemeat and panettone crumble.

More Great Picks:

• Vegetarian Christmas Feast from Townsend (£62)
• Carne Asada Dinner Kit (serves four) from Corazon (£35)
• Beef Rendang Banquet for two from Scully (£85)
• ‘Whole Hog’ Porchetta Feast from Manteca (£150)

Spices, Salsas, & Sauces 

No.1 Handcrafted Sriracha from Fallow (£8)

One of the brightest spots in a tough year for restaurants, sustainability specialists Fallow hustled to keep their dream alive. This delicious homemade Sriracha blends chilli and garlic with soy sauce and Chardonnay vinegar. Goes great in a Boxing Day sandwich.

More Great Picks:

• Carne Asada Rub from Tacos Padre (£4.50)
• Thai Cooking Sauces from Wild Rice (£4.90)
• Squeezy Hot Sauce from Patty & Bun (£5.50)

Holiday Cocktails and Wine 

East London Gin from East London Liquor Company (£21.50)

Made a literal stone’s throw from Victoria Park, East London Liquor Company‘s distillery is about as good as you’ll get in London. Their house East London Gin is a go-to at many of the city’s best bars and restaurants, and is perfect for wintery G&Ts and negronis at home.

More Great Picks:

• Theodora, Gutt Oggau 2019 from Leroy (£34)
• Ready-to-pour Old Fashioned Cocktail from Three Sheets (£29 for six serves, via Shop Cuvee)
• Connoisseur Wine Case from Albertine (£160 for six bottles)
• Rhubarb Negroni from Little Mercies (£29 for 6-8 serves)
• Xmas Giftbox from Tayēr + Elementary (£30)
• Champagne Masterclass Pack from BubbleDogs (£110) including three of Sandia Chang’s favourite grower Champagnes, plus a live online masterclass with Sandia herself.

All Things Apparel

Heavy Duty Apron from Tayēr + Elementary (£150)

This sleek, brooding apron from Tayēr + Elementary, Old Street establishment par excellence — and fifth best bar in the world — is an excellent piece of industry-standard kit for aspiring bartenders.

More Great Picks:

• Classic ‘Bigoli’ Supreme T-Shirt from Ombra (£15)
• Pink Kitty Staff Tees from Lucky & Joy (£20)
• Baseball Cap from Patty & Bun (£25)
• Pink Winter Hoodie from Club Mexicana (£25)

Bags and Other Accessories 

Plantain Tote from Ikoyi (£25)

Emblazoned in a striking red with a minimal design that riffs on its now-iconic plantain dish, Ikoyi‘s beautiful tote is a must-have for the serious restaurant devotee.

More Great Picks:

• Tote from Bubbleshop (£15)
• Tote from Bodega Rita’s (£15)
• Tote from Quality Chop House (£5)
• Mamasons Black Buko Beanie (£20)

For the Home 

Ceramic Porridge Bowl from 26 Grains (£28)

Few things make us as happy as great ceramics in our home kitchens. 26 Grains‘ immaculate bowl is finished in a light oatmeal glaze, perfect for porridge, pastas, salads, and sides. Pre-ordering recommended.

More Great Picks:

• Stemless Wine Glasses from Quality Wines (£5)
• Compostable Nespresso Pods from Grind (£10)
• CBD Hamper from Hicce (£50)
• Aldous Eveleigh Artwork from Anchor and Hope (from £2,500)
• Plant Tonic Subscription from Kin + Deum (£23)
• Pasta Cutter from Ombra (£33)

For the Bookshelf 

The Whole Chicken, by Clarke Clarke of Chick’n’Sours (£22)

One of the founders behind the popular Chick’n’Sours restaurants, chef Carl Clarke’s easy recipes for the humble chicken range from the comforting (like his mother’s Jewish chicken noodle soup) to the multi-colour explosions of flavour that he’s known for (like Korean-style nuggets with bacon ranch sauce, or the original Disco Bistro fried chicken sandwich). Get it here.

More Great Picks:

• Vintage Cookery Books from 26 Grains (from £18)
• Community Comfort Digital Cookbook, All Proceeds to BAME Victims of COVID-19 (Donations from £10)
• The Trullo Cookbook by Tim Siadatan (£25) 
• Belly Full, Caribbean Food in the UK by Riaz Phillips (£20)
• Asma’s Indian Kitchen (£20)
• How To Boil An Egg, by Rose Bakery (£22.95)
• A Thousand Peacocks from Kin + Deum (£8)

Experiences 

A 2021 Weekend Escape at Tillingham Vineyard (from £105 per night)

Located in a particularly bucolic patch of East Sussex, this outstanding vineyard and wine producer also has a stunning guesthouse for swish weekends away. A short trip from London, it’s an opportunity for some R&R later in the year (and beyond) when the light at the end of the tunnel feels a little brighter. Vouchers are also available.

More Great Picks:

• Baking Masterclasses and Workshops from The Dusty Knuckle (from £80.54)
• In-Person Pasta Masterclass from Burro e Salvia (£50)
• Online Pasta Masterclass from Pasta Nostra (£30)
• Restaurant Voucher from Kitty Fisher’s (from £20)
• Gift Voucher from Barrafina (from £25)

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David Paw is Resy’s International Editor. Follow him on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.