Holiday Gifting: Shop Local for Chicago Foodies

You better check your list (check it twice) and start your holiday shopping early this year! With production and shipping both experiencing delays, it’s more important than ever to plan your holiday shopping and start early to make sure your gifts arrive on time.

One way to help speed the process along is to shop Chicago brands! Shopping local continues to be important to small businesses. All our amazing Chicago restaurants and small businesses have plenty to offer for your favorite foodie friends and family…

2021/2022 Dine-It-4ward Culinary Guide

The easiest gift this season is (of course!) from us 😉 Our 2021/2022 Culinary Guide will make a real difference in the restaurant community by supporting small businesses and local brands. The Guide includes buy-one-get-one carryout and dine-in offers at 80+ restaurants including Furious Spoon, BLVD Steakhouse, Big Star, Le Colonial, Gino’s East, Stan’s Donuts and more! Plus, when you use code HOLIDAY21 you’ll get a second Guide FREE automatically! So you can gift one, and keep one for yourself, which is really the best kind of present anyway.

Lettuce Entertain You Gift Cards

Have to send a gift to someone you won’t see over the holidays? Gift cards are the best option for this! Especially e-gift cards. Lettuce Entertain You has restaurants across the city & suburbs and beyond (think Aba, Beatrix, Mon Ami Gabi and more) so these gift cards are great for every foodie in your life. If you buy $100 in gift cards now through 12/30, you get a free holiday bonus: $25 in gift cards. You can gift that to another friend… or keep it for yourself (you may notice this is a trend for us this year).

Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Princi Panettone Holiday Loaves

Everyone deserves a sweet treat at the holidays! These panettones are made by hand and take more than 30 hours of artisanship - You can taste the extra care! There is the Classic Panettone (holiday sweet loaf with candied orange and raisins) and the Chocolate Panettone (holiday sweet loaf with chocolate chips) and we recommend just getting both! You can pre-order now through 12/5 and pick-up in-store from 12/13-12/26.

Jeni's Holiday Ice Cream Flavors

Winter is the perfect time for staying in and binging on all your favorite movies…holiday or otherwise. No movie night is complete without ice cream! Jeni’s new flavors will blow the mind of anyone with a holiday bone in their body, so grab a spoon and get ready to dig in to White Chocolate Peppermint, Sugar Plum, Cognac with Gingerbread and many more. Bring them for a movie night, to a holiday party, or for a treat at the office. You’ll be a holiday hero!

Wine from BottlesUp!

Everyone loves wine, but they love wine most of all during the holidays. Whether it’s to pair with a great meal, to celebrate the end of the year, or just to survive all the family time ahead, wine is the perfect gift for almost any person in your life. The key is to get the right bottle. BottlesUp! in Lakeview has a wide range of unique bottles at every price point, and their team will help you find your dream bottle, no matter your level of wine knowledge. Cheers to that.

"A Baker's Dozen" Holiday Box from Publican Quality Meats

No one else at your cookie swap will stand a chance. No mother-in-law will be able to find fault in this holiday party gift. No coworker will complain about you being late to a Zoom meeting once you gift them this. It’s the cookie box to end all cookie boxes! The Publican team partnered with 12 world class pastry chefs, and their bakery crew personally re-created each chef's original recipe. From classics like chocolate chip to funky flavors like almond miso, these signature sweets are sure to lift your holiday spirits!

Aged & Infused Cocktail Infusion Kits

This new Chicago-based company will help cocktail-lovers easily craft a better drink at home. There is an infusion kit for every at-home partier - All you have to do is add your favorite alcoholic or zero proof spirit, infuse, and cheers to a damn good cocktail! The infusion kits vary by taste profile, but ingredients include naturally dehydrated and locally sourced fruit plus flowers and even whole grain and spices. Give it for Christmas, then be sure to invite yourself over for New Year’s Eve to taste the final results!

Here Here Market Gift Boxes

If you have a family member or friend who’s a bit more long distance, give them the gift of Chicago’s favorite foods with these unique and beautiful gift boxes! They have everything from sweet treats to “Italian Essentials” but our favorite is the “Female Founders” box with products from local female-led restaurants and businesses including Mott St. and Monteverde.

By Kaleigh Glaza | Market Editor