The best gifts for foodies: 16 deliciously different presents for the keen cook in your life

We’re looking to rebrand foodie gifts as ‘gifts for everyone’, because frankly, it’s a rare person who doesn’t actually like food. While most of the masses might consider themselves foodies, we know that within those crowds, there are plenty of nuances. Think the foodie in your life has everything they could need? Think again. Our round-up of off-the-beaten-track foodie gift ideas has something for everyone. 

For the foodie in your life who gets their kicks in the kitchen, we’d recommend kitchen gifts and gadgets that’ll last for years to come. We’re talking about knife brands loved by professional chefs, and kitchenware gifts that are made for longevity. Or, you might choose to indulge their foodie creativity with a cooking class or foodie experience gift, so they can explore new cuisines and techniques.

Alternatively, if the person you’re buying for is more of an eater than a maker (no judgment), you might prefer to opt for foodie presents that are ready to eat. This might be an afternoon tea delivery or a cheese subscription box, for example. Another important thing to remember when hunting for the best foodie gift is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be something for eating. If there’s one universal trend when it comes to the food-obsessed, it’s that they tend to have an interest in the drinks side of things as well, so a great bottle of fizz could be just the ticket.

Some people are just harder to buy for. Whether it’s because you’re unsure of what they have already, or you know that they literally have it all. Don’t worry! We’ve got the foodie gifting solution for that, thanks to SquareMeal’s flexible restaurant vouchers, which can be personalised, scheduled, and redeemed at more than 650 restaurants nationwide. Whatever suits the foodie in your life, this neat selection of foodie experiences and food-related gifts is bound to include an idea that works for them.

Best foodie experience gifts

Recent years have seen a surge in experience-based gifting. This is especially true for food-related gifts. Fortunately, here in the UK, you'll find plenty of diverse gift experiences to choose from. Read on to discover our favourites:

1. A cooking class

What: Whether you’re buying for a kitchen novice or a seasoned pro, the addictive thing about cooking is that there’s always something new to learn. From pasta masterclasses and bread-making workshops through to week-long complete courses, the cookery schools will often specialise in a specific cuisine or technique. Giving someone an experience at one of the best cooking classes in the UK is the ultimate foodie joy, and something they’ll always remember. While the gift might last only a few hours, it’s something that they’ll get great mileage out of over time, allowing them to continue to use and improve on what they learned for years to come.
Our favourite pick: Söderberg cinnamon bun masterclasses

2. Restaurant gift vouchers

What: Classics are classics for a reason, and if it ain’t broke, why fix it, right? Rather than specifying which restaurant they should dine at with one branded gift voucher, SquareMeal vouchers allow lucky recipients to pick from a whole host of the top dining destinations across the UK - currently over 650 restaurants nationwide. Just set your gifting amount (starting from as little as £10), personalise your message, schedule a date for e-voucher delivery, and let them choose where to spend it! It’s as simple as that - a no-hassle, go-to solution for tricky-to-buy-for foodie friends.
Buy a gift voucher: SquareMeal Vouchers

3. A drinks experience

What: Whether it’s a serious whiskey tasting, a fun cocktail-making brunch, or a wine tasting that’ll expand the recipient's knowledge of a particular winemaking area, you’ll find plenty of drink experiences to book for every type of foodie. Typically, they’ll get a few glasses to sip on as well as the expert teaching from passionate specialists to guide participants through tasting notes and recognisable features. Some will even offer food pairings to sample, so you can act the expert when you’re next out for dinner or hosting an evening with friends.
Our favourite pick: Humble Grape’s fuss-free regional wine tastings

Best kitchen gifts

Keen home cooks will always be glad to receive shiny new things that'll make their time in the kitchen more fun. We've been careful with this section to suggest quality items that your giftee will get use out of for years, if not decades to come.

4. A cookbook 

What: For the keen cook, there’s nothing quite like getting kitchen inspiration from chefs and bakers with years or decades of experience. Plus, we can almost guarantee that whatever your giftee is into, there’s a cookbook on it (trust us, we literally wrote the guide to the best cookbooks on the market). From cookie recipes for small batch baking, to taco nights, easy midweek dinners, and elaborate collections from world-renowned restaurants, these editions are keepsake presents to return to year on year.
Our favourite pick: Ottolenghi Comfort, Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh

5. A cult-level chef's knife

What: For true foodies, the basic supermarket and IKEA knives just won’t cut it (sorry). There’s nothing quite like receiving a pristine chef's knife. It’s a gift that guarantees pure satisfaction - we’ve all seen those veg cutting videos on Instagram, right? Well, every amateur chef and foodie loves expanding their knife collection (especially if that expansion involves a Japanese-made blade). Plus, if you really want to guarantee longevity, why not look into knife-sharpening tools too?
Our favourite pick: Miyabi 5000 MCD 67 (top-end), or Global G2 - 20.5cm Cooks Knife (mid-range)

6. Some quality cookware

What: Long-wear kitchen pans can be pretty expensive, so gifting quality items like this is sure to bring a smile to your foodie friend’s face. Le Creuset is an obvious choice, and the brand’s colourful pots make an iconic gift. But if you’re unsure of what their kitchen design is like, and don’t want to buy a clashing colour, it’s best to go for a more neutral colour. They can also be fairly expensive, so if you’re looking for a more affordable option, Our Place’s ceramic non-stick range makes an excellent, lightweight alternative.
Our favourite pick: Our Place Always Pan 2.0

Best food gifts

There's nothing quite like receiving a tasty treat as a gift, whether that's a box of artisan cheese or a whole host of goodies wrapped in a beautiful hamper. We've rounded up our favourite food gifts so you can spread a little joy. 

7. A food hamper

What: Promising a collection of surprises, rather than just the one, hampers are a fantastic gift for foodies who like everything food and drink related. There’s a whole host of options out there, some specialising in cold cuts and cheeses, others showcasing a chef’s favourite items, with plenty more hampers made specifically for picnicking. Plus, you’ll find the hamper market offers special versions geared at particular occasions, from Mother’s Day hampers all the way through to festive hampers for Christmas gifting.
Our favourite pick: Panzers’ Ultimate Breakfast Box Hamper

8. An afternoon tea delivery box

What: Pinkies at the ready, it’s time for afternoon tea. Did you know you could get a box of high tea treats sent directly to some of your favourite people? The fact that scones on demand are a thing has been a new but important (and also what some might call dangerous) discovery in our life. So important that we've rounded up the very best afternoon tea delivery boxes available. Most afternoon tea boxes come with the essentials – sandwiches, scones and cakes, while some add a few extra fancy bits too, to make things even more special. Dietaries are also often catered for, so make sure to check with your chosen supplier to see if they can make things gluten-free or vegan if needed, for instance.
Our favourite pick: Fortnum & Mason Champagne Cream Tea Selection

9. A restaurant meal kit

What: We’re okay with admitting that we’ve become a little bit obsessed with meal kits over the last couple of years. They’re another thing to have come out of pandemic life that we wouldn’t wish away now. So many top British restaurants offer a taste of their menus from the comfort of your own home, and we love that it means trying food from chefs all over the country without having to travel. From learning how to cook the perfect steak through to producing an Indian feast, there are some fantastic DIY restaurant meal kits out there.
Our favourite pick: Anything from Made in Oldstead

10. A mushroom-growing kit

What: Didn’t you know? Mushroom growing is the new foodie passtime (though, admittedly, sourdough baking still has the top spot). These nifty kits make growing mushrooms at home super simple, and they grow pretty quickly so the recipient won’t need to wait long - they’ll be cooking up homegrown mushroom dishes in as little as two weeks. Many kits online come with eco credentials too, using growing mediums that feature spent coffee grounds, as well as recyclable packaging.
Our favourite pick: Fungi Futures Grow Your Own Oyster Mushrooms Kit

Best drinks gifts

It's a fact: foodies love drinks-related gifts too. Whether it's a great value bottle of Champagne, spirits, or something entirely different, a bottle of plonk or a selection of craft beers is a sure win when it comes to buying presents for foodies.

11. A brilliant bottle of Champagne

What: If it’s something worth celebrating, we think it’s something worth toasting with a good old-fashioned bottle of fizz. Champagne makes the ultimate indulgent gift and is never not classy. If you want to up your game, you could choose a bottle of the best Champagne and accompany it with some special glasses or a wine cooler. When choosing a bottle of Champagne for a loved one, we like to think about significant dates and purchase a bottle from that vintage where possible, for a little extra thoughtful touch. That said, there are some fantastic value Champagnes out there, and 
Our favourite pick: A Bottle of Waitrose's Blanc de Noirs Champagne

12. A beer and snack box

What: What do you get the beer fanatic in your life? Well, a crate of San Miguel probably isn’t going to cut it, so we’ve done our research on the best beer gifts, and have found a stellar option: a beer box and snack box combined. What makes a beer and snack gift box so spectacular for the beer aficionados in your life is that, aside from offering a neat collection of unusual cans and bottles, they often include recommended pairing suggestions to enjoy your brew with the perfect sweet or savoury snack.
Our favourite pick: FodaBox Craft Beer Tasting Box

13. Top-shelf alcohol free gin

What: While there are some brilliant gins out there for gifting, those non-drinking foodies among us can sometimes feel a little overlooked. Until recently, alcohol-free spirits weren’t much to shout about. But now we have several brilliant zero-proof gins on the market, now is the time to treat your sober curious or non-drinking pals to a bottle of the good stuff. It’s not just normal gin either; many non-alcoholic gin makers are coming up with some beautiful fruity infusions and botanical blends.
Our favourite pick: Lyre’s Dry London Spirit

Best foodie subscription gifts

Why settle for just one brilliant foodie gift when you can give several? That's what pre-paid subscription food gifts deliver, from monthly deliveries of French cheeses to small-batch oils, and even chocolate. 

14. An olive oil subscription

What: In light of the frankly outrageous prices for olive oil these days, a gift of premium unadulterated olive oil is a sure win. You’ll find many retailers specialising in small batch olive oil gifts, with a range of small bottles available to buy as stocking fillers or low-key birthday favours. On the flip side, many of them will deliver large cans of oil to cook up a storm for an entire year! For foodie gifting, we’d recommend opting for a subscription gift, which sees a new (reasonably sized) bottle of olive oil land on your doorstep every month, often from unusual and underrepresented olive groves across the world.
Our favourite pick: Citizens of Soil Olive Oil Club Gift Subscription

15. A cheese subscription box

What: There are very few people in this world who don’t like some form of cheese. We’ve also found that those who are passionate about cheese are really, really passionate about cheese, which means giving them the gift of a cheese board selection is pretty much a no-brainer. Most of the top British cheese makers allow you to tailor the contents to certain tastes and cheese style, while others offer a random monthly discovery showcasing lesser-known and more unusual cheeses.
Our favourite pick: Pong Cheese French Superieur Selection Box

16. A chocolate subscription

What: Monthly deliveries of their favourite food and drink items? That’s the gift that literally keeps on giving. With so many food and drink subscription gifts to choose from, covering the more niche foodie interests to mainstream lovers of cheese and wine, you’re guaranteed to find a delivery subscription suited to your gifting needs. From chocolate and pasta to subscriptions that deliver a jar of beans right to their house every four weeks, the options are near endless. Top tip: you can’t go wrong with chocolate.
Our favourite pick: Chococo’s Pre-Paid Chocolate Box Subscriptions

Bit of a foodie yourself? Discover our pick of the best supper clubs. Or, to keep on top of all the latest restaurant tips and foodie news, just sign up to the SquareMeal newsletter.