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Editor's Note: This story is unlocked for everyone to read courtesy of the CRVA, our partner in nourishing culinary exploration for residents and visitors of the Queen City.

December 15, 2021

10 holiday gift ideas from local businesses

Here’s where to shop for the foodies on your list


If there’s one positive we can take away from the past year-and-a-half of life during a pandemic, it’s been recognition of the importance of shopping local. If you’ve still got some names on your shopping list, there’s no need to brave the shipping delays of online shopping. Pick up one of these in-stock gifts from local vendors and shop small businesses for a big hit under the Christmas tree.

Stocking full of wine, Assorted Table Wine Shoppe
Instead of silly trinkets, let this wine shop in the Market at 7th Street help fill a loved one’s stocking with something consumable: wine. Bring your stocking in, and they’ll help you fill it with goodies, including small format bottles of wine, on your budget.

Cocktail napkins, Laura Park
Known for her colorful abstract fabrics, Laura Park recently opened a shop off Providence Road where you can find bedding and home goods. Friends who love to entertain will appreciate the beauty of these artistic cocktail napkins.

Pasta Holiday Gift Set, Mano Bella
Artisanal pasta maker Mano Bella is partnering with fellow local craftsmaker Redtail Creations to offer a holiday gift set. Each one comes with a small wooden cutting board, box of handmade dried pasta, and seasoning mix, all wrapped up in a festive bow. $35.

Mano Bella is selling gift sets with handmade cutting boards and pasta or biscotti. Kristen Wile/UP

Balsamic and olive oil, Pour Olive
For the healthy eater, a flavored balsamic and olive oil set can bring a serious upgrade to a salad, and come in handy when you’re seeking extra flavor for pastas. Personal favorites are the fig balsamic and wild mushroom and sage olive oil, but this East Boulevard shop has a range of offerings from classic to out there.

Rosemary, The Patio Farmer
For the green thumbs out there, Erin Hostetler — also known as The Patio Farmer — has pre-planted upright rosemary in a 14-quart galvanized steel pot, ready to gift and grow. $25.

The Cocktailery has a wide selection of bitters and syrups. Kristen Wile/UP

Bitters, The Cocktailery
Recently opened near Not Just Coffee in Atherton Mill, this small shop is a great place to find a gift for cocktail lovers. Check out the store’s collections of bitters, sample a few, and select the ones that fit your friend’s palate for a thoughtful, customized gift, or pick up a sampler set.

Barbecue Sauce Three-Pack, Sweet Lew’s
Whether you’re cooking chicken, pork, or ribs, Sweet Lew’s has a sauce to pair with your main protein. Pick up the barbecue restaurant’s signature sauces in a three-pack for the meat-lovers in your life. $25.

An Unpretentious Palate subscription
Don’t keep us secret! Purchase a gift subscription for friends and family who like to support the city’s local restaurant scene, and your gift will help them eat better in Charlotte all year long. $89.99.

Hand-made Rainbow Ceramic Bread and Olive Oil Dish, Zia Pia
Oprah selected a gift from Zia Pia, an Italian import company, to be on her Favorite Things list this year. Our dream gift from the shop, however, is a hand-painted ceramic bowl made for serving bread and olive oil. $50.

Peach Blossom Tea Set, Supperland
Those who have been to Supperland, the church potluck-meets steakhouse restaurant in Plaza Midwood, have surely admired the dinnerware. The custom pieces are pretty enough to be on display, which is why we love the Peach Blossom Tea Set — even if you don’t use it often, it would look lovely in any Southern curio.

 

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