If there were ever a time to skip the usual shopping experience and shop locally, 2020 is the year to do it. Supporting your local food and drink artisans, institutions, farmers, restaurants and businesses has never been more important.
Here are some of our favorite local people and businesses whose products and services make ideal gifts at a range of prices. Some are advertisers; others are folks we’ve written about or know firsthand. Many are available online. Restaurant gift cards remain a valuable way to support one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic.
If you’re able, buy from your local shop rather than at big-box stores and the mega-online-ordering site. Even if you pay a few bucks more, your gift will reward both the recipient and the business and keeps your dollars right where they belong: in our South Florida community. Speaking of which, may we offer a shameless plug for a great gift?
WHY: Out-of-town friends or relatives who want to keep up on what's happening with the South Florida community? Folks who are new here? Fans of cooking, backyard gardening? Give the gift of local love with a subscription to our quarterly magazine.
GOOD GIFT: A full year (four issues, $28) is delivered via USPS with a handwritten card to your recipient.
MORE INFO: Edible South Florida subscription
WHY: Buy dinner packages curated by SOBEWFF in collaboration with Constellation Culinary Group: Pernil asado or slow roasted tenderloin for two or four, complete with sides, breads, Bacardi coquito and Cinzano prosecco. Also available: stone crab claws, Tania’s Table matzo ball soup, Tropical Chinese box of dim sum, crema de vie from Gio Gutierrez x Bang Bang Bakehouse and more.
GOOD GIFT: You'll not only be wining and dining like it's 2019, you'll be supporting local: Badia Spices will match 100% of net proceeds to benefit the recovery of the local hospitality industry.
MORE INFO: Order here by Dec. 20 noon for pickup on Dec. 23 and 24.
CHOCOLATE
WHY? This family bean-to-bar business offers a full range of chocolatey goodness: bonbons, brownies, single-origin bars and gift baskets.
GOOD GIFT: Their assorted bar collection ($35) lets recipients sample different chocolates.
MORE INFO: Cao Chocolates
WHY? Carolina Quijano’s chocolate factory in Little Havana shows visitors how chocolate goes from bean to bar.
GOOD GIFT: Local collabs, like 63% Cafe con Leche, Milk Chocolate and Per’La Coffee Bar ($8) or 63% EspressOat Shot, Panther Coffee and Oat Milk Chocolate
MORE INFO: Exquisito Chocolates
WHY: Sisters Susana and Isabel Garcia Nevett produce award-winning chocolates and sweet creations in their South Miami shop.
GOOD GIFT: Flavors of Florida bonbons ($18), including flavors like Florida Keys honey and orange caramel, Tupelo honey and cardamom and vanilla rum, made with Papa’s Pilar rum from Key West. Box of six Hot Chocolate Snowmen: six tiny snowmen filled with milk chocolate ganache and marshmallows ($12); it with ingredients to make a Christmas tree chocolate cake, including cake mix and icing, as well as chocolate ornaments and sprinkles that kids will paint and decorate with cacao butter paints ($25); Hot Chocolate and Mug Set: a tin of Signature Hot Chocolate Mix and a mug with cacao motif ($24); Edible ornament: hand-painted chocolate ornament with three chocolate-covered crunchy caramels inside ($18)
MORE INFO: Garcia Nevett
TEA, COFFEE & SEASONAL DRINKS
WHY: Brothers Bryon and Kyle White and partner Mark Steele have created teas made from Yaupon holly leaves, naturally caffeinated, organic and sustainably grown leaves that are rich in antioxidants.
GOOD GIFT: Order individual flavors like American Green or Revive Mint yaupon holly teas in eco-tubes ($8.50), or choose gift items like a loose leaf tea gift box (from $45).
MORE INFO: Yaupon Brothers American Tea
WHY: This family business puts together spiced teas using flavorful ingredients like ginger and turmeric, hibiscus, elderberry and cinnamon.
GOOD GIFT: Sassy Redhead is a tasty combination of brown sugar, lemon juice, hibiscus flower, anise seed, cinnamon, ginger root, cloves and agave nectar.
MORE INFO: High 7 Teas
WHY: The folks who got South Florida’s craft coffee culture started sell single-origin coffees, cold brews and gift cards.
GOOD GIFT: They’ve collaborated with Palm Press to offer a personal coffee press that’s completely reusable (no pods or paper filters) plus a 12-oz bag of Finca San Antonio Chicharras.
MORE INFO: Panther Coffee
WHY: UM grads Paul Massard and Chris Nolte’s business includes a range of coffee: certified organic, single origin, blends and reserve.
GOOD GIFT: For the adventurous coffee lover, their subscription offers a new coffee every two weeks ($18).
MORE INFO: Per’La Specialty Roasters
WHY: Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s popular roasters got their start when Brandon Wells and his wife, Nicole, started sharing fresh roasted beans as gifts.
GOOD GIFT: Pick up your favorite beans and pick up a “Drink Deeply” t-shirt with art from designer Joshua Noom.
MORE INFO: Wells Coffee Co.
WHY: Sweet and silky, this version of Cuban eggnog is a must this time of year. Get in the mood by listening to Tony’s playlists on his website.
MORE INFO: Los Bobos Cafeteria and Deli in Doral
WHY: Pick up a bottle of this traditional Haitian rum punch ($20) to celebrate
MORE INFO: Chef Creole
WHY: From Peruvian baker Ingrid Herrera and her husband, coquito master Ryan Vando, their plant-based version of the traditional holiday drink uses coconut cream and coconut milk with spices and Don Q Spiced Rum.
MORE INFO: Tantay Miami
BAKERIES
WHY: Just one of her giant chocolate chip cookies or guava coconut macaroons beats a caseful of store-bought cookies.
GOOD GIFT: Ship a dozen jumbo cookies to someone you really love.
MORE INFO: Cindy Lou’s Cookies
WHY: Shar’s decorated cookies are sold in Whole Foods Market and Williams-Sonoma, but you can also order directly from her Broward bakery.
GOOD GIFT: Oatmeal raising cookie sandwiches on a stick ($34.99 for a six-pack)
MORE INFO: Cookies by Shar
WHY: Stefan Uch makes organic breads and crackers to sell at farmers markets and online.
GOOD GIFT: His seasonal specialties, like traditional holiday stollen and fruit breads.
MORE INFO: Crackerman
WHY: Carrot cake, guava cheesecake, salted caramel pie, key lime pie – all tested and approved by actual firefighters.
GOOD GIFT: You can ship Fireman Derek’s baked goods to friends in the US.
MORE INFO: Fireman Derek’s
WHY: This quirky bakery on Key Biscayne mills its own flour for sourdough loaves, but also comes up with playful variations on their baked goods along the way.
GOOD GIFT: A half dozen pumpkin brioche cinnamon rolls with pecans and maple glaze. ($3.95 each)
MORE INFO: Flour & Weirdoughs
WHY: Rustic loaves, classics like challah and babka, and pastries and cookies, made using flour milled on site at this cheerful Coral Gables bakery and cafe.
GOOD GIFT: Their lemon polenta cake is a beloved gift – and it’s gluten free.
MORE INFO: Madruga Bakery
WHY: South Florida’s OG artisan baker is delivering his sourdough loaves throughout South Florida (and you can buy them at Whole Foods Markets). There’s lots more he’s baking: challah (baked only on Thursday and Friday), croissants, bagels, to name a few.
GOOD GIFT: Double chocolate babka is a splendid choice.
MORE INFO: Zak the Baker
MEATS, CHEESES, PLANT-BASED FOODS
WHY: Jason and Melanie’s Palmetto Bay butcher shop is your headquarters for their sausages, house burger blend, espresso bacon, plus prime meats, Bell & Evans chicken, cheese, wine and beer, and a carefully curated selection of condiments and pantry items.
GOOD GIFT: Put together a luxury gift basket. Perhaps some prime bone-in ribeye steaks with Urbani black truffle butter?
MORE INFO: Babe’s Meat and Counter
WHY: Grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, heritage pork, and now game meats: venison, elk, wild boar ribs and sausages, rabbit.
GOOD GIFT: Book a gaucho grill experience for a safe outdoor event.
MORE INFO: Gaucho Ranch
WHY: The small Miami Shores market may be small, but there’s a huge concentration of local vendors, including food and drink artisans, artists, farmers and other makers.
GOOD GIFT: Lots of sustainable, eco-friendly items, herbal tincture from Buenezas, Minimalina bamboo toothbrushes and reusable cutlery, Semillas Coop growbags, to name a few.
MORE INFO: Mima Market
WHY: Delicious plant-based foods by the pound, delivered throughout greater Miami, perfect for holiday entertaining.
GOOD GIFT: Assemble a treat box for your favorite vegan, from soup to nuts.
MORE INFO: The Plantisserie
WHY: Bring home the bacon, or chorizo, or lamb and harissa sausages, or Wagyu NY strip steaks, or Berkshire St. Louis ribs, or any of their other quality meats.
GOOD GIFT: Proper’s own products – spice rubs for meats, pikliz, housemade pickles, garlic confit and mustards – are great stocking stuffers for the discerning diner.
MORE INFO: Proper Sausages
HONEY
WHY: Whether you buy your honey at a farmers market or at a farmstand, local honey the way to go. Farmers Market Honey aka Lip Smakin' Good Raw and Unfiltered Honey has one of the best selections of Florida honey flavors and products, from jars to sticks to hemp and infused honey and other products.
GOOD GIFT: Their subscription boxes (from $21.95/box) deliver honey right to the doorstep.
MORE INFO: Farmers Market Honey
POPCORN
WHY: This spicy, savory, crunchy popcorn is nutritious and healthy, made with spirulina and nutritional yeast, garlic, cayenne and a veggie mix.
GOOD GIFT: Combine this with a DVD for a movie-watching gift. And, according to memes, popcorn seems to be the ideal snack to accompany news programs.
MORE INFO: Buy online or find at Whole Foods Markets or farmers markets (Legion Park, South Miami City Hall, Vizcaya Village, Arsht Center)
WINE, BEER, SPIRITS
WHY: Jeffrey Wolfe knows his wines and his food. (That's why he's our longtime wine columnist!) Tell him what you're looking for and your price range, and he'll instantly find the right wine.
GOOD GIFT: A creative customized wine gift basket to fit your budget.
MORE INFO: Wolfe's Wine Shoppe
WHY: This Sunset Harbour shop supplies Miami Beach bartenders with supplies they need to make killer cocktails.
GOOD GIFT: Their impressive selection of bitters, liqueurs and bar supplies make a great present for your favorite home bartender.
MORE INFO: Azul Spirits and Wines
WHY: Little River Cooperative and French Farms sell winter plant starts, garden supplies, local honey and other edible garden must-haves. Order online for delivery or pickup at their Redland nursery.
GOOD GIFT: Order a raised-bed garden filled with annual vegetables or a food forest. They can do containers for balconies, too.
MORE INFO: Little River Cooperative
WHY: Longtime edible gardener Dylan Terry and his team help others grow organic vegetables, herbs and fruit in South Florida.
GOOD GIFT: A selection of food plants, like tropical spinaches, edible flowers, and tropical fruit trees, including a wide range of mango, avocado and banana varieties, all grown to thrive here.
MORE INFO: Ready-to-Grow Gardens
WHY: In addition to managing some of Miami’s best local markets, Urban Oasis also installs raised-bed gardens.
GOOD GIFT: Sponsor a home garden for someone in need through their GIVE Gardens.
MORE INFO: Urban Oasis Project
WHY: This hideaway in Broward sells seedlings, soil, compost and everything you need to grow your edible garden. They offer ordering online with drive-up convenience.
GOOD GIFT: For the backyard gardener, give the gift of good soil!
MORE INFO: Tree Amigos Growers
WHY: This delightful shop is a bouquet of gifts, from darling seed packets to books and garden supplies to botanically themed decor, aprons, housewares, butterfly-related gifts and other surprises.
GOOD GIFT: There really is something for everyone here, including a thoughtful selection of books for kids.
MORE INFO: Miami Beach Botanical Garden
WHY: Sprouts are nutritious, quick-growing veggies that you can easily add to salads, sandwiches and other dishes. They're also easy to grow at home. Good project for kids, too.
GOOD GIFT: Fullei Fresh, a longtime local family business that grows and sells sprouts you'll find in supermarkets, has come up with various sprout-growing jars and tools along with organic beans – alfalfa, broccoli, mung beans, wheatgrass – to get you growing. Starter kits begin at $23.50.
MORE INFO: Fullei Fresh
WHY: This family-owned business sells quality organic mattresses (including vegan options) and offers highly personalized service from their serene shops in Coconut Grove and Florida City, and their new location on Biscayne Blvd. in the Upper East Side.
GOOD GIFT: Pillows! They offer 100% organic cotton, sculpted latex, kapok, non-GMO plant-based batting and bioceramic options. Vendors include Soaring Heart, Naturepedic and Magniflex.
MORE INFO: SEB Mattress
WHY: Created by Miami-Dade teacher Alena Sheriff, this line of sugar scrubs was inspired by the plants and nature in her school garden when she discovered students disliked washing their hands with the “sticky” school soap.
GOOD GIFT: Among their gift boxes is the signature Hand and Body Scrub paired with Sweet Spice Foaming Cleanser ($25)
MORE INFO: Gifted by Nature
WHY: For years, Isabel has scouted out fun home accessories and whimsical, clever items that bring a smile to your face. Her collection also includes items by local artists in her South Miami shop.
GOOD GIFT:
MORE INFO: Isabel Fine Home Accessories
WHY: Farmer Laura Sutton makes all kinds of good things from what she and her husband grow: ferments like sauerkraut, beet kvass, pickled turmeric, starfruit chutney, salves and oils and more.
GOOD GIFT: Dried butterfly pea flowers make a refreshing a caffeine-free herbal tea that's deep blue. Add a little lemon juice and it turns magenta.
MORE INFO: Blue Horizon Farm
WHY: Frita cubana pins! T-shirts! Guava sriracha ketchup and honey mustard curry sauce! Signed books! The Shoppe has it all.
GOOD GIFT: But wait – there's more. The 305 BEAST Gift Box ($75) includes an Order Up! tee, an In Beast We Trust dinner plate, a bag of Burger Beast Guava Sriracha Ketchup Cheddar Popcorn, a bottle of Guava Sriracha Ketchup Sauce, a bottle of Honey Mustard Curry Sauce, a Limited Edition 305 Frita Cubana Enamel Pin and an In Beast We Trust License Plate Frame. It's only available in Miami-Dade County and will be hand-delivered, free, the week of Dec. 21.
MORE INFO: Burger Beast Shoppe
WHY: ¡Te la comiste! Clever Cuban dichos and illustrations adorn books, a coloring book, masks, posters and stickers, perfect for Miamians or expats who long for hearing "la chancleta!"
GOOD GIFT: Their face masks that say "Tremendo arroz con mango" – a big mess – as descriptive as they are useful. And 100% of proceeds from each mask will be donated to It's All Love Miami, helping Miami’s homeless community by delivering weekly care package drop-offs and hot meals.
MORE INFO: Pin Pan Pun + Co.
WHY: We're fans of DJ and Ish's podcast because it's filled with local sabor. Ya tu sabes.
GOOD GIFT: Their Lechon Life t-shirt is a hit, but we really loved the Miami census one when we first saw at at Carnaval Miami earlier this year.
MORE INFO: Pero Let Me Tell You Shop
PET TREATS
WHY: Local soft and chewy dog treats made with house-milled flour and all-natural ingredients and without wheat, corn, soy, or artificial preservatives, available for Miami pickup, deliver, and shipping.
GOOD GIFT: We never met a dog that didn't love peanut butter. That's why PB & PB (brown rice flour, oat flour, egg, honey, natural preservatives and lots of peanut butter) is a favorite.
MORE INFO: Pup & Pantry
MEMBERSHIPS
This year, many of our beloved institutions lost needed revenues when they had to shut down because of the pandemic. Supporting these vital components of our community has never been more important!
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Dade Heritage Trust
Deering Estate
Fruit and Spice Park
Gables Art Cinema
History Miami Museum
Miami Beach Botanical Garden
Rare Fruit Council International
Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council of Broward
Slow Food Miami
Tropical Audubon Society
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
EVENTS
Key West Food and Wine Festival
South Beach Wine and Food Festival
WORTHY CAUSES
Food and relief programs, always busy, have been at it nonstop all year, helping those in need in South Florida. Here are some of South Florida's organizations who are feeding and caring for many in our community.
Buddy System MIA Community Fridges
Farm Share
Feeding South Florida
Food Rescue US–Miami
World Central Kitchen
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