Holidays
Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Restaurant Merch
December 1, 2020
Support restaurants this holiday season by shopping directly from their websites — from gift boxes and swag to cookbooks and more
A restaurant’s website has become its digital storefront and restaurants are getting increasingly creative with their offerings — from gift boxes and wine packs to cookbooks and more. As the holiday shopping season begins, consider supporting your favorite restaurants by purchasing a unique gift for a loved one, directly from their websites. It’s an easy way to help their bottom line and rep their brand. For restaurants that have yet to get in on the action, it’s not too late to start selling merchandise online. We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite offerings this holiday season for shoppers and operators alike.
The Jones is one of Gabriel Stulman’s latest concepts and through their Happy Cooking Hospitality website, fans can shop for items such as a “Fairfax Sweatshirt” or the “Serving New York Cookbook” written by Kristin Tice Studeman & Bryan Fountain. We recommend the bright orange “The Jones Tote Bag” as a gift to those always on the go. It’s an easy way to support and rep Stulman’s restaurants around town and afar.
What’s more perfect for a friend or family member who loves cooking? “The Chef’s Gift Box” from The Grove Cafe & Market in Albuquerque, NM includes exclusive essentials for any serious food lover to work with at home, such as high-quality olive oil & vinegar, spices, an olive wood spoon and a Japanese cotton towel. Website visitors can order directly from the “Market” section of the website, which includes a plethora of alternative gift boxes for sale.
For lovers of New York, Indochine’s nostalgia-inducing book will transport anyone to an era that’s gone but not forgotten. Indochine, Stories Shaken & Stirred, published by Rizzoli, tells insider stories of a restaurant, known exclusively as a destination for celebrities throughout the last three decades. Its content comes from first-hand accounts of icons of the fashion world and larger-than-life musicians, while photographs and original artwork are provided by artists like Helmut Lang and Julian Schnabel. This “Deluxe Boxed Version” is only available by ordering directly from the website, making it an even more unique, exclusive gift.
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Two Guns espresso offers up their “Holiday Blend (Blend)” on their website. They add an alluring description, “Deep, rich and well rounded, The Holiday Blend creates a sparkling shot of espresso and blends perfectly with milk.” And with artwork commissioned by a local artist from the southern Californian region, it makes a nice gift for those serious coffee lovers who enjoy a quality cup of coffee.
Follia’s “Holiday Celebration 4-Pak” is a go-to gift for lovers of French and Italian wine. Website visitors can find it through the online ordering section of their website. The “Pak” includes everything from sparkling, red and white wines of Burgundy to a Barolo from Piemonte. It’s an excellent option for taking holiday meals to new heights or for general revelry.
Birchwood Cafe offers a “Winter Warmer Gift Box” on their online store. It features custom, Birchwood branded items such as locally-made mugs, their own blend of coffee and tea as well as two “Local Farmers Stocking Hats.” The latter is a welcomed gift for those in Minneapolis who look to support their favorite restaurants while dining outdoors in the elements this winter.
Prati Italia reserves a section of its website to promote and sell “Gourmet Gift Boxes” such as the “Ultimate Gourmet Gift Box” which includes fresh sauces and pasta made in-house and a recommended wine from Prati Chef, Tom Gray. The gift boxes make a great holiday present for those who want to take the Prati experience into their own hands at home.
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It may seem relatively simple and straightforward but a gift card to one’s favorite restaurant makes a fantastic gift while also supporting a restaurant during a difficult time, industry-wide. Virtue, the beloved and highly acclaimed restaurant in Chicago sell physical and digital gift cards directly on its website. Checkout is safe and secure and the money from each purchase directly helps the restaurant’s bottom line.
Il Fiorista is a restaurant and bar, cafe, florist, boutique and community education space in New York City — a unique concept and welcomed addition to the city. They offer up a plethora of items that make great gifts, from “Single-Origin Honey (Gift Sets)” and scented candles to in-person “Wreath Making” classes (with strict social distancing guidance in place, of course).
A few hours outside of New York City, on Route 28, is Phoenicia Diner. Built in 1962, and moved to its current location in the 80s, the diner has been serving the local Catskills community and outsiders for decades. Their website has the alpine allure of the surrounding ridgetops and boasts an online store for fans to purchase custom merch that makes a great gift like the “‘New’ The Phoenicia Diner Cookbook Signed.”
Inspired by the way in which restaurants are selling interesting merchandise on their website? To get started, get in touch with a BentoBox specialist to learn how you can do the same. Already a customer? Reach out to your account manager to learn about eCommerce with BentoBox.
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