The foodie's gift guide to holiday shopping

Whenever the holiday season rolls around it can be difficult to brainstorm what gifts to pick up for friends and family. That is why we have decided to create a comprehensive guide for all things a foodie would love. 

Whether you are shopping for a loved one—or just want to pick up some limited edition items for yourself—we have got you covered for everything from specialty foods and drinks to cookware and place settings. 

Specialty Food

Salt Spring Island Artisan Vinegar

Made on Salt Spring Island, these artisan vinegars are available in giftable trios for the best sampling experience. The wine vinegar set includes varieties like raspberry champagne, pinot noir wine, and French tarragon infused plum wine. The balsamic vinegar set features varieties like peach balsamic, black cherry balsamic, and strawberry fig balsamic.   

Salt Spring Island Artisan Vinegar will have a booth at the Last Chance Christmas Craft Fair at Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney from Dec. 8-10. 

Island Chef Pepper Co.

Made in small batches on the Island, these hot sauces are the perfect gift for that special someone who cannot get enough spice. This holiday season they are available in miniature form in a pack of six. Hot sauces will include sweet Thai chili, spicy maple mustard, pineapple express, serrano salsa verde, west coast classic, and California reaper. 

Island Chef Pepper Co. can be found in grocery stores across the city. 

Victoria Olive Oil Co. 

This downtown shop sells high quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars. These are available in miniature sets of six in gift boxes, ideal for sampling. You can also choose your own flavours to include from options like Persian lime infused olive oil, blackberry ginger balsamic vinegar, and blood orange olive oil. 

Address: 619 Broughton St., Victoria 
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 11am-4pm 

Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen Cafe

This Italian deli is a fixture of Oak Bay. This festive season, pick up some of its delicious goodies, like its cheese and salami gift basket. The basket includes two Italian cheeses, marinated artichokes, pepperoni sticks, artisanal jam, and more. Add a mini bottle of prosecco to make the gift that much sweeter. 

Address: 2272 Oak Bay Ave., Victoria
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-6pm 

SaltSpring Kitchen Co.

Made on Salt Spring Island, these preserves and condiments are available in gift box trios, perfect for enjoying on your own or sharing with friends. The sweet trio box features peach and lavender, blueberry and basil, and raspberry and rose spreads. The savoury trio box includes a rhubarb and apple chutney as well as spicy tomato and onion and thyme spreads. The spicy trio box features raspberry and habanero, hot mango, and peach and pepper spreads.    

SaltSpring Kitchen Co. can be found in select grocery stores across the city. 

Address: SaltSpring Kitchen, 319 Upper Ganges Rd, Salt Spring Island 
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 9am-3pm

Spoon & Spade

This Victoria-based gourmet charcuterie company has a holiday box full of both housemade and local Christmas goodies available until Dec. 24. The box includes housemade spreads like chicken pâté and quince jelly as well as a cranberry goat cheese ball and dried oranges. It also features locally made cheeses, crackers, and salami. Perfect for a Christmas morning spread. 

Delivery options are available or free pick up in James Bay or Colwood.  

Address: 2313 Marlene Dr., Victoria 
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm

Vancouver Island Gift Basket Co.

This Victoria-based company includes locally made items in its gift baskets. This season it has several holiday baskets available, including a sweet and salty basket. This basket includes chips and salsa, flavoured nuts, and crackers as well as chocolate bark and truffles. 

Delivery available throughout Victoria and the Westshore.    

West Coast Gift Basket

This gift basket company has a holiday basket available for this festive season. The basket has both sweet and savoury local treats like classic shortbread, non-alcoholic cider, assorted chocolates, brie, and sea salt crackers.  

Delivery available throughout Greater Victoria. 

Address: 808 Douglas St. #101, Victoria
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm

Chocolate

Terrible Truffles

These handmade chocolates are produced locally. Gift boxes of assorted chocolate truffles are available in sets of 24, 12, six, four, and two. These boxes come in either pre-selected assortments or custom selections. 

Terrible Truffles is available at Birdcage Confectionary and Chocolat & Co.

The Chocolate Project

The Chocolate Project offers over 350 varieties of bars from 60 chocolate artists across the globe. These bean-to-bar craft chocolate bars are the perfect stocking stuffer. Some standout bars include Zotter’s cognac and coffee bar, Dick Taylor’s Madagascar with black fig bar, Castronovo’s lemon white chocolate bar, and Amano’s mango chili bar.        

Address: Located in The Atrium, 1311 Blanshard St., Victoria 
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10am-6pm

Uncouth Chocolate

These small batch bean-to-bar craft chocolates are made locally and are the perfect holiday treat. Each of its chocolate bars are plant-based and focus on its cocoa origin like its 85% dark chocolate from Kallari growers in Ecuador and its 75% dark chocolate from the Kilombero Valley in Tanzania. Uncouth Chocolate also makes flavoured chocolate like its maple crunch bar and its vegan mocha bar. 

Uncouth Chocolate is available at The Chocolate Project and Chocolat & Co. 

Address: #1-1267 Fairfield Rd. 
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 11am-4pm 

Julie’s Delights Chocolates

As the weather gets colder, hot drinks are in order. Julie’s Delights Chocolates makes hot chocolate bombs perfect for snuggling up by the fireplace, steaming drink in hand. This Langford-based chocolatier makes its products with fresh locally sourced ingredients.  

Address: 720 Station Ave. #111, Langford
Hours: Thursday, Friday, Sunday, 10am-4pm; Saturday, 10am-7pm

Tea and Coffee

Murchie’s Fine Tea & Coffee

Murchie’s is Canada’s oldest tea company and this holiday season it has a 12 teas of Christmas gift box. The box includes a selection of black teas like its Canadian breakfast and earl grey cream as well as a pomegranate rooibos and jasmine green tea.    

Address: 1110 Government St., Victoria
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9am-6pm 

Discovery Coffee

This local coffee outlet sells its own bags of coffee beans. Pick up its classic Discovery Street blend or try something special like its Ethiopian Abebe Godana. For the ultimate coffee lover, the coffeehouse also has coffee grinders like the Timemore C2 Grinder available for purchase.   

Address: 1001 Blanshard St., Victoria; 281 Menzies St., Victoria  
Hours: Monday-Friday, 7am-5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8am-5pm; Monday-Saturday, 7:30am-4pm; Sunday, 7:30am-3pm

Silk Road Tea

This award-winning tea company has been operating out of Chinatown since 1992. Try out a selection of its teas with one of its gift boxes. Its black tea gift box features darjeeling, ceylon, chai, and peach paradise. Its green tea gift box includes sencha, earl green, dragonwell, and its happy blend. For the tea lovers in your life, pick up one of its teapots.    

Address: 1624 Government St., Victoria
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10:30am-5:30pm; Sunday, 11am-4:30pm

The Good Planet Company

This downtown eco-friendly shop has a matcha startup gift set perfect for any matcha lover. The set includes a matcha bowl, a bamboo whisk and scoop, and a whisk holder. Mix up your own earthy green drink and sip on it as the nights cool down.   

Address: 764 Fort St., Victoria
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5:30pm; Sunday, 11am-6pm

Liquor

Esquimalt Vermouth & Apéritifs

Made using BC honey, this Esquimalt-based company’s apéritifs are the perfect gift for any cocktail lover. Its Rosso Sweet Vermouth was named the world's best semi-sweet vermouth this year at the World Vermouth Awards. Other notable apéritifs include its limoncello and its kina-blanc. 

Esquimalt Vermouth & Apéritifs can be found in select liquor stores across the city.       

Address: 859 Devonshire Rd. #3, Esquimalt 
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm

Sheringham Distillery

This Langford-based distillery produces delicious gins that make an exciting holiday gift. Particular highlights include its Raincoast Gin with notes of oakmoss and nettle. The distillery also makes exciting liqueurs like its Rhubarb Liqueur with notes of lemon and star anise.

Sheringham Distillery can be found in select liquor stores across the city.  

Address: 4382 West Shore Parkway #103, Langford 
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11am-5pm

Church and State Wines

This Brentwood Bay-based winery has wine cases available for this holiday season. The Company is Coming wine case includes three bottles each of its chardonnay, viognier, marsanne, and roussanne.  

Church and State Wines can be found in select liquor stores across the city.      

Address: 1445 Benvenuto Ave., Victoria
Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 11:30am-5pm 

Deep Cove Winery

This North Saanich winery has the perfect bottles to bring as gifts to holiday dinner parties. Its pinot noir is the perfect wintery pairing to holiday meals. Alternatively, pick up its Queen red blend, a mix of pinot gris and meréchal foch.

Deep Cove Winery can be found in select liquor stores across the city.         

Address: 11195 Chalet Rd., North Saanich
Hours: Friday, noon-5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm

Fan Tan Home & Style

This home goods store in Chinatown has a cocktail bar set that is perfect for the cocktail lover who wants to develop their at-home cocktail making skills. The set includes a glass shaker, a cocktail shaker, a strainer, a zester, and a double jigger.   

Address: 523 Fisgard St., Victoria
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9:30am-5:30pm; Friday and Saturday, 9:30am-6pm

Cookware

Cook Culture

This downtown shop is a go-to stop for cookware with an emphasis on quality and simplicity. Its cast iron cookware is a stand out feature, with its Lodge cast iron combo cooker three-piece set being an ideal gift for those who love to cook. Take care of your cast iron cookware with its Field cast iron care kit, which includes a natural fibre brush, seasoning oil, and a chain mail scrubber.    

Address: Located in The Atrium, 1317 Blanshard St., Victoria 
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm

Penna & Co

This cookware shop in Royal Oak is a great place to pick up cooking staples this holiday season. Spoil your loved ones who are passionate about cooking with a new set of knives like its Global three piece knife set, which is made in Japan and features a G2, a GSF-15, and a GS-5.      

Address: 777 Royal Oak Dr. #325, Victoria
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9:30am-5:30pm; Sunday, 11am-4pm 

Place Settings

The Tuscan Kitchen

The Tuscan Kitchen’s selection of Sberna Dishware is the perfect gift for the friend who loves to host. This collection of dishware made in Deruta, Italy includes traditional motifs in its designs. From plates and bowls to serving dishes and pitchers, this downtown shop has an extensive selection available.     

Address: 653 View St., Victoria
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5:30pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm

Nest & Nook

This home goods shop in Sidney carries a wide assortment of beautiful place setting items. Its optic wine glass is the perfect goblet to enjoy a glass of Deep Cove Winery's pinot noir this holiday season. Complete the place setting with its woven round placemats.      

Address: 2387 Beacon Ave., Sidney 
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm 

Belle General

This downtown general store carries whimsical items to perfect your place settings. Its matte black flatware utensil set, which is handcrafted ethically in India, is great to eat Christmas dinner with. Rest your utensils on its Baggu reusable cloth sets.     

Address: 846 Fort St., Victoria
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11am-6pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm

Hands On Clay Collective

For those who love a hot beverage, pick up a handmade mug from Hands on Clay Collective. These mugs are made in a downtown studio by a group of ceramic artists, with each piece reflecting each makers’ unique styles.  

Hands on Clay Collective can also be found in select retailers across the city. 

Address: 1910 Store St., Victoria
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-5:30pm; Sunday-Tuesday, noon-5pm