2021 Local Holiday Gift Guide

A few of our team’s favorite things

The shopping season is upon us and our team has created a 2021 Holiday gift guide for you, featuring our favorite local products perfect for the person on your list. From foodie treats, to relaxing experiences to ideas for charitable donations, you’ll find what you need in this Madison Eats 2021 holiday gift guide! We hope this season that you support local. Our holiday gift guide will get you started!

GIFT CARDS

Gift cards are the perfect holiday gift for the person who is hard to choose for! And there are so many options that support local businesses. Here are a few of our favorites, including a gift card for a tour with yours truly!

Madison Eat Food Tour Gift Card

Take a guided tour through Madison’s unique neighborhoods and scenic downtown while enjoying some of the best food and drink our city has to offer. You’ll experience our city’s thriving food scene and eat and drink from Madison’s most acclaimed chefs and local producers. Grab a gift certificate (they never expire) and can be applied to Holiday tours in December, Downtown tour, or Atwood tour! 

Food Fight Gift Card 

A locally owned and operated restaurant group with an ever-growing family of unique and diverse restaurants in the greater Madison area. And take advantage of their seasonal offer until December 31st: For every $100 in Food Fight gift cards you purchase, you’ll get a complimentary $25 bonus certificate. 

Little Luxuries Gift Card

This locally owned State Street shop has something for everyone with a wide variety of products ranging from books, children’s gifts, accessories, gadgets, local food, spa items, and jewelry. A $25 gift card here has no expiration date and can be used to shop online, in store, or by phone but gift card payments can only be processed over the phone or in person. 

GIFT BOXES

Create your own gift box to give a friend or loved on, or purchase a ready made gift box from one of our local businesses and have it shipped to someone on your list. We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite Black-Owned businesses that have products perfect for a custom gift box. A cheeseboard or tailgate kit, or goodies from Christine’s Kitchens are a great option, as well!

BLACK-OWNED Businesses

You can support a number of Black -owned businesses when you make your own gift box! Here is an idea for a self-care gift box for that someone special!

Journey Scents – Set the mood! These beautiful and delicious smelling candles are perfect for an at home spa day. You can order them here.

Perfect Imperfections – Relax! The eye pillow and body oil make a perfect post-bath wind down experience that will keep the mood going all night.

Peace of Lovelace – From hand-painted journals to sage bundles and bath salts, Tamisha’s creations are a great compliment to any self-care gift basket.

Culture collectives  – This pop up shop on State street showcases vendors of color and has so many wonderful products including Restoration Soap & Bodycare a Black-owned business which makes natural body creams and soaps

Madre Yerba – Your bestie will love the gorgeous earrings and face masks made in a variety of African and other prints. Because nobody can have too many earrings or masks! Throw in a lip balm as well or get one for yourself.

Tailgate Foodie Gift Box  

The Grilling Essential box is filled with food seasonings guaranteed to up your food to the next level. Besides 6 different seasonings for burgers, chicken, seafood, or BBQ, it also includes an internal temperature magnet, cookbook, and grill towel. It is a great investment for the griller in your life! It can be purchased online and is locally made by the Tailgate Foodie est 2020 in Sun Prairie

Cheeseboard

Who doesn’t love a great cheese board? Fromagination is the place to go for local & international cheeses, and all the perfect pairings! They offer several different gift sets to make gift-giving as easy as can be for the cheese-lovers in your life – the Holiday Sampler Gift Set with nine of Wisconsin’s favorite cheeses is a particularly great choice! From cheeses and companions, to slate and wood boards, Fromagination is your one stop shop! They even sell how-to books for those new to the cheese board game. If you have any questions, their friendly staff of cheesemongers are experts at offering recommendations!

Christine’s Kitchens

A shared commercial kitchen space, Christine’s Kitchens houses a number of local producers! There is literally something for everyone: beverages like WiscoPop, snacks like Nutkrack, condiments and dressings like Madame Chu’s ginger garlic, beauty products like Madison Soap Company, and so much more! There are even curated Boxes of Fun around a variety of themes. And don’t forget to pick up some of Christine’s Slide potato chips while you’re there (Curry Garlic is our fav)!

ARTS AND CRAFTS MARKETS and festivities

Support Madison makers and give unique, handmade gifts and crafts. There are various opportunities to meet the makers and support local entrepreneurs. The Madison Makers Market, Crafty Fair and East Side Winter Market are all great opportunities to support local and have the opportunity to shop hundreds of makers and artists who call Madison home. 

Madison Makers Market November 26th (multiple locations)

https://www.madisonmakersmarket.com/black-friday-event

Crafty Fair: December 4th and 5th (Goodman Center IronWorks/Brassworks)

https://www.thecraftyfair.com/

East Side Winter Market presented by Communication and Garver Events: December 11th and 12th (Garver Feed Mill)  

https://fb.me/e/1q0qRbNxS

Miracle on King Street at Lucille

Maybe you’d prefer to treat someone to an amazing night out this year instead? Look no further than the “Miracle on King Street” at Lucille. Not only does Lucille have delicious craft cocktails and mouth watering wood-fired pizza, they also go ALL-OUT in December – decorating every inch of their restaurant in what they call the “Miracle on King Street.”

SPA GETAWAY

With all of the hustle and bustle of the world, give the gift of relaxation and rejuvenation. Kosa Spa is a great option to gift a facial, massage, and various spa treatments. Kosa also creates seasonal food and homemade chai that will warm your soul with the tastes to soothe your body, mind, and soul. 

https://kosaspa.com/

FOODIE GIFTS

Table Wine is a beautiful shop located in the Atwood neighborhood with a great selection of affordable wines from around the world. And if you don’t know where to start, just ask the super knowledgeable staff! For the biggest wine fans, their “Under the Table” monthly wine club would make the perfect gift that keeps on giving!

Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier’s specialty is single-origin dark chocolate truffles, but they also carry chocolate bars, chocolate dipped fruits, and holiday specials like peppermint & dark chocolate bark. But our winter-time recommendation is the hot chocolate mix! Made out of the same Colombian chocolate that covers the truffles, this luxurious hot chocolate will keep you feeling warm & cozy through the cold weather months!

Candied nuts are perfect for the holiday season, and Nutkrack makes the perfect candied nuts! Specializing exclusively in pecans, both the original Nutkrack (sweet) Firekracker (spicy) are decadent & delightful. A new selection is the Everything Bagel which is only available in store! Finally, a limited amount of original Nutkrack is made with pecans from an African American owned and run pecan farm in Georgia highlighting new pecans and supporting social justice. As the saying goes, it’s impossible to eat just one!

DONATIONS

If you prefer the gift of giving, consider donating your time, food, or money to a local food pantry or organization that supports our community in need. 

Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness

Creating a world where Black women and girls live long, happy and thriving lives, defined by healthy minds, bodies and spirits.

Centro Hispano

Centro focuses on shaping a better life for young Latinos.

Goodman Center

The Goodman Community Center strengthens lives and secure futures.

Food Pantries:

https://www.secondharvestmadison.org