Our 2020 Consumable Charleston Gift Guide
2020, while a stressful struggle in many ways, has also been jam-packed with important lessons. One that we’ll strive to keep in mind as the year of COVID finally passes into memory: Our economy lives and dies by the many hard-working people that keep us fed, from fruit-pickers to grocery cashiers to line cooks, and everything in between. Another, (and one that particularly stings this time of year) is that no amount of Amazon boxes on the front stoop can fill the void left by happy hour glasses of wine with friends, dinners out at buzzy new restaurants, or bustling holiday house parties with those we hold most dear. It’s tempting, in times of homebound-strife, to try and shop our blues away. Thanks to the near ubiquitousness of easy online shopping and rapid delivery, we can quickly fill our homes with creature comforts that temporarily distract from the heartache of isolation. And when we know we shouldn’t do anymore shopping for ourselves, we can always shop for others! But as we’ve watched beloved restaurants lay off workers, struggle to stay afloat, and sometimes shutter completely in the face of this year’s economic devastation, we’d like to encourage all would-be holiday shoppers to spend those earmarked dollars where they’re most needed: At the restaurants and small businesses that make Charleston’s dining landscape one-of-a-kind! Below, you’ll find a handy guide to our picks for every kind of culinary giftee. Peruse, shop local, and rest easy knowing that you’re not only not contributing to the house clutter than absolutely no one needs, by cleverly gifting consumables and experiences, but that you’re injecting cash back into an industry that needs it.
The Meathead – Ted’s Butcherblock; Ted’s Bacon of the Month Club – Send a pound of artisanal bacon each month, hand-selected by Ted from small smokehouses around the country. Three, six, and twelve month subscriptions are available, to delight your favorite BLT or breakfast fan.
The Wine Nerd – Graft; Graft Delivery Bundle – Even the toughest wine snob will be won over by picks from 2019 Sommelier of the Year, Femi Oyediran. Available in 2, 4, or 6 packs, these hand-selected bundles can be delivered or picked up from the shop. Think your wine snob will want to pick their own bundle? Grab a Graft gift card instead!
The Sporting Sort – The Alley; The Alley Gift Card – For the sports fan in your life, The Alley boasts a spacious bar and dining area, lined with TVs playing all the games one could hope for, all year round. If your giftee likes to take competition into their own hands, they can spend their gift card dollars on a game or two at The Alley’s in-house bowling alley, or at the skeeball tables, or the video game cabinets, or they can plop down their card for buckets of beer and wings while they play Wednesday night trivia against some of Charleston’s toughest teams.
The Stressed Sugar Addict – Pure Fluff Co; CBD Fluff Combo Pack – Pure Fluff Co. not only boasts being Charleston’s only boutique cotton candy artisan, but also offers a fantastic selection of flavors. Their CBD-infused fluff satisfies a sweet tooth while also helping to deliver a dose of chill to these stressy final weeks of 2020.
The European Enthusiast – Fast and French; Fast and French Gift Certificate – One of Charleston’s best-loved culinary institutions is known for its cozy, relaxed vibe and authentic (but not fussy) French fare. It’s one of the few spots in town where one feels like they’ve stepped out of Charleston and into casual Parisian brasserie. You giftee can spend their gift card on a night of fondue and table wine, or take home F&F’s always-excellent mustard, coffee, or ginger punch.
The Dumpling Fiend – Sarah’s Dumps; Frozen Pack of 30 – handmade by local couple Sarah & Nate, and based on recipes for Korean mandu, these in-demand dumplings are available for stoop-drop delivery. Choose from traditional mandu, vegan, or their highly-popular Buffalo, among others.
The Coffee Snob – Sightsee; Sightsee Coffee Subscription – Let the genius couple behind the peninsula’s cutest coffee shop curate the beans for that coffee devotee in your life. Delivering once a month to every three months, Sightsee will choose from their fave guest roasters and ship a bag of whole bean coffee along with their subscriber-exclusive zine and customized coffee guide. If you don’t know beans about beans, but love someone who does, this is the perfect gift to impress!
The Foodie Extraordinaire – Charleston Culinary Tours; CCT Gift Card – Perfect for every kind of foodie, our gift cards allow the giftee to choose between any of our eight different tours and experiences. Also, these gift cards never expire! So whether you’re gifting to someone who’s ready to hop on a plane to Charleston any minute, or to someone who’s waiting for that vaccine release, rest assured that they’ll be able to book a culinary tour with their gift card at any time.
-Palmer Stowe