Photo courtesy of Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets
Here is part 6 of my holiday foodie gift guide—with some ideas for bakeries, Italian groceries, farmers markets and more. Let’s shop local and support small businesses as much as we can this season (and beyond)!
Also see:
Gift guide part 1
Gift guide part 2
Gift guide part 3
Gift guide part 4
Gift guide part 5
Note: some past installments include events that have taken place, but they also mention local businesses you can still support!
Bakery Gift Cards
Your favorite local bakery can use your support right now. One idea: visit in-person and buy a gift card and one bakery item & put them together for a nice gift! Or if you prefer to shop from home, buy a gift card online. Our wonderful local bakeries include Gayle’s, The Buttery, The Farm, and Companion Bakeshop. Going to Gayle’s? You might combine it with a stop to neighboring Lyons and Melrose, which offers floral arrangements plus a variety of gifts like unique ornaments, European candles, soap, home décor, and packaged sweets. Visiting The Buttery? Its Soquel Avenue location is just four blocks down from the shop Home/Work, which features gift ideas like mugs and bowls, bamboo lunch boxes, beeswax wrap, aprons, homemade hot sauce kits, and seed ball kits like “Pizza Garden” (grow your toppings). The Farm Bakery, Café & Gifts has its own chock-full-of-fun-items gift shop. You can pick up one of their signature fruit tarts plus things like housewares, linens, whimsical water bottles, cookbooks, candles, toys, and more. Companion Bakeshop has two locations; the Aptos one is in the same center as Outside-In, a shop that has enticing items like botanical candles, travel mugs, Talavera dishes, fleece jackets, puzzles, and ornaments.
Farmers Markets
Your local farmers market is a wonderful place to shop for gifts. Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets runs these markets: Wednesday downtown Santa Cruz (DT), Saturday westside Santa Cruz (WS), Sunday Live Oak (LO), and Felton and Scotts Valley (both closed for the season). Below is information on several vendors and products, and their corresponding markets. A fun gift idea to either put with these products or use on its own? Each market sells gift certificates in any amount at the information table at. These funds can be spent over time at any stand at any of the markets. For exact market locations, hours, and more info, visit santacruzfarmersmarket.org.
Listed alphabetically:
- Apricot King – preserves and dried fruit – DT
- Aptos Apiary – honey – DT
- Ashby Confections – DT, WS
- Bella Vista – olive oil – WS
- Blossom’s Biodynamic Farm – DT, WS, LO
- Blue House – dry beans and popcorn – WS
- Copper Moon Apothecary – soaps, lotions and salves – WS, LO
- Dirty Girl – tomato preserves – DT, LO
- Fruition Brewing – DT weekly, LO & WS rotation
- Good Faith Farm – olives and olive oil – DT
- Hakouya Miso – DT, WS, LO
- Hidden Fortress – coffee beans – DT, LO
- Home Away – fresh pastas, sauces, charcuterie, olives – DT, WS, LO
- Il Biscotto – traditional Italian cookies – DT weekly, WS and LO rotation
- Pottery – DT, WS, LO
- Prevedelli – preserves – DT
- R & K Honey – WS, LO
- Santa Cruz Cider – DT
- Stocking stuffers – things like persimmons, pomegranates, kiwis – DT, WS, LO
Italian goodies
Some Italian restaurants—like Seabright’s Tramonti and midtown Santa Cruz’s Sugo—have created “miniature markets” inside their dining rooms in order to sell holiday gifts. Both are posting pics on Instagram of select offerings, so it might be a good idea to browse online before shopping. Also, Aptos-based Italian restaurant Mentone has a few items that would make good gifts. Visit Tramonti (IG @tramonti_santacruz) for pre-assembled gift baskets with artisan Italian selections or a la carte items like a package of Italian chocolates or fancy balsamic vinegar. If you can manage perishable items with your gift they have a refrigerated grab and go section with things like housemade marinated artichokes, jarred housemade Italian sauce, and packaged gnocchi. Visit Sugo (IG @sugoitalianpastabar) – for packaged pasta, sauce, and Panettone, an Italian type of sweet bread that’s traditional around Christmas. Visit Mentone (IG @MentoneCA) for tee- and sweat-shirts, beanies, wine, and cocktail kits. They are also taking pre-orders for Xmas Eve dinner with add-ons like a holiday wine pack and ManresaBread cookies and granola. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention downtown Santa Cruz’s Zoccoli’s Deli, which has been in business since 1948 and is fully stocked all year long with Italian groceries including sweets. All four of these places have gift cards that you can purchase as well, either for the entire gift or to combine with other items to make your own special gift.
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