The 18 Best Gifts for Moms Who Love Food

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and we know the options can feel endless. Yes, there are the usual suspects: a last-minute restaurant reservation, a bouquet, that candle you’ve gifted three years in a row now. This year, we wanted to do better, so we asked the food-lovers on Team SAVEUR what they actually want to buy for the motherly figures in their lives, and what the moms among us are hoping to unwrap.

What rose to the top? Gifts at the intersection of beauty and function: the kinds of things that a home cook reaches for on both special occasions and for everyday use, and the things that give a little thrill every time you use them. Think: elegant bottles of bubbly (both low-ABV and regular-strength), a cutting board to keep her prized knives razor-sharp, or a set of martini glasses worthy of a proper celebration. Whether you’re shopping for the mom that has everything, or the one that hesitates to splurge on herself, these are the picks we’re genuinely excited to gift and receive. To make the day even more special, do her a favor—set the table, cook something wonderful, and let her sit back and relax. For some inspiration, don’t miss our best Mother’s Day brunch recipes.

Cul Sec Natural N/A Wines

For moms-to-be—or anyone who loves an elegant, food-friendly wine but prefers to take it easy on the booze—the botanical beverages from Cul Sec are a revelation. Made from organic wine grapes and other lacto-fermented ingredients (think rhubarb and black currant), and infused with botanicals, these bottles aren’t technically alcohol-free, but at under 0.5 percent, they land much closer to kombucha than California Cab. 

I’m especially taken with the fizzy skin-contact L’Etable Fumé and will be bringing a bottle back home to share with my mom. A blend of French Viognier and Sauvignon and German Bacchus grapes, plus fermented peach and celeriac, apricot, cèpes, chamomile, verbena, and meadowsweet, the dry amber juice is loaded with orchard fruit, mineral, and hay notes and a just enough tannic grip. It’s lovely alongside a punchy cheese and charcuterie board, mushroom risotto, or smoky barbecued spare ribs. (And the bottle is pretty enough to stand in for a Mother’s Day bouquet.) —Kat Craddock, Editor-in-Chief/CEO

Grind Gourmet Travel Salt and Pepper Grinder Set

For the on-the-go mom who makes no compromises and strives to taste each taste, this travel salt and pepper grinder set is the perfect addition to an everyday purse. Its heavy-duty, stainless-steel components are thumb-operated for quick, one-handed seasoning, and a canvas carrying sleeve protects any handbag contents from lingering spicy dust. The 4-inch set ships ready to flavor with Australian sea salt and peppercorns, but you can certainly reinforce your appreciation with a sachet of your favorite finishing salt or bold peppercorns. —Stephanie Pancratz, Managing Director, Editorial Operations

Stankonia × Portrait Coffee Collection

If a mother in your life has spent the past few decades bouncing to OutKast’s “Stankonia,” there’s still time to nab a bag of limited-edition beans from this 25th anniversary collab with Atlanta’s West End roaster Portrait Coffee—the perfect consumable to wake her up in style (or apologize to Ms. Jackson). Although it’s tempting to display the cute package as a keepsake, the smooth, medium blend of Rwandan and Colombian beans has notes of brown sugar, green apple, and strawberries and deserves to be enjoyed. For a more permanent kitchen fixture, add a “Stankonia” diner mug in honor of that worn-out CD. —Stephanie Pancratz, Managing Director, Editorial Operations

Simply Donabe: Japanese One-Pot Recipes

My mom and I are donabe rice loyalists. Sure, we’ll break out the rice cooker when we’re feeding a crowd, but the Japanese clay pot is our go-to vessel for weeknight grains—the texture and the nurungji (scorched rice) are unbeatable. While the donabes we got from Los Angeles’ Toiro Kitchen are still going strong, we’re always looking for fresh ideas for what to do with them. Enter Toiro owner Naoko Takei Moore’s new cookbook, Simply Donabe. It’s brimming with mouthwatering recipes that make the most of the earthenware that Moore helped put on the map in the U.S., including a simple tamago-gayu (egg porridge), DIY anko (sweet adzuki bean paste), and a striking plant-based mille-feuille nabe made with tofu and daikon. Moore helpfully lists the type of equipment you need for each dish—and provides an alternative for those without a donabe. If you count your mom in that group, this Mother’s Day is the perfect time to make her a convert. —Frances Kim, Digital Director

Flamingo Estate Green Goddess Duo

If mom has ever walked through her herb garden with arms outstretched, joyfully running her hands through the basil, mint, and rosemary plants as she passes, then she is guaranteed to love this candle and bar soap set from luxury brand Flamingo Estate. The scent is exactly that: an uncannily green aroma that transports you directly to the sun-kissed summer garden. Lush and intoxicating, it’s perfect for the mom who can’t wait to get her hands back into the dirt this gardening season. —Alex Testere, Senior Editor 

Hawkins New York Ribbed Martini Glass

My aunt Barbara has always been like a second mother to me, and I never miss the chance to wish her a happy Mother’s Day. She also has impeccable taste when it comes to a good cocktail. When I spoke to her on her birthday this year, she told me her ideal celebration is simple: a great burger and a perfectly made martini. It felt like the right moment to upgrade her glassware. These ribbed martini glasses from Hawkins New York make the perfect gift—a small but significant way to toast how much she means to me. —Thomas Payne, Visuals Director

Mariana Velásquez x Sur La Table Pasta Bowls

This set of pasta bowls by SAVEUR contributor Mariana Velásquez features a series of distinct floral designs, each one able to stand on its own while harmonizing with the rest. The mix of patterns creates a layered, artful table and elevates everyday meals into something more considered. They feel especially personal to me. My mom loved collecting dishware, and I can imagine these would easily find a place on her table, set out for long dinners with friends and family. —Thomas Payne, Visuals Director

Ipac Standing Spreader Knife

If your mom already owns every sensible kitchen essential, consider this delightfully unnecessary upgrade. Equal parts sculpture and utensil, it wobbles politely back into an upright position after each swipe, sparing countertops from buttery smears and adding a bit of tabletop melodrama in the process. Is it essential? Absolutely not. Will she love it anyway? Almost certainly. Pair it with a vintage toast rack and a very good loaf of bread, and suddenly you’ve gifted her a whole breakfast ritual—one that feels a touch more civilized than standing over the sink with a knife and a dream. —Toni-Ann Gardiner, Brand Partnerships

Kama-Asa Knife Friendly Black Cutting Board

My mom is fiercely protective of her knives, most of which she picked up in Ohio, Spain, and other places on her travels. This sleek cutting board is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate, which is softer than plastic and helps those blades retain their edges. It’s also easier to disinfect than wooden cutting boards—something any mom who’s ever worried about contamination will appreciate. As a bonus, it looks great, and just about any ingredient pops against its obsidian-hued surface. I also love to support Kama-Asa, which has a shop in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. It seeks out and supports artisan craftsmen and metalworkers in Japan to help them perpetuate their crafts. —Diana Hubbell, Senior Associate Editor

Gearharts Fine Chocolates

My mother-in-law has a fierce sweet tooth. During dinner dates, she would tell her husband to order his own dessert whenever he encroached, even if only for a bite. So now we make sure she gets a large assorted box from Geartharts, Charlottesville’s artisan chocolatier, right down the road from where she lives. Her favorite piece? The mint julep. Does she share? No comment. —Shane Mitchell, Editor-at-Large

Big Night Aperitivo Spoons Set

If the mother in your life loves to assemble the perfect cheese and charcuterie board, then this set is for her. It includes three petite acetate spoons that are ideal for all manner of jams, jellies, and honey, or serving snacks like olives and nuts. They come in a reusable tin, which is great for storage and also makes for easy transport in case mom wants to take them on-the-go. Big Night also carries a set of spreaders that would make a great companion gift to this snacky set. —Madison Trapkin, Contributing Editor

Intentionally Blank Fun Mom Dad Cap

As a new mom, this dad cap from L.A.-based designer Intentionally Blank was the first treat I bought for myself after my daughter was born. It’s practical with a touch of whimsy, which is the Platonic ideal of accessories in my opinion. It’s available in nine playful colors, including an option called Chocolate Pink that’s reminiscent of Neapolitan ice cream. —Madison Trapkin, Contributing Editor

Sur La Table Cooking Class

You know what your mom really wants? To spend more time with you. The woman put in decades of unpaid labor to raise you, the least you can do is find it in your heart and busy schedule to organize a proper hang. And let’s be clear, this is not something she needs—I am sure she is a great cook. This is about making memories as much as it is making food. —Russ Smith, Consulting Creative Director

Champagne Taittinger Prestige Rosé

Few bottles feel as instantly right for the occasion as this one. Pale pink and easygoing, it has notes of raspberry, cherry, and black currant, with fine bubbles that keep everything light and refreshing. This is exactly the bottle you want on the brunch table, poured alongside pastries, fresh fruit, and other standbys. Whether you’re gathering the whole family or keeping it nice and cozy, the day will feel celebratory from the first sip to the last. —Ryan McCarthy, Assistant Editor, Operation & Engagement

Watts in Maine Skinny Catch Cuff

My mom has always been a jewelry junkie, and this bracelet is an atypical addition to her already stacked collection. Created from the tool lobstermen use to determine if their catch is a keeper, the Skinny Catch Cuff is sleek with a subtle callback to our state’s deepest roots. The maker also has a pendant that’s a replica of the tool used to measure oysters. If your mom loves seafood and the semiprecious, this is a one-stop shop. —Emma Simard, Copy Editor 

Alessi La Conica Coffee Maker

My mother loves nothing more than her children and a great cup of coffee—kind of like myself. Alessi has the most beautiful accessories and tableware that serve as pieces of art when not in use. La Conica is an elevated stovetop coffee maker that feels like the right splurge for the best woman in your life. —Fatima Khawaja, Contributing Editor

Bakhoor Burner

Growing up, my mother always burnt bakhoor, a type of incense, in our house on Fridays. It was a ritual associated with cleansing but it also got rid of cooking smells. I think this elegant marble incense burner would be the perfect gift for her. The emerald green color is so gorgeous and makes lighting incense a visual experience. I know she’ll display it proudly in the entrance of her house. —Fatima Khawaja, Contributing Editor

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