American Weekender's 2023 Food & Travel Gift Guide
A curated list of 10 vetted picks for all the food and travel lovers on your holiday shopping list. Plus, our biggest American Weekender subscription discount of the year!
Happy Thanksgiving weekend! We celebrated this year (as we did last year) with a carryout feast from Virtue, Erick Williams’ fantastic Southern American restaurant in Chicago, and we hope you ate well, too.
As the season transitions into Black Friday and holiday shopping, we’ve put together a selection of gifts that we think any American Weekender reader or like-minded traveler would appreciate. We’ve vetted each item in our gift guide, from tools that help you organize your travels, to drinks designed for sharing over the holidays, and delicious bites to inspire your next road trip. We’re sure you’ll love these gifts as much as we do.
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This newsletter wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our American Weekender Explorers and readers like you. We are thankful for your support of independent travel journalism and are looking forward to the year ahead! Now, on to the gift guide.
A taste of Maine for the hot dog enthusiast
Flo’s Relish ($8) It’s not a summer trip to Southern Maine without a visit to Cape Neddick hot dog stand Flo’s, where the signature hot dog comes topped with mayo, celery salt, and this relish. Made with onions, Worcestershire sauce, and molasses, it’s wonderfully tangy and sweet. — Amy Cavanaugh
A travel mug for coffee and cocktails
Yeti Rambler Stackable Lowball ($20) Nothing is worse than a cold cup of coffee or a watery cocktail. So when we travel, we throw two of these Yeti Rambler lowballs in our bag. They work great for your morning coffee, either sipped slowly on the porch of your Airbnb or taken in the car for a spill-proof pick-me-up. But their perfect size also works great for cocktails, keeping your dark-n-stormy ice cold by the pool or your old fashioned strong and bracing by the fire pit. — Kenney Marlatt
A Washington, D.C. favorite for the sausage lover
Half Smokes from Ben’s Chili Bowl ($55) If you know someone who’s never had the chance to tuck into a chili half-smoke at the D.C. institution Ben’s Chili Bowl there’s only one thing to do: Give the gift of sausage. Ben’s delivers nationwide and suitable gift boxes start at $55 for eight half-smokes and a pint of their beloved chili sauce. (Bring your own steamed buns.) — KM
A compact, bedside power center for techies
Anker Nano Charging Station ($66) Did I feel silly when I started traveling with a power strip? I did. But this compact power strip solves two problems at the same time. First, the ever-growing list of charging bricks needed for your laptop, phone, iPad, Apple Watch, Kindle, and more. This thing can replace all of them. Second, even in 2023 we still come across hotel rooms and Airbnbs that lack outlets on both sides of the bed. Never fear, the Anker Nano Charging Station has a 5-foot extension cord. I never leave home without it. — KM
A small country ham for those in the know
Petite Country Ham from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse ($69) You may have seen country ham from Edwards served in some of America’s finest restaurants and now you can have it at home. While it’s great for a holiday dinner, we love cutting slices for sandwiches loaded with shredded lettuce, pickles, and Duke’s mayo. Plus, the small size is easy to tuck into refrigerators already loaded with holiday leftovers. — KM
Do you have some great gifts you plan on giving this year? Have the inside track on something else our readers would love to know about? Share them with everyone in the comments!
The perfect white sneakers for traveling in comfort
Allbirds Tree Pipers ($105) Earlier this year I started looking for a pair of white sneakers that would work for any traveling scenario - something I could wear to the gym or walking around all day but that I could also pair with a dress to go out to dinner. I had two further criteria: They had to be super comfortable as well as washable (white sneakers, a risky proposition!). I found the perfect pair: Allbirds Tree Pipers, which are also available in a men’s version, are sleek, supremely comfortable, and can easily be tossed into the washing machine between trips. — AC
Gold-standard Negronis for the cocktail nerd
The Negroni Sessions from Dante ($140) If there’s a better place to post up for afternoon cocktails than Dante in New York, we haven’t found it yet. Dante’s Negronis are a great gift for your most elegant friend — this box comes with four, including two personal favorites, the Chocolate Negroni and the Bianco Negroni. Rounding out the gift are an ice cube tray, illustrated coasters, matches, and Dante’s playlist to set the scene. — AC
Boutique bottles for your favorite wine lover
Ashes & Diamonds Gift Box($150) For the wine lover on your list, send them a gift box from Ashes & Diamonds. The winery takes a mid-century approach to their craft, celebrating old school flavors with a modern approach. (Their tasting room in the Napa Valley is also a beautiful place to visit.) Their gift collections start at just $150, but options that include their sought-after Cabernet Sauvignons are available if you are looking to splurge. — KM
A sleek carry-on with lots of storage for stylish travelers
The Everywhere Zip Backpack from Away($195) As someone who frequently travels with two laptops — not to mention reading materials, a wallet, and a pouch with enough random things to survive on a desert island — I wanted a sleek backpack that would help me organize everything. This fits the bill. There’s a zipped laptop section, plus for the first month I had it, I kept finding new pockets in which to tuck things. — AC
A BBQ brisket for the whole family
Franklin BBQ Whole Brisket ($270) One of my most memorable Texas experiences was going to Austin’s Franklin BBQ. My brother and sister-in-law dropped me off to get in line at 8:45am while they went to procure us iced coffees and breakfast tacos for the wait. Three hours later, we were in. But while I think the line is a rite of passage, it doesn’t have to be. You can order a 4.5- to 5-pound brisket to be shipped to your recipient along with a bottle of barbecue sauce. Sausage is optional, but why not give them the full Texas barbecue treatment? — AC
We hope you all have a lovely holiday. For more, follow us on Instagram at @AmericanWeekender. We’ll be back next week.
