Christmas tree up: check!
Mug full of hot chocolate: check!
Decorating gingerbread houses with friends: check!
Gifts for your loved ones… WAIT- YOU HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED?!
Before you know it, Santa Claus will be in town and you have a list full of family and friends who need something special for the holiday.
This year, don’t just buy a bunch of stuff of Amazon, you have lots of great options right here in town!
I’ve put together a foodie gift guide that features all local vendors so you can give your loved ones a little taste of Tucson!
(FYI: most of these items are all $25 and under so you don’t have to break the bank!)
Wild West Carniceria is known for their tasty birria, which comes in all kinds of forms including their birria bomb.
Stock up their pantry with some new tasty ingredients
Looking for the perfect gift for the chef in your life, or for someone who’s looking to improve their culinary skills? These talented Tucsonans have got your back! So many local vendors have their own hot sauces, spice mixes, and homemade jams, that are sure to add some flare to your meals.
Jabari Sauce: This hot sauce is made by three best friends who grew up in Tucson. Their hot sauce, which is made with fresno, serrano and habanero peppers, is described as a marriage between Mexican and Louisiana hot sauces.
I’d Smoke That BBQ: Here, you’ll be able to find all kinds of sweet and savory spices that are sure to add some fun flavor to any dish. Smoked spices, BBQ rubs, sugars, and honey are just a few of the goodies I’d Smoke That BBQ makes.
Mouth of the South Salsa: Add some spice to your giftee’s life with this local salsa! They have all kinds of heat levels, and salsa verdes for those who prefer green over red.
Birria bombs from Wild West Carniceria: The gift of birria is the most special of all! These pre-made bombs are perfect for those who are want to level up their kitchen game. Just pop one of these in a pot with some meat, and soon you’ll have a delicious bowl of birria in front of you. They also have a birria bomb kit that comes with one bomb, a pack of flour tortillas and a chiltepin salsa seca.
Cariño Coffee makes a Cariño blend, which has notes of caramel, citrus and chocolate.
Bring their favorite cafe to their home
2025 was the year of fun drinks. From crazy lattes to the matcha take-over, it seems like many people spent a lot of this year at their favorite cafe. Thankfully, many local coffee/tea spots sell their own blends, making the perfect gifts for your caffeine-addicted friends.
Loose leaf tea and mugs from Scented Leaf: Scented Leaf is always packed for a reason: their tea is just too good! On their website, you can buy all kinds of loose leaf tea that includes flavors like prickly pear and pomegranate raspberry. They also have a 15 oz mug for $15 if your giftee is looking for a new coffee cup!
Cariño blend from Cariño Coffee: This coffee cart has some of the best drinks in town, so you just know their own blend is delicious! For the serious coffee drinkers, you can pick up the Cariño blend, which has notes of caramel, citrus and chocolate.
Coffee from Presta: You can’t think of coffee without thinking of Presta! This beloved cafe also sells all their own blends, so you can have their amazing coffee in the comfort of your own home.
Cafecito candle from Di Luna: There’s nothing like the hypnotizing smell of freshly brewed coffee. For those who want to transform their house into a cozy cafe, Di Luna has a Cafecito candle that smells like a creamy vanilla latte! Delicious!
Dirty T Tamarindo is known for its spicy versions of sweets like Gushers and gummy worms.
Everyone deserves a sweet treat
There are no shortages of sweet treats here in Tucson! There are so many local vendors that make unique goodies that taste as good as they look.
Candy and rim dip from Dirty T Tamarindo: Dirty T Tamarindo is a candy-lovers dream! They have all kinds of chamoy-covered candy, combining both sweet and spicy flavors. They also have homemade rim dip, chamoy pickle kits, and rim dip keychains so you can take your chamoy on the go!
Chocolate bars and bon bons from Tucson Chocolate Factory: Move over Willy Wonka, the Tucson Chocolate Factory is here! This local chocolatier makes the yummiest chocolate with all kinds of desert flavors. Prickly pear caramel, ancho mesquite honey, and lemon agave caramel are a few of the flavors they offer. Yes.. they have Dubai chocolate bars too!
Chocolate from Monsoon Chocolate: Monsoon Chocolate is another fan-favorite! Not only do they make the prettiest chocolate, but they have so many options like malt balls, dark chocolate bars, and chiltepin chocolate bars.
Food can be fun too!
Have a foodie friend with quirky taste? No problem! You can find lots of foodie-themed trinkets and merch from local stores that make the perfect gift.
Tote bag from Holy Focaccia: Not only does Holy Focaccia make amazing bread, they also make super cute merch! If your friend is a tote-bag lover, Holy Focaccia sells a candy-apple red bag at all their markets. Trust me, you’ll be grabbing one for yourself too.
Food-themed earrings from Las Changuis Tianguis: Fun earrings are always a good gift! Las Changuis Tianguis makes all kinds of quirky jewelry like molacajete dangly earrings, concho studs, and fruit studs. (They also have super cute drinkware and tote bags that have foodie designs on them)
Food-themed hair clips from Pink Moon Mercantile: Ditch the scrunchies and give your friends another cool way to keep their hair out of their face while cooking. Pink Moon Mercantile has various food-themed hair accessories like pasta hair clips and cherry tomato claw clips.
