The halls are decked and the snow is now blanketing the ground, but do you still need some holiday shopping ideas for the foodie in your life, or even for yourself (I won’t judge)? Well, look no further. I have developed this gift guide to help you navigate some of my favourite locations in Simcoe County where you can pick up some tasty treats this holiday season.
During the pandemic, shopping local and supporting small businesses became more important than ever, but now that things are returning back to some semblance of normalcy (a.k.a. “precedented times”), I urge you to continue supporting small businesses. Although many local businesses appear to be thriving, many of them are still working behind the scenes to recover debt from the previous years.
Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and have so much to offer, including unique items that you just can’t find in big box stores.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I hope you enjoy some of my local favourites. Happy shopping friends!
To Eat
There are no shortage of edible gift ideas in Simcoe County so let's jump right into it!
Olive Oil Co., (Website, Instagram, Facebook) is one of my favourite places to buy gifts. Over the holidays, they have three locations in Barrie (South Barrie and a pop-up at the Georgian Mall), as well as locations in Midland, Orillia, Newmarket and they also offer easy online ordering and delivery all over Canada. They have dozens of gift-set options, starting as low as $12 for a small oil and vinegar set. Some of my current favourites are their gourmet gift baskets oil and the "Italian dinner set" .You can also create your own set of items and have them package them in one of their gorgeous and hassle free lantern boxes to save you some time wrapping.
J’adore Fine Cheese and Chocolates (Website, Instagram, Facebook) in Barrie is another one of my favorite “one stop shopping” spots for specialty foods that are perfect for gifting, charcuterie boards and handmade chocolate. If that’s not enough, they also have a bottle shop! There’s truly something for any foodie on your list here and if you’re looking for a custom cheese plate, they can do that too!
Dwn Chocolate Website, Facebook, Instagram in Orillia is one of my favourite unique chocolate makers in the area. One of the things that set Dwn apart from other chocolate shops is that the make their own chocolate from scratch by grinding the cocoa nibs versus melting pre-made chocolate. This allows more flexibility in the flavouring her chocolate, for example, soaking the nibs in rum to make a seasonal Eggnog bar, as well as the ability to create many unique dairy-free options. To read more about Dwn Chocolate, visit my blog post, "Dwn Craft Chocolatier: Unique, Handcrafted, Local".
YF Patissier Chocolatier (Website, Facebook, Instagram) is an amazing shop in Creemore that sells the very best hand crafted pastries and chocolates in the area. Stop by and treat yourself to one of their mouthwatering baked goods and pick up some decadent treats for the chocolate lover in your life.
Royaltea on King (Website, Facebook, Instagram) is a traditional British tea room located in Midland. They also house a small but well stocked grocery area featuring British imports. For me, a perfect day of holiday shopping would include stopping for a tea and then visiting their store to pick up some tasty treats for the British food lover in your life.
I have been a Simcoe Harvest (Website, Instagram, Facebook) customer since they were first borne out of Covid necessity and they now offer weekly delivery of over 1000 local products from over 100 local farmers and artisans to Angus, Barrie, Midurst, Minesing, Stayner, Oro, Wasaga, Collingwood, Innisfil, Thornton, Cookstown, Alliston and Bradford. Although you can sign up for weekly deliveries, like I do, you can also place a one-time order and enjoy delivery right to your door the following week! Check them out and order some great local products to create your own gift baskets for the foodie in your life.
Cheesy Corner (Website, Instagram, Facebook) in Stayner not only sells a wonderful variety of artisan cheeses for excellent prices, but they also offer an assortment of charcuterie boards and other specialty food items. The thing that really makes them stand out is their assortment of Canadian hot sauces, in fact, they have over 300 varieties! This unique little spot is definitely worth the drive to Stayner!
The Gorgeous Spice Co. (Website, Instagram, Facebook) is a small business out of Creemore that I absolutely love. You can order individual spice packages or monthly subscriptions. This holiday season, they are offering 3, 6 or 12 month gift subscriptions on their website where the recipients receive two of their spices a month (one pure spice and one blend). I not only love their creative spice blends, but also the recipes, playlists and fun monthly e-newsletters. Be sure to check out their website and read about their unique blends and delicious recipes, sure to please any foodie in your life.
This one may come as a bit of a surprise, but my next recommendation is actually The 400 Market in Innisfil (Website, Instagram, Facebook). If you take the time to explore their over 100 000sq feet of shopping space, you’ll find they have an incredible assortment of food related items. Some of my favourite non-perishables include kitchen supplies including cast iron and enamel pots at Your Kitchen Outfitters and Honey from Innisfil Creek. I also love how community minded the management at the market is, offering registered charities and farmers space for no charge. Right now, they have a beautiful set up with Santa on weekends where you can visit and take photos of your kiddos, also for no charge!
Other favourites in this category include….
McComish's Wee British Shoppe (Orillia) - Website
To Drink
Now let’s move onto the beverage category. Simcoe county has lots of local beverage options, for coffee and tea lovers, as well as for those who like their beverages with a bit of a kick.
Heritage Estate Winery and Cidery (Website, Facebook, Instagram) in Barrie sells wine, sangria, sparkling wine and cider, with something to suit every palate. It’s a beautiful spot to visit, right on the outskirts of Barrie so why not book a tour or tasting while you’re there...all in the name of quality control of course.
Duntroon Cyder House Website, Facebook, Instagram is a cidery offering local ciders from the orchards on site. They also have a small store where, among the shelves, you’ll find some of the best local and seasonal products the community has to offer. They also offer seasonal activities, including snowshoeing and their “Winter Utopia” which includes fireplaces, a dome where you can sample their ciders before purchasing. To learn more about Duntroon Cyder house, visit my blog post, Duntroon Cyder House: A Four Season Destination in Simcoe County.
Heretic Spirits (Website, Facebook, Instagram) is a local Collingwood distillery that produces vodka, gin and the
occasional unique release. As Georgian Bay's first craft distillery, purchasing their products is a great way to support local this holiday season. You can shop online or find them at an LCBO near you.
The Wheeled Brew Craft Bottle Shop (Website, Facebook, Instagram) is a sweet little bottle shop in downtown Barrie that offers beer, wine, cider and seltzers (many of them local) that are not found at the LCBO. They also offer craft beer subscriptions for the beer lover in your life, available in 1, 3 or 6 month options. It’s a great spot where you are always greeted with a smile and definitely worth checking out!
Blue Mountain Tea Company (Website, Facebook, Instagram) in Collingwood is my favourite local spot to pick up tea and teaware accessories. They offer a variety of over 160 loose leaf teas, sorted by type, function and taste. Some of my favourites include their Cream of Earl Grey and Coconut Milk Oolong. If you’re not local, they also offer convenient shipping options.
Other favourites in this category include….
For the Kitchen
No foodie’s home is complete without an array of functional and beautiful kitchenware. I also like to have these types of gifts on hand for host gifts.
Another favourite find of mine is local potter, Nathalie Morin of Halie Argile in Elmvale (Website, Facebook, Instagram). I recently purchased two of her “Jupiter Mugs” as well as a carafe and two tumblers that I am slightly obsessed with. If you’re shopping for a pottery lover, be sure to check out this incredible local artisan.
Willow Tree Collectables (Website, Facebook, Instagram) is a maker of unique rustic items located in Coldwater. I have two beautiful 1860 barnboard wood charcuterie boards that I purchased from Erin, and have many of her handmade kitchen items on my wish-list.
Oh Beehive Website, Facebook, Instagram is a small business in Barrie featuring sustainable, eco-friendly household and kitchen products including reusable shopping, bread, produce and snack bags and beeswax food wraps. In my opinion, there are the perfect practical and unique gift for any adult on your list.
Other favourites in this category include….
Experiences
One of my favourite things to give and receive on special occasions are experiences. Consider supporting local foodie experiences by purchasing gift cards from locations like Collingwood Food Tours (Website, Facebook, Instagram).
Food tours are something that I often do while travelling, but there’s so much to see and do in our own backyard, why not give someone the experience of being a local tourist while supporting local at the same time!
For the aspiring chef, why not invest in a cooking class? A Taste of Soul (Website, Instagram) is a small business out of Wasaga Beach run by husband and wife team Gwyn Beaver and Shawn Pitre. Gwyn, who is originally from Texas, wanted to bring Southern cooking to the Simcoe County area and developed a unique business model that offers food, fun and education including cooking classes. To read more about A Taste of Soul, visit my blog post, "A Little Bit of Soul in Wasaga Beach".
Other favourites in this category include….
Gift Cards
As so many food related items are perishable, consider purchasing gift certificates to a favourite restaurant, cafe or bakery. The options are endless!
With that, this year's edition of “My Food Adventures Holiday Gift Guide For Foodies” has come to its conclusion. I’d love to hear your local favourites as well, feel free to share in the comment section below.
Additionally, if you're looking for other ways to get into the festive spirit this holiday season, be sure to check out my blog post, "Exploring the Magic of the Holidays in Simcoe County" for information about some of the best festive activities in the region this winter.
Wishing you all a wonderful season full of food adventures!