Make Them Merry: Best Local Holiday Gift Shopping for Your Host

Be the best guest this holiday. Instead of showing up empty handed, stop and shop for a bite, bottle or trinket to bring to your host at one of these San Diego County businesses. Santa would be proud! Yelp knows the local place to find a few generous gifts this season.

The Curious Fork, Del Mar

For true coffee lovers, a well-crafted brew isn’t just a luxury -- it’s a daily necessity. So any self-respecting coffee connoisseur would love you forever if you gifted them with a bag of coveted Blue Bottle Coffee Beans. The Curious Fork is the only place South of LA to snag these Oakland-based, hipster coffee roasters whose reverence for the craft has built them a loyal following since its 2004 inception. This gluten-free heaven stocks gifts and gadgets to please any chef, too.

Solo, Solana Beach

Modern interior design products, stunning stationary and a range of collections are among the trinkets stocked in this urban warehouse of South Cedros. Here you will discover the perfect item to wow any party you attend. You’ll find 14-hour dripless candles, European soaps from Lafco and Lepi de Provence as well as much more at this one-stop shop for gifts. This place even has holiday cards and fine wrapping papers to give your present full festive flair.

Pizza Port Bottle Shop, Carlsbad

Chances are your party planner loves a local craft brew, and the go to spot to snag a San Diego label is this location in the village. Yelpers report the selection is extensive: but don’t be overwhelmed by the over 600 bottle choices. Brad Vint, the shop manager, will hop to help you and provide plenty of assistance and recommendations. If your event is a casual one, why not place an order next door for their famous pizza to bring along to your event as well!

Polite Provisions, University Heights

Provide the drink lover in your life a bartending must-have from one of the nation’s leading libation experts. Earlier this year, cocktail guru Erick Castro of Polite Provisions; recently named ‘Best American High-Volume Cocktail Bar’ in worldwide cocktail festival, Tales of the Cocktail; unveiled a highly anticipated retail store. It’s a one-stop-shop for all bar-keeping needs, Castro went to great lengths to handpick and source an assortment of quality bar tools, bitters and books.

Venissimo Cheese, Downtown, Mission Hills, Del Mar

Your host will adore you if you pick up extra nibbles to nosh on, and you can’t go wrong with cheeses from Venissimo. Bring a party platter or gift basket -- both are available with a 24-hour notice. This shop also designed a fantastic collection of boxes from all over the world by price, style, wine pairing and country of origin in mind. If you’d rather select a non-food item, grab the gift of supplies: You’ll find a selection of cheese knife sets, boards and accessories.

San Diego Wine Company, Miramar

Be the guest that makes your host merry by picking up a bottle of wine here! Owners Matt and Jonette Francke are San Diego natives and their wine shop is a great chance to shop a small business. Their team tastes each wine before they decide to sell it, so they can assure your chosen bottle will be a party hit. They stock their location full of hundreds of moderately-priced bottles on wine, and they host tastings every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., so you can try possible purchases for yourself.

Trish Sanderson is the community manager and marketing director for Yelp North County San Diego. She leads the local community of Yelp reviewers both online and off.

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