The Best Father’s Day Gifts for Dads Who Love Food

My dad is very much a “steak guy.” He’s always on the lookout for cool new gear to up his grilling and broiling game and when it comes time to serve, he tends to keep things simple: Salt and pepper, maybe a glug of A1, and a big California cab. This year, I’m upgrading his plastic grocery store peppermill with this cool wood-and-stone version from father-daughter design duo Holcomb Studio, a big ol’ wagyu ribeye from D’Artagnan, and a bottle of something special from Napa. As for the A1—that’s up to him! —Kat Craddock, Editor-in-Chief/CEO

Give the gift that keeps on giving: a subscription to SAVEUR. Subscribers receive a gorgeous, glossy magazine every six months, chock-full of recipes and features everyone will love. The first issue he’ll receive is the Fall/Winter issue, filled with valuable intel for anyone who loves to cook and eat. Honestly, it’s a gift that benefits the whole family. —Ellen Fort, Senior Editor

This year I’m giving my dad the gift of good soup—or at least the starter for a good soup: Kayanoya dashi stock powder. The Japanese maker started out as a small soy sauce producer in Kyushu in 1893 and now has a whole line of condiments to its name that includes seasoned salts, aged soy sauces, and a wide variety of dashi powders. My favorite is the original, which consists of roasted flying fish and sardines in addition to the traditional dried kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes), yielding a beguilingly savory broth with whispers of smoke and sea. Dads will love having this shortcut in their back pocket to make miso soup, oyakodon, soba, rolled omelets, okonomiyaki, braised chicken, and so many more Japanese favorites. There’s also an equally flavorful vegetable-only option for vegetarian and vegan dads—both are available in a handsome gift box with your choice of wrapping paper. —Frances Kim, Digital Director

This year I’m giving my husband—and father of my children—an afternoon of peace and quiet. But also, this absolutely delicious-smelling tomato-scented candle from Nashville-based company Ranger Station. Its smell is described as “vine-ripened tomato, wet earth, dirt under your nails” and it delivers on that promise. While the beauty of this candle is that it gives “sunny day in the garden” vibes without the gardening, it also comes with a packet of tomato seeds for planting, in case he feels like getting down and dirty this summer. —Ellen Fort, Senior Editor

Dads appreciate the right tool for the right job, which is why you should get yours a proper wok to up his stir-frying game this Father’s Day. This flat-bottomed, carbon steel number from SAVEUR Selects is quick and painless to season, and the resulting nonstick surface makes it easy to slide out anything you’re cooking (might we suggest our Stir-Fried Rice Cakes, Red-Braised Chicken, or Mapo Tofu?). With the right care (hand wash only, please!), it’s got the heft and durability to last a lifetime. —Frances Kim, Digital Director

I’ve never read a book on food that elicited more belly laughs than this 2024 release by New York Times book critic Dwight Garner. Its pages go down like popcorn, and if you’re not careful, you’ll finish it sooner than you like. The book is equal parts autobiography (“I’m a big eater and have never been possessed of either an El Greco thinness or a strong impulse toward exercise”) and anthology of colorful quotes from writers and public figures (“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch,” wrote Orson Welles). Overflowing with anecdotes from seemingly every era and corner of the globe, The Upstairs Delicatessen is a clean-out-the-fridge salad of literary miscellany that tickles the brain and gets the stomach growling. For the person in your life who likes to read as much as he likes to cook, this book is an essential buy. —Benjamin Kemper, Senior Editor

My kids’-table-style cravings for hamburgers and buttery, crispy grilled cheese sandwiches have given the dads in my life plenty of practice toward perfecting them. And, after I give this stainless steel chef’s press to my favorite fatherly sandwich flippers, I expect even crispier grilled cheese sandwiches and skillet-sizzled smash burgers with crunchy and seared edges. It’s available in 8-, 13-, and a ginormous 18-ounce size—which ups dad’s game to pressing the heck out of pork chops and even coaxing a crisp out of cauliflower. According to one reviewer, these pro kitchen contraptions have “8,486 uses.” How many can you think of? —Stephanie Pancratz, Managing Director, Editorial Operations

My father-in-law hails from Southeastern Texas, where Cajun food is more ubiquitous than barbecue. For Father’s Day, I’m sending him a veritable feast of Deep South delicacies from one of my favorite spots in New Orleans, Cochon Butcher (shipped via Goldbelly). Boudin, andouille, Cajun spice, and, most importantly, gumbo, will arrive at his doorstep in Florida, just in time to celebrate the day with family. —Ellen Fort, Senior Editor

My dad has always loved to cook, but it wasn’t until recently that he became a bit of a baker—a shift I attribute to my parents’ move to rural Northern Michigan, where fresh pastries are hard to come by if you’re not making them yourself. His go-to has become scones, and he’s even started making his own cinnamon chips to emulate the ones he used to get at his favorite coffee chain back in the day. (He’s also been a Starbucks fan since before it was a thing.) And while no one needs something as specific as a scone pan to bake scones (a baking sheet will do nicely), I can already envision how delighted my dad will be at the professional uniformity and even browning this pan will lend them. And unlike most single-purpose kitchen gadgets, so frequently relegated to the back of the cupboard for all eternity, I think he’ll actually use it. —Alex Testere, Senior Editor

The greatest gift you can give someone is the time to free-read before a great meal. So for Father’s Day, I’m handing my husband my favorite recent read in food fiction: Piglet by Lottie Hazell. Twisty, compelling, and full to the brim with irresistible food descriptions, it’s a book that demands to be puzzled out in heated conversation, preferably over a bottle of great wine while sitting on the porch on a hot summer night after the kiddo has been put to bed. (Bottle of choice: the gorgeous and delicate rosé from Souleil Wines.) —Jessica Carbone, Contributing Editor

The term “wood-roasted” was what initially prompted me to sample Portland, Maine’s Speckled Ax. Their bold packaging—specially designed to look and feel like a traditional matchbox, down to the faux strike strip and slide-out inner tray—makes each bag of coffee feel like a work of art. Beyond the enchanting look, it turns out the unique roaster (one of only a handful in the U.S. using wood fire) is making some exceptional coffee as well. This gift box is for the dad who appreciates the precision of grinding his own beans (and cooking over a live fire). —Toni-Ann Gardiner, Brand Partnerships Lead

These beautifully designed flasks aren’t meant to be hidden away—not for long, anyway. They’re vacuum-insulated and capable of keeping drinks piping hot or ice cold, and they come with two built-in tumblers so you can raise a glass with a special someone. With a 750-milliliter capacity, High Camp Flasks fit any standard bottle of wine or liquor, and can easily manage a batch of Negronis or enough lemonade to last you an entire afternoon at the beach. If your dad likes to spend time outdoors, the stainless steel construction will keep the drinks safe and secure until it’s time to take that first sip. —Ryan McCarthy, Editorial Assistant

Neither my husband, nor my father, spends much time in the kitchen, but they both enjoy eating, and lingering with family at the dinner table. Since Father’s Day falls right at the beginning of summer, I’d like to give a gift the whole family can enjoy together, in the form of a Pick Your Pints ice cream pack from Salt & Straw. Not only does the Portland, Oregon-based maker nail the classics, but they also debut intriguing new flavors every month, including collaborations with small businesses like Diaspora Co., whose spices are used in their pistachio with saffron and rose water flavor. I’m definitely going to include the salted, malted, chocolate chip cookie dough for myself when I put in my order and pretend I thought it was my husband’s favorite flavor. —Fatima Khawaja, Contributing Editor

My dad has always been hard to shop for. Years ago Father’s Day gifts were always golf equipment, cooking gear, or historical novels. As he’s gotten older, his need for physical gifts has lessened, but he's never stopped having a thirst for learning new things—which is why a subscription to MasterClass is a perfect fit. He can take courses with all kinds of pros, from space exploration with Chris Hadfield, the former commander of the International Space Station, to Texas-style BBQ with Aaron Franklin, the owner of Austin’s legendary Franklin Barbecue. —Thomas Payne, Photography Director