Your Last-Minute Guide to Picking up a Host Gift in Philly for That Holiday Party Tonight
From Center City to Northeast to South Jersey, our go-to Philly shops for when you were just invited to a party — or you dropped the ball and forgot, and now the party is tonight.
Last-minute gifts at Reading Terminal Market / Photograph by Laura Swartz
You were just invited to a party — or you dropped the ball and forgot, and now the party is tonight. You need to bring something that makes it look like you have your life together and are a thoughtful member of society who give thoughtful gifts.
We’ve all been there, so the Philly Mag staff decided to share our favorite shops and last-minute gifts we keep in our back pocket for this very problem. We all pitched in and jotted down our ideas in a collab Google doc, which felt true to the spirit of this guide: a mad dash for gifts that somehow still turns out nice and ends with you in a sparkly holiday outfit toasting the season.
Enswell
1528 Spruce Street, Rittenhouse
Last time I had a party and life got in the way of me buying a timely gift, Enswell was my hero. Unlike a lot of stores, they’re open late since they’re actually a restaurant. (Yes, I went and bought my gift at 8:30 p.m. the night of the party, mind your business.) Their front-of-house has a bottle shop stocked with locally made spirits from New Liberty Distillery, as well as coffee from Rival Bros. That’s because Enswell is a collab between those two Philly faves. Right now, Rival has bags of their holiday blend, Ugly Sweater, bagged up front, and they’ll even grind the beans for you if you ask nicely. — Laura Swartz
The bottle shop at the front of Enswell / Photograph by Jason Varney
Le Souk
7952 Oxford Ave, Northeast Philly
You find yourself driving north out of the city, late as usual. Your partner — whom you love and admire but in this moment is about to turn into something very far from loveable and admirable — turns to you and says “Did you bring a gift?” Of course you didn’t bring a gift — it’s their friend’s party! That’s their responsibility! The wheel grows heavy in your hands. Then you remember this very article. This one you’re reading right this instant. Confidently and not without proper smugness you steer the car to Le Souk, in Fox Chase. You remember that they make the baklawa daily, and that you should try the burma variety: rolled, not layered. Creamy Algerian deglet nour dates, smoked watermelon seeds, salted pistachios roasted in-house, all stationed around the store in huge barrels, ripe for sneaking a taste. Maybe grab a bottle of intensely fresh Palestinian olive oil and a pomegranate molasses if you’re suddenly feeling generous. You head back to the car. The wheel is light. And you’re extraordinarily late. — Bradford Pearson
Mecha Chocolate
1618 East Passyunk Avenue, East Passyunk; 7 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield
When I think of what to get someone I opt for a box of chocolates from Mecha Chocolate in Haddonfield (or their new location on East Passyunk). Honestly, who doesn’t love chocolate? And what a sweet adventure it is to sample from a bunch of different kinds of ornately designed caramels, ganaches and pralines. Variety is the spice of life! You can build a custom box with some of their greatest hits like their signature fleur de sel salted caramel or the hazelnut ganache. If choosing from 50 different kinds of chocolates is overwhelming you can go with pre-made seasonal boxes or the chocolatier crafted wine pairing boxes. — Kae Lani Palmisano
Flourish Market
2227 Grays Ferry Avenue, Grad Hospital
Flourish Market is a treasure trove for those who want to give locally made or sustainable gifts. At any given time, you might find vintage glassware, candles created in collaboration with Cork & Candles, Philly-themed goodies, and pretty paper products. Pick up a Philly Special cutting board, small-batch herbal teas, and raw honeycomb, and your host will think you’re too sweet. — Kristen Schott
Frangelli’s
847 West Ritner Street, South Philly
If you’ve ever been to Frangelli’s before, it’s probably because you read something somewhere about their frannoli, their cannoli-cream stuffed donut. Yes, it’s good. Yes, it would be perfectly acceptable and even wise of you to walk into any party with six frannolis tucked under your arm, ready to be devoured by friends and frenemies alike. But I’m going to ask you to ignore those treats for right now and steer your eyes to the display in the back of the shop. There you’ll find Frangelli’s Italian rum cake, the one whose deliciousness and richness and rumness will soon be attached to you forever. “Is Jessica bringing the rum cake?” they’ll ask politely, but with a hint of begging on their voice. “Oh, how I miss the rum cake,” they’ll wail. You will, of course, return again and again with this rum cake, Jessica, at which point you’ll be hoisted upon the shoulders of your hosts and paraded through the party. “RUM CAKE,” they’ll scream as they lick the box clean and dream of next year’s party. — B.P.
Hit up James by Jimmy DeLaurentis for a last-minute host gift. / Photograph by Chris Koontz / ChrisKPhotography
James by Jimmy DeLaurentis
114 South 19th Street, Rittenhouse
Make your host’s home and body smell a little nicer with scented candles and soaps from James by Jimmy DeLaurentis. Or make your host a better bartender with cocktail recipe books and bottles of wine and spirits. Or take a look around all the fabulous objects on display and drop hints to your friends about what you would like for Christmas. — Sandy Smith
Pretty Green
1116 South Street, Bella Vista
When you show up at a dinner party or holiday gathering with a gorgeous terrarium, people don’t soon forget you. They have ready-made, as well as terrarium kits. I’ve purchased both as gifts. — Victor Fiorillo
Salt & Vinegar
905 Christian Street, South Philly
Salt & Vinegar’s selection of food, drinks and gifts is perfect for pulling together a delicious little package of gourmet treats that’ll make you a hit at the party. Tinned fish? Check. Fishtown Pickle Project pickles? Also yes. Sauces, spreads, teas, cheeses? All of it! And most of their vendors are local, so that Aaji’s tomato lonza or Liberty Kitchen marinated mozz becomes a conversation piece. Bonus for Center City shoppers: They opened a satellite location in Dilworth Park this past September. — L.S.
Rescue Spa
1811 Walnut Street, Rittenhouse
Give your host the gift of at-home pampering with goodies from Rescue Spa. The ground-level of the swanky Rittenhouse spa is a one-stop shop for skincare and beauty. We’re talking cleansers, toners, face masks, bath soaks, top-of-the-line makeup products, perfume and cologne, loungewear, slippers, candles — we could go on and on. Overwhelmed? We recommend the Cerabalm from owner Danuta Mieloch’s clean-beauty line Danucera — it’s super hydrating (perfect for this time of year!) and good for all skin types. — Laura Brzyski
Reading Terminal Market
1135 Arch Street, Market East
RTM for gifting? Groundbreaking. But right now, they are set up to make your last-minute gift grab as seamless as possible. They set up a gifting station where you can bring anything you’ve purchased in the market, or pick out pre-made baskets, Philly trinkets, and more goodies. They’ll make you a package and wrap it with a bow to make it look like you really planned this all out. Even better? A Pennsylvania spirits shop up front has a fantastic selection. Slap that whiskey with a bow and call it a day. — L.S.
The PA spirits shop at Reading Terminal Market is perfect for last-minute gifts. / Photograph by Laura Swartz
Bespoke
817 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood
For the plant daddies (and mommies) in your life check out Bespoke in Collingswood. It’s part plant shop, part studio, and all home decor inspiration. Every corner of this store is so stylish and homey, it’s easy to imagine yourself living there. Their collection of plants is the main attraction. They have everything that hardcore plant lovers aspire to own from exotic Tillandsia air plants to classic fiddle-leaf figs. Now, whenever the host goes to water the plant you bought them, they’ll remember how thoughtful you are and not how you scrambled to purchase a gift last-minute. — K.L.P.
Open House
107 South 13th Street, Midtown Village
It’s right in the name of the store: Open House is one of my go-tos for party gifts, housewarmings, really anything that requires a little something. They have home goods, jewelry, and even baby gifts — and lots of Philly-themed stuff — at varying price points, so you’ve got a range of options depending on how fancy you want to get. My pick from there right now: This Philly Soft Pretzel candle. Who doesn’t want their house to smell like that? — L.S.
Paper on Pine
1310 Sansom Street, Midtown Village
If your host can’t get enough of their hometown, pick up a Philly-themed laser-cut wooden ornament at stationery shop Paper on Pine. The hand-painted hangables feature designs bearing Gritty’s visage (our fave) or the LOVE sign — buy all six for a true holiday collection. Beyond that, Paper on Pine is an obvious choice for paper goods like pocket notebooks, recipe books and notecard sets. — K.S.
Finally — and this should come as no surprise from a group of writers — we got several staff votes for bookstores:
- Giving a book as a gift is a really thoughtful gesture. At Ida’s Bookshop in Collingswood the staff are really good at helping you choose the right book for the right occasion. Does the host like to cook? Get them a cookbook. Are they planning a big trip next year? Get them a wanderlusty travelogue. And when you buy a book from Ida’s, they wrap it in twine with a few sprigs of lavender and a bookmark – a small touch that adds to the book’s presentation. Also, for the socially conscious host, buying a book from a Black woman-owned shop that’s very community focused is a bonus gift. — K.L.P.
- Does your host love to read? Does she have kids with curious minds? Would she appreciate a gift that celebrates Black, or queer, or intellectual culture? Then stop by Germantown’s Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books on Market Square for titles and merchandise you won’t find at most other bookstores. — S.S.
- When I don’t know what to get someone, I get them a book. (Well, one for them, one for me.) My Queen Village and Queen Village-adjacent picks: Wooden Shoe, Brickbat, Head House, Mostly Books, Molly’s Books & Records, and Giovanni’s Room. — Shaunice Ajiwe
