We still have no idea what Christmas is going to look like this year. Will London witness its annual purge as people flock abroad and to the countryside to be with family or will we all be stuck with our current household? Planning this day of feasting is going to be tough!
But we think food and drink hampers will always have a place, no matter what your big Christmas do looks like. Just don’t go for the super basic ones – they come full of cheap nonsense that no one wants to try.
Those nasty mince pies and random chutneys will simply make their way to the back of the cupboard, where they’ll live for years. Get your friends and family some stuff they’ll want to have immediately. Or get some of these for yourself – forming a big part of your Christmas day eating and drinking.
Quality Chop House
We’d buy these hampers for the pork pies alone – they are sensational! We could eat these all day long on Christmas day. That and their mince pies too. But that’s not all you have in these hampers.
The £50 hamper also comes with Quality Chop House granola, plum jam, piccalilli as well as a fig & walnut chutney. You can then go for the big £100 hampers with additional bubbles, Christmas pudding, and a bunch of other snacking bits.
Add some of their famous big meat pies and sausage rolls (cooked or cook-at-home) as well as a DIY cooking kit for two if you’re looking to have a full-on meaty Christmas day.
Wright Brothers
Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a Champagne and smoked salmon appetiser while you open presents. Or at least that’s how we feel. It is glorious. And we can think of no better place to get this from, other than the Spitalfields-based Wright Brothers.
Their indulgent Christmas seafood hamper is all you need, either as a gift or for yourselves. For £95, you get a full Side of smoked salmon (1-1.5kg), Beetroot gravadlax (200g), Smoked Mackerel Fillets (170g), Smoked Kippers (320g), some Horseradish Sauce, Dill & Mustard Sauce and the obligatory bottle of Champagne. But Wright Brothers have so much more on offer – check out their huge selection of Christmas hampers and platter boxes via their online store (expect massive lobsters, dozens of oysters, prawns for days and whole fillets of fish). You don’t need to escape to the seaside to get all the best festive seafood treats!
Borough Market
Each year, we gawk over the Borough Market Christmas hampers, but this year’s options are just that much better. Yes, they still have your stock standard hampers full of mulled wine, crackers, cheese and jams but this produce is proper. Quality ingredients is what this historical market is all about. But, now that Borough Market delivers all around London, you can now practically build your own hamper.
Order your own Christmas turkey from Wyndham House Poultry, cheese from over 10 different cheesemongers, boozy bits from wine importers and microbreweries, and a whole series of extra glam bits from other traders. The only problem with this is that there are just so many options available. You’ll be spending quite some time ordering from here – dreaming up your best Christmas menu.
St JOHNS
These guys can’t do anything wrong. They are a British institution in the food and drink world. Everything on offer is seasonal, locally sourced and of the very best quality. No wonder their hampers are so popular each and every year.
But they, like a proper night out at St JOHNS restaurant, aren’t cheap. It is totally worth it though. For £230, you get a St. JOHNS Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2018, Louis Roque La Vielle Prune de Souillac, large homemade Christmas Pudding, pig-logo apron, the Book of St. JOHNS, a tote bag, T-shirt and tea towel.
And, for Boxing Day, pre-order a Hangover Cure Hamper for £105 which comes with all the morning after necessities. Get a bottle of Fernet Branca, Joseph Cartron Créme de Menthe, a St. John T-shirt, 3 tea-towels and a Rare Tea Co. English Breakfast Tea. Feast in style, then be hungover in equal luxury.
Ottolenghi
Think of this one as the perfect Christmas cupboard stuffer. You get all the essentials for the festive season. The Ottolenghi Holiday Hamper combines an assortment of festive treats including Ottolenghi Christmas Cake, Panettone Classico and their wicked pecan snowballs, as well as jam, marmalade, spices and rubs, nuts, olives and Champagne. It’s ab big one!
But you don’t have to go straight to this epic £280 hamper. They’ve also got some smaller £90 and £150 hampers full of Ottolenghi products. And even if we don’t go for the hampers, we’re definitely getting one of the store’s panettones. Another Christmas essential for so many people these days!
