We’ve been on the hunt for the best food and drink to have delivered to your door. Forget Waitrose and Ocado, these suppliers are independent and produce the most stunning food for you to wow your guests at any dinner party. We’ve discovered some incredible bakers, some indulgent, ethical chocolate makers and tea and coffee that will make your heart sing, along with a little drop of whisky and gin!
We’ve tested every macaron, sipped every loose blend tea and shared every spirit so you can order with confidence knowing something incredibly special is about to arrive on your doorstep.
We’ve even been brutal with suppliers and if we’ve not liked it we’ve carefully crafted constructive feedback to let them know why, such as the incredibly gorgeous baker who uses real edible flowers in her cakes who delivered stunning centrepieces but didn’t didn’t consider that once the flowers were a few days old they would taste like paper. Along with the very well known online shopping brand who launched their party food but sent it with only hours left on the best before dates and with so much packaging we couldn’t ethically recommend them.
We’re very pleased to say that these have taken on the feedback and are striving to adapt. This makes them worthy of inclusion, as your experience will now be different to ours. They did have the initial wow factor too.
If you’re looking for more inspiration check out our luxury chocolate guide or our food and drink delivered guide.
Without further ado, lets start with our absolute favourite of this year,
Relax a little longerWe'd love your views on these
This is Anna
The macaron wheel is a wheel of wonder as it delivers a concentric rainbow of the tastiest macarons we’ve ever experienced. Even the box is magnificent and we’ll be repurposing it into a wreath. It’s hard to describe just how jaw droppingly great This is Anna is, from the delivery to the consumption, the packaging to the full experience. Delivered with a menu, we loved trying out new flavours of macarons and discovering new sensations. They look incredible, they taste fantastic and of course, they win our Top Product Award.
Blue Tea Box
We love loose leaf tea and Blue Tea Box is one of our favourites. You can sign up to a subscription or make a gift box, it’s entirely up to you. The ingredients are fresh and refreshing and they look great in the pot too! We love that they fit through a letterbox yet give a generous amount of loose leaf tea. A great gift for a tea lover.
Spice Kitchen UK
This collection of spices, presented in a sari wrap is stunningly beautiful. The spices are fresh and ready to use and will jazz up any meal. The spices are also generously sized, so you have flavour for many meals. The Spice Kitchen Uk is the brainchild of Sanjay and his mum Shashi. Shashi is currently running for mature preneuer winner in the Independent awards. Please do pop by and give her a vote, she deserves it! Find the details on Twitter @spicekitchenUK Of course they win our Best New Brand Award!
Walker’s Shortbread
Walker’s Shortbread is our go to luxury biscuit, no other shortbread compares, not even homemade. We’ve tried alternatives and are always left disappointed as they don’t match the sweet, buttery goodness with a rich crumb that we’ve come to associate with Walker’s only. In addition to this, Walker’s are always innovating, they’re always playing with their moulds and releasing adorable shortbread that puts a smile on the coldest of faces. Their presentation is second to none and you know if you gift Walker’s to a friend or neighbour, you’ll have a friend for life. Look at this year’s shortbread. They’re amazing. Word of warning, the mince pies are delicious and you’ll want to inhale the entire box yourself.
Lola’s Cupcakes
If you want to wow guests this year or if you’re looking to treat your family, or even yourself, then become acquainted with Lola’s cupcakes. It’s incredible that beautiful cupcakes and brownies like these can be delivered direct to your door in a day, no matter where you are the UK. It will appear as if you’ve hired the very best caterers as you adorn the dining table with these fun and glorious desserts but it doesn’t stop there! They taste amazing too and leave you wanting more. You’ll soon find that Lola’s cupcakes are not just for Christmas, they’re for birthdays, Easter, Halloween, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday too! We love them. look at that Santa’s Sleigh Bell? Such incredible delectable detail!
They don’t just make cupcakes either, give them a Google and you’ll see a full range of stunning bakery goodness.
Baked By Steph
There are so many inspiring bakers out there right now, all of whom are incredibly talented. It was so difficult to pick one for the Top Product Award. I’m always in awe of how skilled they are, especially Baked by Steph. The biscuits are not only eye catching and gloriously fun they can also be personalised. They put a huge smile on my daughter’s faces and, of course, both had to instantly snapchat their gifts!
Whittard’s Hot Chocolate and Tea
In this house it’s not Christmas until we’ve received our Whittard’s delivery. We’ve adored Whittard’s ever since 1998 when we’d visit the outlet store in York Designer Outlet centre and stock up on Dreamtime tea. This year their Gingerbread hot chocolate is to die for and I’m told the Turkish Delight hot chocolate is scrumptious. The teas have a warming spicy edge that wrap you up in a festive blanket of good cheer. Order you tea, coffee, hot chocolate and know you’re in for some luxury beverages this year.
Cocoba Hot Chocolate Bombs
You know we love chocolate, and as I used to be marketing director for a few well known chocolate companies I have chocolate running through my veins. I’m always on the look out for new, exciting chocolate companies that I believe have their PR and marketing on point, along with their story, their ethics and of course, production. So when Cocoba hit my radar I knew I had to try them out. They’ve still got a way to go with their marketing but all the foundations are there, they’re fun, approachable, bright and positive. It would be nice to know a little more about the process and to speak to someone there, as when I emailed to congratulate them on a fantastic brand they replied directing me to wholesale orders? Anyhow, I digress. This is one Kent based chocolate brand you need to check out. They’re big and beautiful, bold and unique. The chocolate is also delicious, and their hot chocolate bombs are the very best we’ve tried. They are worth a look.
Bad Brownie Coal in a Stocking
This is such a fun idea and delicious too. Melt in the mouth brownies wrapped up in a little stocking and made to look like coal. Cue the stories… back in my day we got a piece of coal and a tangerine and were grateful for it!
A little bit of fun and a great gift for the person who has everything too. It also fits through a letterbox so you can let someone know how naughty they’ve been!
Sam’s Larder
If you’re looking for the ultimate luxury in food and drink then acquaint yourself with Sam’s larder. Their taste is impeccable. From the red onion marmalade to the smoked catalan almonds, to the mini pickles and English mustard and Love Cocoa Christmas pudding chocolate. Handpicked by Sam himself or you can choose your own ready made hamper, these are an absolute must for the festive season to fill your cupboards with luxury staples. They also make a great gift for someone else, as they are presented beautifully in a black wicker hamper.
Remedy Rainbow Kombucha Drinks
Your gut may need a little help this Christmas if you over indulge and these are the perfect solution for the whole family. A delightful rainbow of Kombucha drinks in all the flavours you love. You won’t regret it, they taste amazing and your stomach will thank you!
