Give Them Something Good to Eat & Drink

“I just need one more thing for my mom and something for your brother and then I’m done. Oh, and something for the mail lady and — I almost forgot — something for the dog’s stocking. And tape. We need more tape and.…” While I’m scurrying around on this never-ending holiday hamster wheel, my husband is usually kicked back with his legs up saying, “Just get them food! Get them stuff to eat and drink." He’s right: Food and beverages are the ultimate crowd-pleaser. And here on the Outer Banks I know just where to get the best beers, wines, coffees, snacks and specialty foods. If you’re here or coming here, these are few of the great places (but not all of the great places) to get edible gifts for your loved ones around the holidays or any time of year.

Photo: Popcorn from Sweet and Salty Popcorn in Rodanthe.

Coffee & Tea

Bags of coffee beans are a universal need in most households, and these are some of the best places to find them on the Outer Banks. In Corolla, look to Outer Banks Coffee Company and The Kind Cup. In Duck, Duck’s Cottage Coffee and Books is the place to go (Coconut Crunch is the perennial favorite). In the central beaches and Manteo, look to Ashley’s Espresso Parlour, Morning View Coffee or Front Porch Café.

For those who prefer tea, one of the best places on the whole Outer Banks is Moonraker’s Tea Shop in Ocracoke. They have a huge selection, and they’re open for a few more days until they close for the season (on December 27). Another great place for teas is The Spice & Tea Exchange in Duck.

Beer, Wine & Spirits

If you like to give local gifts, beer from a local brewery is an awesome choice. You can run around to the local breweries — Northern Outer Banks Brewing in Corolla, Weeping Radish in Currituck, Outer Banks Brewing Station or Swells’a Brewing in KDH, Lost Colony Brewery in Manteo, 1718 Brewing in Ocracoke — for growlers or crowlers (or in some cases bottled and canned beer). But you can also head to a one-stop bottle shop or beer/wine store and get several types of local beer plus tons of other microbrews all in one place. Check these places for top-notch selections of beer and/or wine: Corolla Wine Cigar and Gourmet in Corolla, Brew Thru locations from Duck to Nags Head, Sweet T’s in Duck, Tommy’s Market in Duck, Wee Winks in Duck, Growlers To Go in Duck and Kitty Hawk, TRiO Restaurant and Market in Kitty Hawk, Chip’s Wine & Beer in KDH, Buffalo City Jug Shop in KDH, Breeze Thru in Avon, Island Spice & Wine in Avon, Village Market Red & White in Hatteras, Zillie’s in Ocracoke and Ocracoke Variety Store.

Locally made spirits are the name of the game at Outer Banks Distilling in Manteo. Their selection of Kill Devil rums is available for tasting and purchasing at their distillery building in downtown Manteo or at local ABC package stores.

Locally made wine is available from Sanctuary Vineyards in Currituck, and, trust us, these wines are sophisticated and tasty. You can taste and buy them at the vineyards in Jarvisburg or at locations of The Cotton Gin stores in Corolla, Duck and Nags Head.

Photo: To-go beers at Outer Banks Brewing Station

Snacks & Sweets

For the carnivores on your guest list, Beef Jerky Experience in Corolla and Kitty Hawk makes the shopping easy. They have a huge variety of jerky styles and flavorings. For those who like savory snacks, nuts and nut mixes are traditional holiday favorites, and you can get those and other snacks at Try My Nuts in Corolla, Duck, Kill Devil Hills and Avon and at Mackeys Ferry Peanuts in Manteo. Popcorn, both salty and sweet, is always a hit with all ages. Outer Banks Popcorn Shoppe in Corolla and Duck has so many choices, as does Sweet and Salty Popcorn in Rodanthe.

For the sweet tooths in your gift-giving orbit, all the flavors at The Fudgery in Corolla, Duck and Nags Head and at Scotch Bonnet Fudge in Hatteras make it easy to give several types of fudge without having to spend one minute over a hot stove. Other places to get fudge and sweet treats include Big Buck’s in Corolla, Kitty Hawk and Manteo, Candy & Corks in Duck, Mom’s Sweet Shop in KDH, Forbes Candies in KDH and Nags Head, Laughing Lollipop in Manteo and Ocean Gourmet and Treasures in Salvo.

Photo: Olive oils in a variety of sizes from Outer Banks Olive Oil.

Gourmet Foods

Some people would rather have fancy salts, sauces, oils and spices to cook with more than snacks to munch on, and there are good things available for them as well. Gourmet olive oils and vinegars (and many other gourmet surprises) can be found at Outer Banks Olive Oil in Duck, KDH and Nags Head, Ella’s Olive in Duck and the Gourmet Olive in Manteo. The Spice and Tea Exchange in Duck and Island Spice and Wine in Avon are great places to find spices of every variety. Pepper Palace in Nags Head is a store devoted entirely to hot sauce.

For gourmet food gifts galore, fun places to shop are Tommy’s Market in Duck, TRiO Restaurant and Market in Kitty Hawk (hands down the best place to get cheese) and Conner’s Market in Buxton. For gourmet foods with a healthy slant, look to OBX Greengrocers in Kitty Hawk and OBXOrganix in Avon.

Finally, if you’ve got people on your list who are running around in circles like me, do them a huge favor and look to the edible gifts at House of Hemp in KDH. They’ll love you for a packet of CBD gummies that will help them chill out and enjoy the holidays.

Photo: Gift baskets from TRiO would please any foodie.

For more gift-giving ideas and to see the events happening around town this week, keep browsing around on OuterBanksThisWeek.com. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!