So much more than a restaurant, Philadelphia’s Gran Caffè L’Aquila features an authentic Italian bar on the first floor, with a restaurant, wine bar, and Italian cultural and language school on the second floor. They also house coffee and gelato labs and an Italian market with superior products sourced directly from Italy available for pick-up, local delivery, and nationwide shipping.
Here is our 2024 Gran Caffè Italian-inspired holiday gift guide. All items can be purchased through the site or via shipping and delivery. (Please note that prices and availability are subject to change.) Until December 25, enter the code Appetito at checkout for an exclusive 10% discount!
Make your own Coffee Cream Liqueur from Meridiani Spirits, $28.90
Use this base as preparation for Italian grappa or infused vodka or gin! Simply add the spirit of your choice to the bottle, and follow the steps to create a warm and tasty blend of coffee and chocolate in this coffee cream liqueur. Perfect to share with guests after a holiday dinner.
Italian Coffee & Chocolate Experience Gift Box, $82.90
Is there a better pairing than coffee and chocolate? This gift comes with three bags of artisanal coffee representing the roasting styles in three regions: Torino blend (northern Italy), L’Aquila (central Italy), and Napoli (southern Italy). You’ll also receive a map of Italian coffee styles and the history of Italian coffee. The package comes with luxury hot chocolate, Gran Caffe L'Aquila Cioccolata Calda, and an assortment of chocolates from historic Italian producers in a variety of flavors.
Italian Honey Tasting Book by Borgo de Medici, $32.99
Sweeten up the Christmas stocking with this honey tasting book containing six mini jars of unique honey varieties from different regions in Italy. Try the vanilla-like acacia, aromatic orange, rich chestnut, delicate alpine floral, fruity wildflower, and dark forest honey in your drinks or drizzled over festive charcuterie and cheese boards.
Proraso Firenze Shaving Kit, $32
Give the gentlemen in your life the gift of “sprezzatura,” seemingly effortless style, swagger, and impeccable taste, with this Proraso Firenze Shaving Kit. The brand has been a household name in the quality shaving space in Italy for nearly a century. This collectible tin in the 1950s style of advertising comes with pre-shave cream, a shaving cream tube, and after-shave balm. Each product is made with the company's green tea and oatmeal formula and is safe for sensitive skin.
Sunday in Napoli Candle – Tomato Leaf & Magnolia – Casa Amalfi, $37.90
Tomato-scented candles have been having a moment the last couple of summers, but don’t be fooled, this isn’t only a summer scent. Fresh notes of tomatoes on the vine, wild magnolia, and pink grapefruit blend with hints of Turkish rose, and a woody undertone that gives way to memories of walking the busy streets of Napoli and of traditional Sunday sauce.
Panettone Classico with Orange Peels & Raisins Baked in a Glass Jar, $22.90
A Gran Caffè L’Aquila original recipe that was born out of a love for polenta and traditional Panettone. Lighter and softer than a typical panettone, with a golden hue to the dough and filled with orange peel and raisins, it’s a sunny take on the traditional sweet bread. Plus, it is packaged in an attractive reusable glass jar with lid.
Italian Olive Oil Monthly Subscription, $34.50/month
Each month, one bottle of luxury extra virgin olive oil will be hand-selected by award-winning Italian culinary specialist, Riccardo Longo, and sent to the recipient along with the history of the growing area, olives, and olive producer. Longo will also include his personal tasting notes and a regional recipe that features the special olive oil of the month. From the Northern Italian Riviera to sun-drenched Sicily, olive oil lovers will experience the differences in olives, micro-climates, and producers. Available in six-month or 12-month subscriptions.
Perugina Baci Dark Chocolate Truffles Gift Box, $19.99
Over 100 years ago, Luisa Spagnoli, a young chocolate maker, fell in love with Giovanni. She would wrap little love notes around the chocolates she gave to him and so Baci (meaning “kiss” in Italian), the traditional and iconic chocolate truffle, was born. A creamy dark chocolate truffle topped with crunchy hazelnut and enrobed in more dark chocolate, complete with a love note. What could be a more romantic gift to pair with a glass of wine by the fire?
Southern Italy Experience Gift Box, $84.90
Give the gift of a trip to Southern Italy (no passport needed!) with this gift box filled with luxury products from coffee to snacks, and pasta to dessert. Share artisanal orecchiette pasta from Puglia, pistachio spread featuring pistachios from Mt. Etna, small production Pelati Tomatoes from Matera, Modica chocolate from Sicily, and more!
Panettone with Fabbri Amarena Cherry, $29.99
You might recognize the colorful paper surrounding this panettone as the same pattern as the world famous Fabbri Amarena Cherries in syrup. You wouldn’t be wrong, as the Fabbri family, making the same sweet cherry recipe since 1905, now collaborated with Muzzi Tommaso 1913, the well-known pastry shop, to create this light and moist panettone full of candied Fabbri Amarena cherries. A slice of this is a marriage of delicious flavor and Italian maker history.
