By this point, you're probably up to your ears in gift guides - every Tiktoker, Substack blogger, or media pub has their opinions on what you should buy for every dad, best friend, or work frenemy in your life. And yet you STILL don't have the perfect gift that works for everyone on your list. That's where we come in.
We asked our team for their recommendations on what to give the people in your life who don't need new jewelry, beard oil, or another Theragun. Admittedly, we skew a little heavy toward food-focused gifts (hey, we're restaurant people), but we've also thrown in great local finds from places our team members keep coming back to again and again.
1. Mamahuhu Gift Cards
Okay, starting off with the obvious here. Take some of the stress of grocery budgeting out of the picture for a loved one by giving them the gift of Chinese-American classics. Purchase gift cards for our Bay Area restaurants here and gift cards for our online store here (now $80 for a $100 gift card through Christmas Day!) Mamahuhu, pick-your-price
2. Hometown home goods
“Foggy Notion is a great shop in the Inner Richmond for quality home goods. Specifically, they have really great candles,” says co-founder Ben. “The Scents of SF candles smell great and are a good gift.” ‘Rose Garden’ has notes of rose and cedarwood, and ‘San Francisco Holidays’ smells of fir & cinnamon. We feel cozy already. Foggy Notion, $40
3. Green Apple Books Gift Card
Located right across the street from our Inner Richmond location and recommended by our Operations Director Noah, Green Apple gift cards allow the voracious reader in your life to stock up on new & used books in a cozy space. Noah recommends checking out the Tom Killion prints Green Apple carries: Killion uses traditional Japanese woodblocking techniques to create beautiful prints of the Marin County landscape. Purchase online at Green Apple or stop by their Inner Richmond location after grabbing a Tingly Spicy Chicken Sandwich at Mamahuhu. Green Apple Books, $5-200
4. Potstickers, of course
You didn’t think we’d get through a Mamahuhu gift guide without a little shameless self-promo, did ya? While we don’t recommend storing them in a stocking hanging over the fire, our gluten free, chef-crafted potstickers make a tasty gift for the foodie or busy parent in your life. Order them online or purchase at any Mamahuhu restaurant. Mamahuhu, $12.99
5. An air fryer that does it all
The Our Place Wonder Oven is a stunning gift for the aesthetically minded snacker. The Wonder Oven comes in six gorgeous colors and can air fry, bake, roast, toast, reheat, and broil - our General Manager Jina has had her eye on it for a while! To cook Mamahuhu potstickers in the air fryer and satisfy those crunchy cravings, preheat air fryer to 400, lightly spray potstickers with oil, and cook for 6 minutes. Snacking in style. Our Place, $175
6. Local brew box
If you’ve been a Mamahuhu fan for a while, you’ve probably heard us waxing poetic about Fort Point Beer. We have FP’s award-winning local craft brews on draft at all of our locations, and have partnered with them for a variety of events such as our Lucky Duck Mahjong. “The Beer from SF” gift set includes a 6-pack of their core offerings, two pint glasses, and an ultra-chill Dad Hat. Fort Point Beer, 65.99
7. The coolest coffee table books
“Park Life is a little artsy gift and trinket shop on Clement St.,” says Ben. “They’re always rotating their selection, and have art prints, design books, and apparel among other things.” Park Life carries many rare and small-print books and magazines, such as this mag of San Francisco Rave Flyers from the 90’s. It’s time to upgrade that coffee table stack! Park Life, prices vary
8. A ticket to nature
The America the Beautiful Pass is the perfect gift for an adventurer: a year’s worth of admission to all National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands, and comes recommended by our social media Coordinator Mei, an avid hiker and camper. We asked Mei’s for some of her favorite treks: “Muir Woods National Monument is just across the Golden Gate bridge in Mill Valley, and our Mill Valley Mamahuhu location is a great stop for lunch after a hike. Yosemite is also a favorite national park of mine with iconic climbs and a breathtaking sense of grandeur.” REI, 79.99
9. Colorful cutlery
We are of the opinion that you can NEVER have too many chopsticks. “Besides the obvious use for eating, chopsticks are a great cooking tool,” says Maggie, our Customer Experience manager and an avid home cook. “I personally like to use them to stir and scramble eggs, flip foods when frying, and garnishing.” Maggie recommends stainless steel chopsticks for cooking, but this funky color-blocked set from HAY is perfect for enjoying your takeout or hosting a dumpling dinner in style. MoMA Design Store, $40/6
10. Cross-cultural cookbooks
Detroit-based chef (and Instagram wizard) Jon Kung's new cookbook, "Kung Food: Chinese-American Recipes from a Third-Culture Kitchen", makes a great gift for the foodie who's not afraid to try something new. Featuring recipes like Buffalo Chicken Rangoon, Szechuan Paneer, and Hong Kong Chicken and Waffles, Kung's recipes encapsulate the spirit of Mamahuhu: Traditional Chinese flavors and ingredients with an American (and beyond!) twist. We recently hosted Jon for a cookbook signing at our Inner Richmond location and have been loving his book - and we think you will, too.
