18 Thoughtful Gifts To Bring To A Dinner Party (That Aren't Wine)

You can blame millennials for killing off any number of traditions: top sheets, monogamy, bar soap, napkins. But if there’s anything they’ve revived — or at the very least, sustained — it’s the dinner party. We’re talking dramatic tablescapes, tapered candles, custom playlists, separate glasses for red and white wine. 

That said, the contemporary dinner party certainly doesn’t require all the fixtures of old world Emily Post-style etiquette. Salad plates are rare, proper silverware conventions feel needless, and likely, no one will take your coat upon arrival. And while the golden rule — thou shalt not show up to a party empty-handed — remains intact, it’s important to remember that, no, the gods of hosting acumen will not smite you if you bring along something thoughtful that isn’t wine. 

Of course, you can’t have too much wine at a dinner party. But the holiday season is long, and it’s likely that you’ll attend countless dinner parties. And it’s not exactly memorable if you show up at all of them with the same Lambrusco. 

So, for your sake — and your host’s sake — we’ve put together a guide to all the dinner party-friendly accoutrements you can tote with you to your next group meal, all of which are just as polite as a bottle of wine…if just a touch more original.

As a “thank you for feeding me,” it’s always nice to gift your host something luxe for the kitchen. Opt for a sundry that need not be set out on the table right now, but will prove plenty useful in the weeks to come — like this craft jar of bio-intensive Manuka honey from Flamingo Estate.

It’s like gifting a work of art — except that your host will feel no sense of obligation to hang it permanently on the wall.  Choose from any number of the tailored and topical puzzle scenes that Piecework has to offer — like this brilliantly messy two-martini lunch-inspired tablescape.

Whether for sober friends, folks who are taking the night off, or anyone who’s already had enough (read: too much) to drink, Studio Null’s non-alcoholic wines are the perfect stand-in. They look like chic natty wines, they taste remarkably close to the real thing, and they’re a perfect filler beverage for anyone who wants to keep drinking…but still wants to get home in one piece.

Who among us is immune to the siren call of a niche culinary garnish in a well-labeled glass jar? Literally no one. So put your temptation to good use and gift your lovely host this west~bourne pistachio dukkah. We can personally attest to the fact that it tastes just as good as it looks on a countertop.

In case anyone in attendance is chic or European enough to request after-dinner coffee, make sure your host has something good on hand.

She’s not like the other seltzers: She’s infused with a mood-lifting blend of magnesium and adaptogens designed to keep party guests calm, collected, and hydrated. Available in flavors like strawberry-rose or grapefruit-tangerine, this Recess set is a perfect soft drink option for partygoers (it makes for an excellent mixer, too).

Speaking of potable goods, there’s no kinder, more thoughtful gift to bring to a dinner party than your given host’s hangover beverage of choice. Come tomorrow morning, you’ll be the party’s most popular attendee — and few morning-after beverages are so reliably effective as a tried and true Gatorade.

You can never have too much sexy glassware: Use it for wine, for whiskey, for seltzer…or, well, Gatorade.

There’s a case to be made that hedonism is the whole premise of the dinner party. It’s the pure and simple pursuit of pleasure: food, drink, conversation — and, of course, dessert. So consider gracing your host with a token of your gratitude sweeter than actual cake: Cake Zine — a coffee table-worthy imprint exploring history, pop culture, literature, art, and, well dessert, through the lens of indulgence.

Sure, boutique sardines (served with good bread) make for exceptional hors d'oeuvres. But, as a bonus, they’re also handy in the event of nuclear warfare or any other global tragedy that might force you to retreat underground to a bomb shelter.

One thing that literally all dinner parties have in common is that nobody drinks enough water. So encourage just that much more active hydration this time around by gracing your host’s tabletop with a pitcher chic enough to serve as a centerpiece. 

These days, tapered candles are a dime a dozen, so be sure to offset the monotony by prepping your host with a thoroughly memorable, deeply original set of candle holders — like this set of kitschy, geometric nesting bases from Areaware.

For the folks who aren’t doing an after-dinner amaro, might we suggest a mug of certifiably elite hot chocolate? It’s basically haute couture: We’re talking Táche pistachio milk, Flamingo Estate “gourmet drinking chocolate,” and artisanal vegan marshmallows from Mojave Mallows.

Flowers are nice and all…until they die. After which, they’ll shed petals all over. They’ll start to smell weird. You’ll have to soak your vases overnight in the sink. So instead of gifting greenery with an expiration date, offer up something longer lasting: a low-maintenance potted plant from user-friendly online plant purveyor, PlantProper.

Everybody loves a good party game — almost as much as everyone loves talking about themselves. Combine both celebrated activities into one with this pasta-themed tarot deck. It pairs well with suspension of disbelief and a good chilled red.

If you hope to be invited back for yet another meal, it’s only wise to encourage your host’s affection for the culinary arts. Pass along a gift card to Now Serving, the ultimate cookbook repository, to help support a continued commitment to food preparation.

So your host can have their cake and eat it, too…

There’s some measure of indisputable cachet that comes with sipping an after-dinner scotch. Or a before dinner scotch. Or a mid-way-through-dinner scotch. Go luxe with Johnnie Walker Blue label and make your host feel (deservedly) appreciated.