Best mail-order food for US delivery?

June 12, 2018 2:39 PM

Looking for a Father's Day gift where I get something absurdly delicious delivered to him. Category of food can be anything, if it's crazy good. He's in Los Angeles (I'm out of state), so I'm also not entirely opposed to someone showing up on his doorstep with something amazing and local. Suggestions?
posted by sirion to Food & Drink (18 answers total)

Not local at all (they're based in Michigan) but Zingerman's is fantastic if your dad's a fancy bread/meats/cheeses kind of guy.
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 2:47 PM on June 12, 2018 [9 favorites]

I regularly order barbeque from Black's in Lockhart. Shipping is crazy expensive but it is very good. I love the sausage, and of course the brisket is terrific.
posted by Nelson at 2:59 PM on June 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Olympic Provisions sausages etc.
Frog Hollow fruit
posted by wintersweet at 3:01 PM on June 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

I received three months of Zingerman's last year and it was AMAZEBALLS.
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:48 PM on June 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

If he likes to cook pat lafrieda dry aged prime rib is some of the best prime rib I've ever had in my life. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Alternatively their burger blends are also amazing.
posted by Karaage at 5:03 PM on June 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

If he likes caviar, you can buy sustainably produced Osetra caviar from Marshallberg Farm. It's expensive but it is the real deal, from Russian sturgeon raised right here in North Carolina. I have ordered from them and would recommend it.
posted by bananana at 5:38 PM on June 12, 2018

Thirding Zingerman's. I'm biased, I can walk over there any time I want and buy stuff, but the food is uniformly fantastic and there's tons of novelty foods to round out your bread/meat/cheese order. You cannot go wrong with any of their breads, the goat cheeses are lovely, and the coffee cakes are delish.
posted by Preserver at 6:05 PM on June 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

PS: Zingerman's is a favorite of President Obama. Whenever he was in town he'd have some delivered to Air Force One before he left, or there was that one time he decided to visit in person.
posted by Preserver at 6:07 PM on June 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

I live in NYC, where I can command the finest delis in the land, and I still order from Zingerman's from time to time.
posted by praemunire at 6:17 PM on June 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

Salt and Straw Ice Cream. Looks like they deliver through Postmates in LA, in addition to doing mail order pint packs through their website.
posted by alygator at 6:18 PM on June 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

Local? There's Langer's (delivery or shipping).

Frog Hollow fruit
I have not ordered Frog Hollow by mail but can vouch that their fruit is life-changingly good, to the point that I still remember one particular pluot(?) I had years ago and have written about it on this site...
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 7:42 PM on June 12, 2018

I’ve sent delicious macarons and pastries from Bottega Louie in LA.

It also looks like you can send their cafe foods via Postmates. Oh man, their brunch was amazing. The thought of their lemon ricotta pancakes and smoked salmon arriving at the door, with a gigantic macaron and latte.. *_*
posted by inevitability at 8:15 PM on June 12, 2018

Need more information. What kind of food does he like?
posted by scose at 12:07 AM on June 13, 2018

Yes Zingerman's - their bread, the coffee cakes, pretty much anything will be a success. We've both gifted and received and everything has been loved.

I got my dad a Pint Club subscription to Jeni's for Christmas, and other than him saying "I think you think I'm more of a yuppie than I really am" (god bless my dad), everything has gone over REALLY WELL. (Like hey, swing by Whole Foods and grab us a pint on your way to visit well...) So anyway, they have a Father's Day Gift Guide and their Father's Day Collection looks pretty damn good.
posted by librarianamy at 5:56 AM on June 13, 2018

Super fresh fish maybe?

Fulton Fish Market
posted by Max Power at 6:44 AM on June 13, 2018

I may be a tad late to the party but wanted to mention a local favorite of mine!

Bavaria Sausage Kitchen is pretty amazing for meats and cheeses. They also do some really nice gift boxes. Check it out!
posted by sewellcm at 7:41 AM on June 13, 2018

The Zingerman's "reuben kit" is crazy good. I didn't even think I liked reubens.

Towards the less crazy expensive (but still crazy good) end of the food delivery spectrum, we always keep a stock of Tucson Tamales in the house. (Bonus: their vegan and vegetarian options taste just as good as the real thing.)
posted by ook at 7:59 AM on June 13, 2018

My Texas in-laws send us a box from Coopers Pit BBQ each year, and it's delicious!
posted by sarajane at 8:45 AM on June 13, 2018