The Ultimate Guide to Gifting Austin’s Best Culinary Experiences

What do you get for the person who has everything? Experiences over material things, of course. While it’s true that a good book or an aesthetically pleasing kitchen gadget are timeless presents, experiential gifts take up way less counter space and provide the opportunity to spend quality time with the recipient (or alternately, get them out of the house for a few hours).

Thus, Eater Austin has rounded up opportunities to gift a loved one with a food experience here in Austin. There are hands-on classes that teach the full spectrum of making food, from baking classes at L’Oven to a hunting school with Dai Due, as well tastings like cheese cheese tasting at Antonelli’s or wine education at House Wine.

For more present ideas, scope out Eater Austin’s gift guide.

Eating and drinking:

Antontelli’s Cheese Shop
The favorite Hyde Park cheese shop has a number of cheese-centric classes, from how to pair cheeses to an educational series on different types of cheese. Bonus: The classes are generally BYOB with a small $4 corkage fee.
Price: $40 and up per person
How to book: Book classes online

House Wine
This homey spot near Barton Springs Road offers a more casual way to explore wine tasting. Each class focuses on a particular region, and tastings include five pours and a cheese plate.
Price: $35 per person
How to book: Book classes online

Twisted Texas Tours
Twisted Texas provides entertaining tours around (and outside of) the city, from a brunch bus to brewery tours.
Price: $49 and up per person
How to book: Book online

Cooking Classes:

Confituras
This bakery off South Lamar hosts a number of different workshops — and it’s where Abby Love, the former pastry chef of Dai Due, is hosting L’Oven baking classes as she puts the finishing touches on her own space out at Barton Springs Mill. Love is teaching the science behind baking with classes on making croissants, pies, and sourdough, while Confituras has events like pasta-making and charcuterie board-building.
Price: Confituras workshops: $60 and up per person; L’Oven classes: $115 and up per person
How to book: Book classes online

Antonelli’s

Central Market
The North Lamar location of Central Market has a full roster of cooking and wine-tasting classes, from decorating a gingerbread house to classes on knife skills, to tamale workshops to guest appearances from chefs like Eric Silverstein of The Peached Tortilla. Classes may be demonstration only or hands-on. Pro tip: Watch for the reasonably priced wine-tasting classes, and pick up some snacks from the store to enjoy with the tasting.
Price: Varies widely, check website for details
How to book: Book classes online

Thai Fresh
Chef and owner Jam Sanitchat, who is from Thailand, has been teaching cooking classes since she was a graduate student at UT. In the small, intimate classes, learn how to prepare dishes like pad thai and sticky rice with mango.
Price: $75 and up per person
How to book: Book classes online

Uroko
Chefs Masazumi Saio and Takehiro Asazu guide a 90-minute sushi 101 class on Thursdays that covers selecting ingredients and knife techniques (plus, attendees can eat and drink at the restaurant after class).
Price: $75 per person
How to book: Book classes online

Easy Tiger
The Sixth Street bakery has two classes offered by recent cookbook author David Norman: four-hour pretzel workshop and a five-hour bread workshop (guests learn how to make two kinds of bread).
Price: $150 per person
How to book: Book classes online

Sustainable Food Center
This nonprofit and farm in East Austin offers classes like knife skills and tamale-making. Plus, class proceeds support the center’s free programs like cooking and gardening classes.
Price: $40 per person and up
How to book: Book classes online

Kitchen Underground
Explore a wide menu of cooking classes at this school near Hyde Park, hosted mostly by food writer and chef Maggie Perkins. Classes include chicken soup, fresh pasta, and holiday tarts.
Price: $50-$80 per person
How to book: Book classes online

Onion Creek Kitchens
This farm and inn out in the Hill Country offers hands-on classes, wine dinners, and demonstrations in a gorgeous setting.
Price: $45-$125 per person
How to book: Book classes online, though most current offerings are sold out

Something else:

Dai Due
The essential locally focused restaurant has a related cooking school — the New School of Traditional Cookery. The school offers butchering classes (for wild boar or venison) on-site at the restaurant or offsite hunting and fishing trips.
Price: $75 per person and up for butchering classes; $2,500 per person and up for hunting classes
How to book: Classes are announced on the newsletter and can be booked online.