41 Best NYC Gifts That Aren’t an “I Heart NY” T-Shirt

Spend any time in New York City and you’ll invariably encounter a shop selling “New York City Gifts.” And while there’s nothing wrong with a miniature Statue of Liberty or “Daddy’s Little Meatball” T-shirt in theory, the versions of these items you’ll find at street level are pretty poorly made. And annoyingly, these stores rarely list prices, operating on the fact that they can probably sell the same thing to two sets of customers at wildly different prices.

Hopefully, you know how to haggle. If you don’t though, there are ample ways to collect souvenirs of your time in New York that don’t require the skill. Plenty of New York City institutions will ship their collectibles directly to your house. You can get relics from the city’s best museums, foods from its best restaurants, even models of the cars from the occasionally functional subway system. Best of all, you won’t need to make room in your already rotund suitcase to bring them back home.

Read on for 40+ of the best NYC gifts for locals, former residents, and anyone enamored with the Big Apple.

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Our top picks for NYC gifts:

Food gifts

Rubirosa Pasta Sampler

For over a decade, Rubirosa has been slinging delicious pies and pastas that have earned it fans like Meghan Markle, who referred to it as the “holy grail” of pizza, and Michelin reviewers, who deemed it worthy of a Bib Gourmand in 2012. If you miss the chance to visit the cozy Nolita space, buy its pasta sampler, or a box of its sauces and olive oil, to make at home.

Frankies 457 Calabrian Chili Oil

You have to actually visit Cobble Hill staple Frankies 457 in order to try its best dishes, like the cavatelli that’s paired with hot sausage, sage, and brown butter. But you can get the absolutely luscious, spiced olive oil they often drizzle on the pies at their pizza place next door. It’s a very delicious consolation prize.

H&H Bagels One Dozen Bagels

There is a cheaper way to get bagels back home—namely, just buying a dozen from whatever great shop is closest to your hotel the morning of your flight and putting it in a plastic bag. If you forget though, these H&H bagels will save you a lot of grief from whoever is waiting for you at home.

Di Fara Pizza Neapolitan Pizzas, 2-pack

Di Fara is located so deep into Brooklyn that even most New Yorkers haven’t been. Make sure whoever is lucky enough to be with you when you pull these out of the oven knows they’re being treated.

Heatonist Hot Ones Hot Sauce 10-pack, Season 25

Fans of “Hot Ones,” the show with hot questions and even hotter wings, should know the team sources its hot sauces with the help of Heatonist, a hot sauce emporium in Brooklyn. To get someone to try the 10 sauces celebrity guests are subjected to, just tell them it’s a condition of New York City citizenship.

Peter Luger Dry-Aged Bone-in Rib Steaks

Even though it’s been open since the 19th century, Peter Luger can still be a tough reservation to claim. Not to worry, if you’re at all competent behind the stove, the extremely high-quality products you can buy from the restaurant’s butcher shop are tough to ruin.

Sey Coffee Subscription

A monthly subscription to coffee roasted at Sey, an excellent coffee roaster based in Bushwick, will ensure you’ll always have the taste of New York within arm’s reach.

St. Agrestis Negroni, 4-pack

If you got to spend any time talking to New Yorkers during your trip, especially at bars, you know we love to argue. Bring these bottled Negronis, a divisive cocktail, to any party you worry will be a snooze fest—they’re sure to get the people talking.

Home goods

Great Bars of New York City: 30 of Manhattan’s Favorite Storied Drinking Establishments by James and Karl Murray

A love letter to the many wonderful watering holes New York currently has on offer and the many movements, relationships, and memories that began in them.

Ricky Flores “Congeros” (1984) print

Ricky Flores is a photojournalist based in the South Bronx. He’s won awards for his work covering 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, but don’t sleep on his more intimate portraits of life in his home borough.

Original NY Coffee Cup, ceramic version, 2-pack

Just because you’re already back home, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t drink your coffee like it came from a cart on the street.

Staten Island Ferry ornament

For the many New Yorkers without cars, the Staten Island Ferry is the only way to get to our city’s most forgotten borough. Luckily, the apricot-hued ferry is a true looker.

Monet Sunflowers glass vase

Contrary to popular belief, you do not actually have to put sunflowers in this vase.

NYPL Library Card ornament

Having fun isn’t hard—when you’ve got a library-card-shaped-Christmas ornament.

Sanitary Inspection Mug

Depending on how much you like your giftee, you can either get them an “A” or a “Grade Pending” mug.

NYBG Wonderland Wildflower Seed Mix

Queens Unisphere coaster

Designed for the 1964 World’s Fair, the Unisphere has stood tall in Flushing Meadows, Queens, ever since. If you didn’t get a photo in front of it, at least you were able to bring one of these home.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ornament

The bacon, egg, and cheese (pronounced: “baconeggncheese”) is elegant in its simplicity. Hot tip: It’s better if you ask for extra black pepper.

Yafa Bakhoor Sena

This aromatic resin, a traditional form of incense often used in Yemen, has notes of amber and wood.

Clothing, bags, and accessories

Old Jewish Men of New York Meats Jersey

Let’s go [checks notes] Meats!

MoMA NY Yankees 9TWENTY Corduroy adjustable baseball cap

A Yankees cap you can pull off even if you have no idea what a “walk-off” home run is.

Shop Rat embroidered mini tote

Brand new merch from the mind of Emilia Petrarca, whose newsletter celebrates the best shopping the city has on offer. Plus, the rat is so cute!

The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory necklace

Hopefully, you actually made the trip out to the Ice Cream factory and tried the matcha Oreo. If you didn’t, this necklace will certainly serve as a reminder never to make the same mistake again.

Paste I Heart NY T-Shirt on a T-shirt

We heard you like the “I Heart NY” shirt, so we put it on another shirt.

Nathan’s Famous Green/White Oversized Golf umbrella

Why shouldn’t your next new umbrella also signal your love for frankfurters?

Variety Coffee Tote

A capacious tote bag from one of New York’s best coffee chains that can still probably serve as a “personal item,” especially if there’s a treat in it for your gate agent.

Casa Magazines canvas bag

A mecca for print magazine fanatics, carrying over 2,000 titles. That includes a bunch you’ve heard of (like this one) and plenty you’ll likely never see again.

Allmansright UltraGrid Kross

In case you think all the apparel makers in New York only care about high fashion, let Allmansright correct the record. The Bronx-based label produces sturdy, ultralight stash bags and packs that’ll keep all your stuff protected during your next camping trip.

MRD Cosmetics Ambrosia Eau De Parfum

Marché Rue Dix is a restaurant, boutique, and salon in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. You can also buy the cosmetics and skincare used in the salon à la carte, including its vibrant liquid lipsticks, nail salons, and fragrances.

Collectibles and more

James Paulius Blockitecture Big Apple Collectors set

Slightly cartoonish, but extremely adorable recreations of the Crystler Building and One World Trade Center, the latter of which is where this magazine is made!

NYC Taxi Car

A big yellow taxi you can be sure won’t take away your old man. Unless, of course, he happens to be much smaller than your average city rat.

Wall Street Bull Sculpture

Minus the depressingly long line of people who are waiting to cradle its reproductive bits.

MTA Motorized Subway Train set

No one needs to know that you Ubered the whole time you were here. This set will eliminate any questions.

Museum of the Moving Image enamel pin

Tell me you’re a film buff without telling me you’re a film buff.

The Met New York Snow Globe

Were you disappointed it didn’t snow during your last visit to New York? It’s always snowing in the globe version.

Books Are Magic Cougar keychain

The friendly bookstore’s least-friendly keychain.

Rockaway Beach magnet

Reminder: New York has beaches!

ONLY NY DSNY Trash Can pen holder

Proof that even our trash cans can be weirdly chic.

Joe Coffee New York Pigeon enamel pin

Just don’t call them sky rats!

Coming Soon lighter

Evidence you were cool enough to visit the downtown temple to colorful vintage furniture and art, even if you don’t necessarily have the funds to afford any of it.