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Spend five minutes in Times Square and you’ll see more “I Love NY” T-shirts than actual New Yorkers, which is exactly why the best NYC gifts aren’t often found in souvenir shops at all. This city is stacked with makers, bakers, quirky boutiques and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it storefronts producing things you genuinely can’t get anywhere else (or at least not without knowing where to look).
From cult babka to cast-brass subway cars and charms shaped like sewer grates, these are the 21 gifts that feel unmistakably New York, with no haggling, no gimmicks and no foam Statue of Liberty crown required.
New York Cocktail Company Gift Box, from $59
Ready-to-serve, bartender-made cocktails from a NYC team; order at newyorkcocktailcompany.com.
Rubirosa Pasta Sampler, $49
Bring Nolita’s most beloved red-sauce joint home via Rubirosa’s online shop.
Michaeli Bakery Dark Chocolate Babka, $19
A next-level ganache babka available at Michaeli’s bakeries on the Lower East Side and the Upper East Side.
Frankies 457 Calabrian Chili Oil, $24
A Brooklyn staple: spicy, silky, and available online through Frankies.
St. Agrestis Bottled Negroni 4-Pack, $25
A Brooklyn-made, ready-to-pour Negroni sold through local liquor shops and St. Agrestis.
H&H Dozen Bagels, $59
An iconic NYC breakfast, shipped nationwide from hhbagels.com.
Kinmen Artillery-Shell Knife from Yun Hai, from $112
One-of-a-kind Taiwanese knives forged from spent artillery shells, sold at Yun Hai in Williamsburg.
Archie’s Press Minimalist NYC Map, $32
Stylish letterpress NYC maps from an East Village print shop.
Oro Latino Sewer-Grate or Basquiat-Crown Charm, in-store
These tiny, New York-specific charms are from the Oro Latino stall in a Chinatown jewelry mall and we can't get enough of them.
Cuckoo Clock from Top Hat, in-store
A design-lover’s clock from Lower East Side boutique Top Hat (45 Broome Street) that imports unusual objects.
Pocket Slug Plush from Leroy’s Place, $32
A weirdly adorable Brooklyn original, available in Park Slope and via the shop’s site.
Phil’s Stationery Old-Stock Sketchbook, in-store
Vintage sketchbooks with better-than-modern paper, stocked in midtown.
Staten Island Ferry Ornament, $10
A very New York ornament from the Staten Island Museum shop.
Fine & Dandy Vintage NYC Matchbooks, in-store
Retro matchbooks from old New York institutions, available in this midtown menswear shop.
Incasa Colored Glass Pitcher, under $100
Handmade Mexican glassware is sold at Incasa in Astoria; many pieces are unique to the shop.
Casa Magazines Canvas Bag, $45
A West Village cult-favorite tote for print nerds.
Bacon, Egg & Cheese Soft Ornament, $30
A plush ode to the city’s most iconic breakfast, made by Craftspring.
MTA Motorized Subway Train Set, $42
A tiny, working subway model from the Transit Museum store.
Great Bars of New York City book, $40
A gorgeous coffee-table book celebrating Manhattan’s legendary bars.
MoMA NY Yankees Corduroy Cap, $40
A museum-designed Yankees hat that even non–baseball people can pull off, available at the MoMA Design Store.
Ricky Flores “Congeros” South Bronx Print, $30
A slice of Bronx history from a local photojournalist, sold via From the Bronx.