Top Tabletop Gifts

Top Gifts

When someone installs a new bar or a counter in the home, it is easy to find gifts for them to use. Williams-Sonoma carries a wide variety of home bar tools, place settings, glasses and accessories that make any home bar even more appealing than the local pub down the street. Whether your friend wants to use the new bar for casual dinners, for conversation over wine or to test out their mixology skills using a variety of cocktail mixes, we offer something to please everyone.

The first thing that any new bar needs is a set of home bar tools for making cocktails and pouring drinks. Find a stainless-steel set of tools that avoids rusting and washes easily. Included in a set is a pair of tongs for picking up ice, a sifter for straining cocktails into bar glasses and a stirrer for mixing drinks in highball glasses. A set can also include a shot glass for measuring spirits and a bottle opener for removing bottle caps. Find a set of home bar tools with a stand that allows the items to stand up straight for quick drying and easy access.

Another important addition to any home bar is a good set of old-fashioned glasses. These glasses allow you to simply add ice, and then enjoy a glass of fine bourbon or rye. Old-fashioned glasses are also great for muddling all the ingredients for old-fashioned cocktails and for pouring martinis on the rocks.

Sometimes a bar is just a good place for friends to have a conversation over a glass of wine. Wine glasses with a decanter are necessary for properly enjoying fine bottles of everything from pinot noir to moscato. Wine glasses without stems give a casual feel to any occasion, while a decanter allows for a classy way to pour after discarding the bottle. Stemless glasses with bowls that are wide at the bottom let you closely examine the wine to view its lushness.

Along with wine comes the cheese. Give the gift of a set of cheese knives so that your friend can cut and serve with ease. Some essential elements in any cheese knife set include a flat plate for sliding under pieces, a fork for picking up and placing pieces onto plates and a spreader for the application of soft cheeses to crackers. Along with the proper set of cheese knives, a cheese board provides a rustic ambience to the presentation of cheeses, breads, crackers and fruit.

Of course, with a bar comes unexpected cleanups. A set of cloth napkins takes care of any spills and lets guests set their drinks on them to avoid any rings in a fine wood countertop. Find a set of napkins made of 100 percent linen to allow for easy cleaning in the laundry.

Not everything at the bar must include cocktails. A set of glasses made of tempered glass lets you enjoy your favorite juices or just a glass of water or soda. Shatter-resistant glasses do not break when dropped on the hard floor, and this specialized glass can accommodate both hot and cold drinks. Dishwasher-safe glasses are perfect for cleaning with the rest of the dishes when it is time to clean up after a nice get-together.

For the bar owner who loves to feed guests while serving cocktails, a set of dinner plates and place settings is important for serving appetizers and full meals. Plain white dinnerware is easy to match with any decor and lets the food take the center of attention. To complete an already fine collection of gifts, a monogrammed coffee mug is the great way to start the next day.