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Small business Saturday is quickly approaching. On Nov. 28, shoppers across the nation will flock to their favorite local shops to purchase home goods and appliances, holiday gifts and self-care items — because, we����������deserve some pampering these days.

And this year, more than ever, it’s important to support local businesses recuperating after months of closings and altered business hours due to the pandemic. Purchase a gift card to a restaurant, enjoy lunch on an outdoor eatery between your holiday shopping, or stop into a coffee shop for hot cocoa or coffee to warm up as the temps drop. To support a local business is to support our local economy, and that’s a gift that keeps on giving!

11 Local Food Businesses to Support on Small Business Saturday

1. Farm Field Table

By supporting Farm Field Table this Small Business Saturday, you’re also supporting Michigan farms. The whole animal butcher sources its meat from local farms with sustainable practices. Though there are two locations — one in Ferndale and a newly opened shop in Grosse Pointe Park — customers can order from the company’s online store, which has options for delivery within 20 miles. Try individual cuts or curated packages, such as the Butcher’s Choice Package, which includes an assortment of grass-fed and grain-finished beef, heritage-raised pork, pastured turkey or chicken, or local lamb. If you’re cooking this holiday season, take the guesswork out of shopping for your meats, by having them delivered directly to your door.��Farm Field Table; for locations

2. Farmstop

From dairy and eggs to pasta and sauces, to breakfast meats and organic produce sourced from local farms, Farmstop allows customers to support small and sustainable farmers. Farmstop is in the process of opening a second location in Orange County, California, allowing customers to support small organic farmers in Southern and Central California — and to continue enjoying fresh avocados, citrus fruits, berries, and grapes from metro Detroit. Local customers will have access to California-native products, beginning Nov. 25.��Farmstop 288607 Seven Mile Road, Livonia;

3. The Gathering Coffee Co.

If you’re looking to refuel as you’re shopping about on Small Business Saturday, stop into The Gathering Coffee Co., the newest coffee shop in Detroit’s Milwaukee Junction neighborhood. Purchase a drip coffee or a house special such as A Mountain Range, featuring oat milk, whiskey maple, and honey shaken over ice. Or, keep the giving spirit going by ordering a Suspended Coffee, a brew that will be gifted to someone else. At The Gathering Coffee Co., it’s all about community support. Here, pastries are handmade by Rose’s Fine Foods and Avalon Bakery, and the shop’s refrigerator stocks Drought and Casamara. The Gathering Coffee Co., 2831 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit;

4. Old World Truffles

Nothing edible screams decadence like European truffles. That’s why Old World Truffles hunts the finest of the delicacy in Italy and brings it directly to customers in the Detroit area. Beginning Nov. 27, the company is offering 20 percent off all Italian-made truffle products and Black Truffle Honey, which is made with shaved truffles. Just enter “TRUFF20” at checkout to redeem the discount by Nov. 30, and as always, anyone in Oakland, Macomb, or Wayne counties qualify for free delivery on orders over $75.��Old World Truffles;

5. Good Stuff Corktown

Aptly named, this jewelry box of a shop is a charming bodega stocked with only the best food stuff in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. Here, you’ll find fresh bread and baked goods from��Bread by Crispelli’s, grass-fed beef from McElroy Farms, and a handsome selection of Belgian beers. Considering stopping in on Small Business Saturday and throughout the holiday season. Good Stuff Corktown, 1444 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-285-8147;

6. Lush Yummies Pie Co.

’Tis the season for yummy pies — and Lush Yummies Pie Co. is here to deliver! Recently featured as one of Oprah’s “Favorite Things,” this Detroit-based pastry company churns out decadent pies, such as the Peach Butta Cobbler, Mother’s Apple Butta Spread Pie, and the famous Lemon Butta Pie. There are German Chocolate Cookies, too.��Lush Yummies Pie Co., 313-629-0625;

7. Lala’s��

Opened just this summer within the former Standard Bistro & Larder, Lala’s serves up elevated comfort food, available for curbside, carryout, or delivery. The menu rotates weekly, featuring fried feta with hot honey, a crispy pork belly bowl with rice and garlic butter corn, peach crumb pie, and carryout cocktails. Order up between your holiday shopping — or simply to reward yourself for supporting local businesses this season!��Lala’s, 5827 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor; 734-263-2543;

8. Table No. 2

When the fine dining restaurant closed during the pandemic, Chef-Owner Omar Mitchell was not ready to give up on the restaurant he says customers loved so much. Soon after leaving the space on Detroit’s west side, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a new space. Less than $5,000 away from his $30,000 goal, Mitchell could still use your help. Support this Black-owned business today.��Table No. 2,

9. Smash Cakes

This fun brand satisfies two urges this year: the urge to celebrate during a time when celebratory gatherings are discouraged, and the urge to get a little aggression out — during a time when celebratory gatherings are discouraged. These whimsical cakes, in fact, are not cake at all. Spherical chocolate molds are customized to the design of your choosing and filled with fun surprises, such as candy or chocolates, gift cards, or even lottery tickets. Like a piñata, customers will need to smash the cake open to reveal the sweet treat inside. Smash Cakes is offering 15 percent off pre-orders made Nov. 28-Dec. 4.��Smash Cakes, or order@smashcakesdetroit.com for orders

10. Michigan Local Gift Guide

This year, you get a pass if you prefer to do all your holiday shopping online — in fact, shopping virtually is encouraged as we all work to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Taste the Local Difference has compiled a holiday gift guide that allows you to shop Michigan-made food brands from the comfort of your couch. Gift a friend an artisanal bottle of��, handcrafted jams from����by Detroit Food Academy, or venture outside of metro Detroit with a����from Brewt’s in Grand Rapids.��Taste the Local Difference,

11. Thyme & Honey

If you’re shopping for the health-conscious in your life, give the gift of healthy eating with a gift certificate to Thyme & Honey. The clean catering company crafts a rotating weekly menu of from-scratch meals free of refined sugars, starches, and carbs. Meals begin at $15 and are available for pickup in St. Clair Shores or delivery. Keep an eye out for holiday specials, launching in December. Thyme & Honey,