It’s easy to phone it in on Father’s Day with a detective novel and a novelty tie. We don’t know your dad, but we’re pretty sure he’d appreciate a more considered little treat – whether he’s a cool dad or a daggy one, he prefers coffee or hot sauce, or he spends his weekends cooking, digging in the garden or filling up his wine cellar. To help you celebrate in style, we’ve put together a selection of gifts for dads of all stripes – even the ones who honestly just want a dressing gown and a new pair of socks.
Plus, we’re offering the chance for one lucky reader to take home all the gifts in this guide, cementing your position as Dad’s favourite (or if your golden-child status is secure, they’d make swanky additions to your own home too). Enter your details below for a chance to win.
Under $25
Arbosana and Coratina olives from family farms in the Goulburn Valley and Mallee regions give Goldi oils their signature punchy flavours. For a little something extra, these agrumato oils – $20 for a 375-mil squeezy pack – include lemons, chillies and limes, which are crushed alongside the olives (rather than infused in the oil) to lend a serious whack of flavour to Dad’s kitchen creations.
Barossa shiraz is the reigning champion of Australian wine, and few do it as well as Grant Burge Wines. The Miamba shiraz is a rich, full-bodied example of everything we love about the style, loaded with dark fruit and spice flavours. This makes an ideal drop for sharing at family meals with roast beef and all the trimmings – whether Dad shares, though, we’ll leave up to him.
Little Tin Co has three criteria for its seafood: it needs to be delicious, locally sourced and sustainable. This tin of souped-up salmon takes the lesser-appreciated but abundant Australian variety – wild-caught, of course – and adds spicy, spreadable ’nduja. The result is a more-ish blend that, at $16.95 per pack, makes an easy addition to snacky spreads for dads who are just as concerned about the environment as their tastebuds.
A road trip down the California coast would be the ultimate Father’s Day gift, but it’s probably wishful thinking (sorry, Dad). With this $25 auto fragrance by Brooklyn brand DS & Durga, the old man can at least take a little of the Big Sur coastline’s magic wherever he goes, with notes of coastal rain, Pacific spray, eucalyptus and wet wood transporting him straight to Highway 1 after a soft rain.
Melbourne diner Chotto Motto is equal parts quirky fun (play a few vintage video games next time you’re there) and great Japanese food, and it continues the theme with its take-home range. Priced at $12.50, this culture-clashing seasoning mixes Aussie chicken salt with Japan’s savoury curry flavours, making a versatile addition to Dad’s favourites, from hot chips and fried chicken to Friday-night popcorn.
Down Under Wash Co is all about handmade, biodegradable and cruelty-free soaps and cleaners, and this one is suited to that most dad-like of tasks – having a shave. The $10 bar blends ingredients like coconut oil, cocoa butter, bergamot oil and Tasmanian rum for a soft and fragrant lather. The Rummy doubles as a body wash too, meaning Dad can replace two of his staples with one eco- and skin-friendly bar.
Under $50
Socks on Father’s Day is like turkey at Christmas – it’s a time-honoured tradition and we won’t be the ones to buck it. Fortunately for Dad, this $35 pair from Toorallie strikes the perfect blend of warmth and comfort, with super-soft lambswool merino doing the hard work. Choose from understated colours of grey and oat, and forget the daggy novelty designs this year.
The traditional trio of France’s Cotes du Rhone region – shiraz, grenache and mourvedre – also thrives under the hot Barossa sun. Grant Burge Wines presents an Australian approach to this classic blend, producing a medium-full red wine stacked with flavours like juicy red cherry, red currant and aniseed. A smooth, velvety style of wine that, at $38.99, punches well above its weight.
Skincare doesn’t just end at the face, and with how often we use our hands every day, it’s important to pamper them, too. Priced at $42, Necessaire’s hand cream has a mix of ceramides, peptides and niacinamide to help reverse dryness on the skin and recover brittle cuticles – necessary if Dad’s a hands-on kind of guy.
Understated, subtle, versatile – however you want to frame it, “dad fashion” is a style all its own. For $40, this utilitarian tee from AS Colour leans right into that aesthetic, with heavyweight 280-GSM carded cotton in goes-with-everything white and a slightly oversized fit to flatter a variety of body shapes. It’s the sort of staple you’ll see him wear again and again (which always feels good).
The hot sauces at Mat’s Hot Shop are made for flavour first and heat second, meaning every sauce in the range has a unique character equal to its spicy backbone. This Holy Trinity pack is a mild-medium-hot combo that includes the vinegary bite of a Louisiana-style sauce, the sweet and fruity (and taco-ready) Piña Picante, and zesty peri-peri, all for an even $50.
Under $100
Ikkari takes its name from the Greek island of Ikaria, a “blue zone” – somewhere people live especially long lives. At $69, this body wash may not be a literal fountain of youth for Dad, but it should put a little pep in his step. There’s algae to brighten skin tone, magnesium to soothe aching muscles, moisture-locking additives for skin hydration, and the sweet, floral aromas of lavender blossom and mandarin oil.
Grant Burge Wines Filsell shiraz is a Barossa icon and, to celebrate the single vineyard’s 100th year, the winery has released this special bottling, limited to just 6000. Filsell’s 100-year-old vines make for a deep, brooding wine with power and complexity – we’re talking flavours like cherry, chocolate and espresso. It also handily comes in a gift box, no hand-wrapping required. Tell Dad he can drink it now or age it in the cellar for years to come.
The aromas of Cradle Mountain – eucalyptus, pine, citrus, florals – inspired this Black Blaze scented candle. Whether Dad is a city slicker or regular outdoorsman, this $55 candle (made with soy wax and a wooden wick) will transport him straight to the peace and quiet of the Aussie bush. How’s the serenity?
With his Rough Rice products, fermentation expert Adam James combines ancient preservation techniques with a lot of patience to create inventive and seriously tasty condiments, powders and potions. For $60, you can get James’s signature three-minute congee, with ingredients like saltbush, wakame, borscht and quinoa foraged, fermented and freeze-dried in Tasmania. It’s a quality addition to Dad’s pantry, pack or hamper for his next outdoors adventure (or lazy afternoon in).
From her Auckland studio, New Zealand glass artist Kate Mitchell creates striking glassware that blends bright splodges of colour with irregular but functional design. Whether it’s a cocktail-ready piece for the cabinet or an everyday water glass, these idiosyncratic tumblers are definitely Father’s Day-worthy.
Starting out in Melbourne back in 2000, Perks and Mini has become a bit of a go-to for everything lifestyle and streetwear, and we should be happy to bring Dad into the fold. This $78 cotton-twill cap weaves PAM’s signature hat with Ace Hotel embroidery in eye-catching orange. It’s the collab we didn’t know we needed.
You might not be able to treat Dad to all the best experiences in your city, but Broadsheet can. With this $100 subscription, Broadsheet Access members can snag: tables at booked-out restaurants, preview sittings at new eateries, free event tickets, discounts from top brands and more. Talk about getting in the good books (and he might even take you along).
Under $250
As the name suggests, the Bali Tailor relies on expert Balinese tailoring to craft perfectly fitted footwear that blends practical ease with style. Priced at $249, the Luca slide is designed as an easy-wearing slip-on in a European mule style. If you and your dad happen to be in Indonesia, you can go in for a custom fitting – but, regardless, each pair is made to order.
This wine shares its name with an Old Testament character – which is appropriate, as Grant Burge Wines Meshach is something of a legend itself. The winery’s flagship shiraz is as concentrated and intense as they come – a real no-holds-barred example of what high-end Barossa shiraz can be. For $220, land Dad a real special-occasion wine.
Suku’s range of handmade, small-batch bedding, clothing and sleepwear is made with ethics and sustainability at its heart, but great design follows. These classic blue and white PJs ($220) are made from soft, sustainable bamboo and each pair is dyed and sewed by hand.
Family business Nazario Parisi & Sons is dedicated to menswear with “la sprezzatura”, or effortless grace. It means that the brand’s clothing and accessories – like this timeless, understated black leather belt – are more about quality craftsmanship and premium materials than flashy style. Handmade in Florence with full-grain calf leather, this is a $175 belt that ought to last Dad a lifetime.
Something just feels right about dads in robes – lounging on lazy Sunday mornings, maybe reading a paper. Hommey makes its lifestyle products with comfort firmly front of mind, and this pinstriped, 100 per cent cotton robe is perfect whether he’s in couch mode in winter or poolside in summer. Espresso is our colour pick (and very morning-appropriate) but there are more than a dozen choices for you to curate to Dad’s tastes.
Danish brand Hay applies sculptural design to functional furniture and home accessories. An eye-catching upgrade to the standard coffee plunger, this durable borosilicate-glass French press (valued at $150), with its decorative blue and yellow lid, will add a splash of colour to Dad’s morning coffee routine.
If you’re having trouble narrowing down the options, we’re giving one lucky reader every single gift in this guide. Simply enter your details to go in the draw.
For your chance to win, enter your details before 11.59pm on September 1. Terms and conditions apply.
This article is produced in partnership with Grant Burge Wines.
