Caviar as a gift: how to choose, time and send it
A good caviar gift is one fresh tin, sized for the people who'll share it, arriving cold on the day it will be eaten. A 30 or 50 gram tin is a generous first taste for one or two; 125 grams suits a dinner for four; 250 grams or more is for a party. Timing matters more than packaging: fresh caviar should be eaten within 48 hours of opening.
Choose the size by the occasion
| Gift | Tin | Price | Serves, as a tasting |
|---|---|---|---|
| A thank-you, or a first taste | 30 g | $45 | 1–2 |
| A date night for two | 50 g | $75 | 2–3 |
| A dinner party, a couple who love caviar | 125 g | $187.50 | 4–8 |
| A host gift for a party, a big celebration | 250 g | $375 | 8–16 |
| A household over the holidays, an event | 500 g | $750 | 16–30 |
Prices are for our Imperial Ossetra, $1.50 a gram in every size, plus the courier fee. For more on portions see how much caviar per person.
Two smaller tins cost the same as one larger tin, and a sealed tin keeps far better than an open one. For a gift that will be shared over a few days, two tins are kinder than one.
Start with who it's for
- A caviar lover. They'll notice quality, so give a larger tin of one good caviar rather than a sampler.
- Someone new to caviar. A small tin is a gift in itself. Add a line about how to taste it: cold, on a non-metal spoon, nothing else. See what does caviar taste like.
- A host. Never bring caviar to a party unannounced. It has to stay cold and be served soon. Send it ahead, timed for the afternoon, so they can plan it into the evening.
- A team or clients. One order for five to a hundred people, each delivered at the hour you choose: see corporate gifts.
Five gift ideas
- The first taste. A 30 gram tin with a note that says when to open it. Small, personal, no explanation needed.
- The date night. A 50 gram tin delivered the afternoon of an anniversary. Pair it with a bottle you bring yourself: see what to drink with caviar.
- The blini night. A 125 gram tin for a dinner of four, with our blini recipe in the note.
- The host gift. A 250 gram tin sent to arrive before the guests do.
- The celebration. A promotion, a birth, a closing: the right tin, arriving that day, kept a surprise until the courier is close.
Keep the rest simple. Plain blini, crème fraîche and a mother-of-pearl spoon are all caviar needs; skip flavored crackers and anything that can't stay cold. If you want to give the whole experience, see what goes in a caviar kit.
Time it for the holidays
Fresh caviar is a gift for a specific day, not a box to sit under the tree. Plan backwards from when it will be eaten:
- Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners: deliver the day of, or the day before, in the morning so it goes straight into the fridge.
- Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve: these are the busiest caviar nights of the year. Order early and choose a one-hour window that afternoon.
- Hanukkah, Diwali, Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day: the same rule. Arrive the day it will be shared.
- Away for the holidays? Don't send caviar to an empty house. Pick a day someone will be home.
You can book a one-hour window up to six days ahead, so for this season:
| Occasion | Deliver on | Book from |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | Thu, Nov 26 (or Wed, Nov 25) | Nov 20 |
| First night of Hanukkah | Fri, Dec 4 | Nov 28 |
| Christmas Eve | Thu, Dec 24 | Dec 18 |
| New Year's Eve | Thu, Dec 31 | Dec 25 |
| Valentine's Day | Sun, Feb 14 | Feb 8 |
Planning a party? See caviar for New Year's Eve for quantities and a make-ahead caviar pie.
Unopened, kept at 28–32°F, our caviar is best within a month, but a gift is better eaten the day it arrives. See how long caviar lasts.
How sending a gift works with Opus
- Choose "Send a gift", then the tin, the recipient's name, mobile number and address.
- Pick when: as soon as possible, tomorrow, or a one-hour window between 10am and 6pm, up to six days ahead.
- Write a note of up to 200 characters. The recipient sees it on their gift page, which opens from our text.
- Decide if it's a surprise. If not, we text them when it leaves us and again when it's close. If it is, they won't hear from us until the courier is about 10 minutes away.
- If no one answers, the courier leaves it at their door and sends a photo. Refrigerate promptly.
We deliver gifts only to addresses in our delivery area: Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, Campbell, Santa Clara, much of San Jose and parts of Palo Alto. We never ship caviar by mail. See where we deliver.
Common questions
Is caviar a good gift?
For someone who enjoys food, few gifts feel as special, and it's eaten together rather than put on a shelf. The catch is that fresh caviar must arrive cold and be eaten soon, so choose a delivery that's timed, not a box that sits in transit.
How much should I spend on a caviar gift?
A good first taste starts around $45 for 30 grams of our Imperial Ossetra. $75 to $190 covers most gifts for two to eight people. See how much caviar costs for prices across the market.
Can I send caviar to someone outside the South Bay?
Not from us yet. We only deliver by courier within our area, so that it arrives cold the same day.
Can the recipient keep it for later?
Unopened, in the coldest part of the fridge, it keeps for up to a month. Once open, it should be eaten within 48 hours.
Send a gift for same-day delivery across the South Bay.