Sam’s favorite gifts in Stardew Valley are a small set of items that give the biggest friendship boost, plus a wider group he simply “likes.”

Sam’s loved gifts (best choices)

These give the highest friendship points when you gift them to Sam.

  • Pizza
  • Cactus Fruit
  • Maple Bar
  • Tigerseye (the mineral)
  • All “universal loves” also count as loves for Sam (e.g., items that the game flags as loved by everyone except special exceptions).

On his birthday (Summer 17), any of these loved gifts give a big bonus to friendship.

Sam’s liked gifts

These are safe “everyday” options that still give a decent boost, just not as much as loves.

  • Most “universal likes” (things almost everyone in town likes, such as many cooked dishes and artisan goods).
  • Joja Cola is something Sam is specifically said to enjoy, fitting his part‑time job at JojaMart and his character flavor text.

If you’re not sure what to give him, a universally liked item is usually a good backup.

Gifts Sam dislikes or hates

Avoid these if you’re trying to build hearts with him.

  • He reacts badly to generic junky items like Stone and to some basic farm products such as Mayonnaise, which are listed among his worst gift reactions in detailed guides.
  • Certain minerals and low‑value materials also fall into his “bad” or “worst” categories.

If you stick to his loves and general universal likes, you’ll never accidentally hit these negative reactions.

Quick HTML table of best gifts

Because you asked “what does Sam like in Stardew Valley,” here’s a compact table of his top picks:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Preference</th>
      <th>Item</th>
      <th>Notes</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Love</td>
      <td>Pizza</td>
      <td>His standout favorite; great birthday gift (Summer 17).</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Love</td>
      <td>Cactus Fruit</td>
      <td>Easy if you’re set up for desert foraging.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Love</td>
      <td>Maple Bar</td>
      <td>Cooked dish that fits his “snacky” personality.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Love</td>
      <td>Tigerseye</td>
      <td>Mineral; good once you have mining progress.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Love</td>
      <td>Universal loves</td>
      <td>Any item the game flags as universally loved (with usual exceptions).</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Like</td>
      <td>Joja Cola</td>
      <td>Character-flavor favorite tied to his JojaMart job.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Like</td>
      <td>Universal likes</td>
      <td>Safe general gifts if you don’t have his specific loves.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Little flavor note

Sam is written as a laid‑back, music‑loving skater type who snacks on things like pizza and sugary treats, which is why his loved gifts lean toward fun foods and a few flashy items rather than fancy artisan goods.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.