Seven 'Treat Yourself' Meals to Get Delivered If You're Celebrating a Special Occasion in Lockdown
Don't let lockdown stop you from marking another year of life or love.
Seven 'Treat Yourself' Meals to Get Delivered If You're Celebrating a Special Occasion in Lockdown
Don't let lockdown stop you from marking another year of life or love.
Extended lockdowns might have wreaked havoc on countless plans and stolen a good chunk of your social life in the process, but that doesn't mean they have to zap every last drop of fun. Even under stay-at-home orders, with curfews and travel limits in place, life rolls on — and with it, there'll be milestones that you'll want to celebrate in style.
Whether it's a special birthday, a landmark anniversary, or simply raising a glass to how long you've managed to survive in lockdown — don't let it pass you by without some well-deserved commemoration. We've rounded up some local restaurants serving next-level feasts for takeaway and delivery, so you can get celebratory safely at home without breaking any rules.
Wash your hair, put on some proper pants and make this one a lockdown night worth remembering.
-
7
Is there a more fitting feed than a home-delivered feast courtesy of one of the country’s most-awarded restaurants? Once again, Ben Shewry’s Ripponlea fine diner Attica promises to bring some world-class culinary flair to your lockdown dinner, by way of a rotating at-home selection. The offering spans set menu feasts, family dishes and signature desserts which change up regularly throughout lockdown.
But, if you’ve got the urge to splurge (and really, what else are you spending money on in lockdown?), opt for the likes of the $395 tasting menu. This one’s a generous spread for two, featuring masterful dishes like a shiitake and black truffle broth, marron with roasted yeast butter, the famed spice-crusted lamb brick, croc fat caramel and more. There’s a whole collection of matched beverages, too, ranging from batched cocktails to sake.
How? Hit the website to see the current menu and place an order. Restaurant pick-up is available, as well as $15 delivery to select suburbs.
-
6
If your idea of a special occasion involves a healthy dose of smoked meats and southern-style sides, Brunswick East’s Bluebonnet Barbecue has your lockdown situation on lock. The venue is serving a generous, meat-focused selection of heat-and-serve goodies for takeaway and delivery, and it’s the kind of lineup you’ll want to stock up on napkins for.
Go large with the Pitmaster’s Pick For Four ($150) and find yourself tucking into such delights as wagyu brisket, house-made snags, pulled lamb and smoked chicken, alongside creamy mac and cheese, a proper pecan pie and more. Fancy add-on dishes might include the likes of a smoked brisket burnt ends pie and bourbon-glazed ribs, and there’s plenty of boozy matches among the range of tinnies, bottled cocktails and vino — prosecco included.
How? Jump onto Mr Yum to order for pick-up or drop-off, and to check out the delivery zones.
Image: Kate Shanasy
-
5
Here’s a boss move for you to wheel out next time there’s an occasion to be celebrated properly at home: an elaborate assortment of premium meat, seafood and sides, from award-winning Japanese kaiseki restaurant Ishizuka. The venue’s daily-changing seasonal bento box is a truly high-end affair, now available for takeaway and delivery if you’re in need of a little indulgence to see you (and your household) through the latest lockdown. Expect bites like A5 Kagoshima wagyu beef, baby abalone, Japanese fish cakes, ikura (salmon roe), braised eggplant with wintermelon, duck, mochis and more. And, if you’re after some equally fine booze to match, Ishizuka’s also got some standout liquid offerings, including sake, wine and crafty batched cocktails.
How? Order via the website’s reservation page, giving at least 24 hours notice. Pick-up and delivery are available Thursday through Monday.
Image: Eve Wilson
-
4
Who needs a multi-course degustation, when you can settle in and gorge solely on cheese and wine instead? If that sounds like your ultimate at-home feasting situation, look no further than famed local fromagerie, Milk The Cow. The venue’s putting together a wide range of cheese and booze hampers for takeaway and delivery, serving from both its St Kilda and Carlton outposts. There’s a huge array of packs to choose from, each heroing a different style of drink and matching curation of cheese. But for a celebratory vibe, you can’t go past the $205 Champagne and French Cheese Hamper — featuring a bottle of French bubbly to toast the occasion as you devour the paired spread of fine French cheese and accompaniments.
How? Delivery is available statewide, with fees dependent on your location. Spend a minimum of $50 and get your order in here before 10.30am to enjoy same-day delivery. Both fromageries are also open for takeaway.
-
3
Guy Grossi (Florentino, Cellar Bar, Arlechin) is one of Melbourne’s undisputed masters of Italian cooking. And if you’re due for a fix, you’ll now find a selection of his restaurants’ signature dishes, plus snacks, specials and celebratory feasts available for takeaway and delivery, via Grossi a Casa (Grossi At Home).
Our tip for a memorable occasion? Order the four-course Festa a Casa, starring Florentino classics like the whipped cod crostini, duck tortellini with caramelised pear, succulent beef cheeks and a tiramisu to finish. It’ll serve two hungry punters for $135, though there’s also the option to add on a flourless chocolate cake for an extra special touch. And the online store has plenty of batched cocktails, wine and bottled beers if you’re thirsty.
How? The menu’s available both for pick up (11am–5pm Monday–Saturday) and delivery within 35 kilometres of the CBD (8am–6pm Monday–Saturday, $15 fee). Order here before 4pm and it’ll be ready the following day.
-
2
Birthday winery-hopping sessions are off the cards for now, but here’s a little something that might help fill the void: the Mornington Peninsula’s Pt Leo Estate is reimagining its award-winning restaurant experience as an at-home offering. Complete with delivery to a range of Melbourne suburbs, no less.
You can pick and mix dishes, or opt for the curated Pt Leo Favourites For Two box ($190), starring elegant eats like lobster rotolo, tuna carpaccio and a Valrhona chocolate mousse, plus a bottle of estate wine of your choosing. Batched cocktails are also available to add on. And don’t forget to throw in a serve of the beluga caviar ($27 for five grams) if the occasion calls for it.
How? Order here by 4pm for next-day pick up or delivery. You can check here to see whether you’re in the delivery zone.
Image: Chris McConville
-
1
Over in West Footscray, Zymurgy is leaving punters spoilt for choice when it comes to indulgent feeds you can enjoy at home during lockdown. What’s more, with Navi’s Julian Hills and the Hop Nation crew at the helm, you can bank on both the eats and drinks to be top-notch.
Lock in a celebratory vibe for two with the Saturday and Sunday Dinner ($90) — the menu changes up on the regular, but recent hits have included the likes of smoked brisket, potato salad spiked with fennel and capers, and black artichoke-infused Portuguese tarts. Teamed with a four-pack of signature Hop Nation brews or bottle of Site Wine, of course. You can even elevate the party further, with add-ons like the beetroot and stracciatella, or citrus-cured sardines with fermented potato bread.
How? Order here by 4pm for restaurant pick-up that same evening (5.30–7pm).
Top images: Bluebonnet, by Kate Shanasy — Zymurgy, supplied — Pt Leo Estate, by Chris McConville
- Melbourne's Best Dog-Friendly Parks and Beaches for the Ultimate Pup Time
- Fifteen of the Most Unique Stays You Can Book Around New Zealand
- The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels, B&Bs and Self-Contained Getaways in Victoria
- The Mightiest Tiny Houses You Can Book Around NSW
- The 27 Best Private Dining Rooms in Melbourne
- The 40 Best Restaurants for Group Bookings in Melbourne