We don’t always eat at restaurants. Not every meal, at any rate. Some of us have offices to get to, deadlines to meet, or families to feed at home. Sometimes, when the weather is pleasant, we want to eat outside – in a park, or at the beach. And on stormy nights there’s nothing more comforting than curling up with dinner on the couch. But eating in doesn’t need to mean foregoing restaurant food. We’ve hunted down some excellent eats-to-go to fuel your next picnic, lunch break or Tuesday night in.
SYDNEY
LP’s Quality Meats
Luke Powell’s Chippendale hot spot has brought us all kinds of joy since it opened last August – there’s its retro Friday meat trays, the rocking bar, and of course those smokin’ quality meats. In 2015 LP’s has us smiling even more with the offer of takeaway, which means you can enjoy your 15-hour barbecued beef short rib, smoked chicken and gravy rolls, and sausage du jour wherever you please (and with as much Game of Thrones or Downton as you need). LP’s Quality Meats, 1/16 Chippen St, Chippendale, NSW, (02) 8399 0929
Coogee Pavilion
Coogee Pavilion’s prime beachside positioning makes securing a seat a challenge at the best of times, but it’s almost impossible on a sunny summer’s day. Fortunately, the Pavilion has a take-out menu featuring oysters, lobster rolls, bright salads (charred sweetcorn with avocado, coriander, roasted radish and smoked trout, say), and that seaside essential, fish and chips, with lemon and tartare sauce. Coogee Pavilion, 169 Dolphin St, Coogee, NSW, (02) 9240 3000
The Fish Shop
Jeremy Strode’s crumbed fish burger was one of our favourite dishes of 2013 and the love remains strong. It’s just one of the dishes (others include fish schnitzel with fennel and celeriac slaw and Dan Hong’s famed cheeseburger) you can take home from the Fish Shop’s fresh, easy seafood menu – perfect for enjoying in the sun, by the water, with a cold one (or five). The Fish Shop, 22 Challis Ave, Potts Point, NSW, (02) 9326 9000
MELBOURNE
Belle’s Hot Chicken
Morgan McGlone’s popular Nashville-style hot chicken is available for takeaway, in buckets no less. Choose your heat (the scale goes from “southern” to “really f*ckin’ hot”), pick a sauce (ranch, blue cheese, or Mississippi comeback) and some sides (Old Bay fries, or broccoli and almond salad for something a little lighter) and you’ve got a party. Belle’s Hot Chicken, 150 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Vic, (03) 9077 0788
Flower Drum
Is this the country’s fanciest Chinese take-out? The answer is a definite yes. What other restaurant offers what’s arguably Australia’s finest Peking duck, live seafood and Cantonese barbecue to go? Best savoured with a bottle of something special from the home cellar. Flower Drum, 17 Market La, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9662 3655
Cumulus Inc
The takeaway menu at Cumulus is no second thought. There’s buffalo ricotta and bottarga toast in the snacks department, grilled ox tongue and mustard fruits from the charcuterie list, salads such as heirloom zucchini with preserved lemon and mint, and a whole roast lamb shoulder to share. That’s your next dinner party sorted. Cumulus Inc, 45 Flinders La, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9650 1445
PERTH
Ace Pizza
Perth pie-lovers will be glad to know that Ace offers a large selection of its famous pizzas to go. You can also take home the fried mac and cheese, meatballs with pepperoni sauce, beetroot and smoked ricotta salad, and peanut butter and jelly doughnuts. Ace Pizza, 448 Beaufort St, Highgate, WA, 0499 448 000
ADELAIDE
Kutchi Deli Parwana
Those with a thing for Afghani cuisine will be pleased to know that Kutchi Deli Parwana, the younger sibling of Torrensville trailblazer Parwana, offers its entire menu to take away. This could mean anything from lamb kebab with naan, salad and chutney, to yellow dhal or bolani – a gözleme-like dish filled with pumpkin, potato or lamb. Kutchi Deli Parwana, 7 Ebenezer Pl, Adelaide, SA, (08) 7225 8586
Africola
The takeaway offering at fun-loving South African eatery Africola extends to only one dish: peri-peri chicken. But they make it count. It’s served with the fiery vegetable relish known as chakalaka, a sorghum-based porridge called ting, and milk bread. Boom. Africola, 4 East Tce, Adelaide, SA, (08) 8223 3885
BRISBANE
Alfredo’s
Home-delivered pizza and cocktails? Yep, it’s a thing. Alfredo’s takeaway menu spans winning wood-fired pizza, pastas such as tagliatelle with Berkshire pork ragù, and gutsy desserts along the lines of salted-caramel baked Alaska and peanut-brittle sundaes. And finally, for the booze-lovers, an entire delivery menu dedicated to drinks. They’ll even supply the ice. Alfredo’s, 39 Alfred St, Fortitude Valley, Qld, (07) 3251 6555
Kwan Brothers
For Asian-accented fun, call Kwan Brothers. Among their home delivery highlights are finger-friendly bao, salt-crusted whole snapper with green mango salad and nahm jim, pineapple fried rice, and cocktails such as Kwan’s Coco Loco: a tropical combo of house-made coconut cream, kaffir lime leaf and black-peppercorn syrup, fresh pineapple juice, coconut water and a squeeze of lime, topped off with Black Seal rum. Kwan Brothers, 43 Alfred St, Fortitude Valley, Qld, (07) 3251 6588
