What Sydney restaurants and cafes are doing during the COVID-19 crisis

Restaurants have had to pivot their service away from the dine-in experience and into takeaway options all the while taking advantage of cost saving measures where possible.

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Takeaway used to mean pizza, fish and chips and kebabs. Cafes and restaurants have been allowed to cautiously reopen but the takeaway landscape remains dominant. Top dine-in restaurants are offering takeaway and delivery options. To enjoy fine dining at home you need to focus purely on the food instead of focusing on the lack of décor or ambience. Keep on reading to find out which restaurants and cafes are offering gourmet at-home options.

Continental Deli, Newtown

Continental Deli is a pioneer when it comes to canned food. Rethink cheap beans, tuna and corn. Continental Deli serves up soup, cocktails and more in cans. They’re also serving up Ciabatta sandwiches.

Elva, Bondi

Elva lets you take the Italian experience home. If you love your Italian food but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, purchase meals that can be assembled at home. They sell handmade pasta and sauces. For the time pressed, they also offer takeaway options.

Epic Pizza, various locations

Epic Pizza is known for its 65 cm pies. All three of Epic Pizza’s stores are offering takeaway and delivery options. If you want 10% off, order through their website.

Mary’s, Newtown

All your favourite Mary’s offerings are available for takeaway. If you want something hearty, go for the friend chicken with mash and gravy. If you’re looking to hit the spot, choose the cheeseburger. They’re listed on Deliveroo. You can also call or text 0451 154 210.

Mary’s, Haymarket

Mary’s Pitt Street offers the same core menu as their Newtown store. As an added bonus they offer more vegan options including friend cauliflower.,

P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants, Newtown

Liquor consumption has gone up. If you’re comfy in your COVID uniform of jammies and ugg boots, order your booze online from P&V. They have takeaway and delivery options. You can also email or call the number 9517 9754 between 10am to 9pm.

nel., Sydney

COVID-19 has forced  nel. To shut shop. Thankfully, they’ve changed directions and are offering produce boxes to support local farmers and suppliers. Forget going to Woollies. You can relax at home and wait for your nel. box. Curated by chef Nelly Robinson, it includes fresh fruit and veg, meat, and seafood. She sources it directly from the growers, harvesters and catches. Boxes cost between $45 and $130 and are delivered within the Sydney Metropolitan.

Porch and Parlour, North Bondi

Porch and Parlour has made a name for itself in recent years. Fans can order their favourites through Hey You for quick and easy pickup. Offerings include green pea pancakes. To promote social distancing, they also offer take-home meals using ingredients from their kitchen.

The Unicorn Hotel, Paddington         

COVID has got us craving some good old-fashioned pub food. The Unicorn is now delivering. Grab their Unicorn meat pie floater, Mary’s signature cheeseburger, or a classic steak sandwich, parma and chicken schnitzel. Deliveroo is delivering the goods. If you want booze to round the meal off, you’ll have to opt for pickup.

Uyen Vietnamese Restaurant, Waverley

Waverly mainstay Uyen Vietnamese Restaurant has been feeding the Eastern Suburbs for over 20 years. Support this family-owned restaurant and order your favourite dishes for takeaway or delivery.  Phone on 9369 1452.

Young Henrys, Newtown             

You can find six-packs of beer, cases and growlers at Young Henry’s Tasting Bar. They are only offering takeaway. You can call them on 9519 0048.

Azuma, Sydney

We never thought we’d be able to enjoy fine Japanese dining from the comfort of our homes. If you live near the CBD pick up your order from Chifley Tower. They’re also offering free delivery for orders over $30 during the week. If you’re looking for a feast, try their sashimi and sushi platters, wagyu and other bento boxes and sukiyaki hot pot sets starting from $120.

COCO88 Chocolate Patisserie

Brighten up your social isolation with some chocolate therapy. This  family business is deliverying freckled eggs, raspberry lollies egg and marshmallow eggs (think Wagon Wheels, but better).

Cooks Co-Op, Sackville

Martin Boetz usually delivers gourmet produce to other chefs or hosts events. He’s turned his focus to a weekly meal drive-through. Forget burgers, chips and chicken wings. At the Cooks Co-op drive-through you can pick up curry, beef ragu, and loaves of sour dough. All meals are served cold, ready to be reheated. Serving sizes are generous enough for two people.

Cornelius Cheesemongers

Cheese always goes down well. Cornelius is delivering cheese boxes to your door, as well as fondue and raclette. Try the “Just BRIEcause” pack if you need a boost. Prices begin at $49.95. Delivery to Melbourne is free. Delivery to regional Victoria, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Hobart, Brisbane and Canberra is $10.

Essential Kitchen Sydney by Pen Catering, Neutral Bay

Pen Catering has always provided food to CBD corporations. When professionals moved to a work-from-home model their orders plummeted. Fortunately they’ve pivoted and are now offering groceries form their sandwich production area. They are also producing and delivering chef-made meals. By supporting them, you’re keeping their 25 staff employed. Delivery is free across Cremore, Mosman and Neutral Bay. If you’re not in the lower North Shore you’ll have to pay a delivery fee.

Ho Jiak, various locations

Ho Jiak  has developed a new menu suited for delivery. You can buy their “survival dishes on Uber Eats and Deliveroo. Favorites like char kway teow, Indomee goreng and Hainanese chicken rice are only $10.

Long Chim, Sydney

Sydney institute Long Chim is still serving up your favourite beer, wine and Thai food. For mornings they also do coffee and jaffles. Pick up is available if you’re around Angel Place. Ritual and Uber eats do delivery.

Love, Tilly Devine, Darlinghurst

Sometimes lasagna, salad and red wine are what’s needed to hit the spot. If you’ve got $60 to spare you can sort food and booze for the night. $25 will score you food only.  Lift your spirits by adding charcuterie and burrata for a multi-course meal. Associated Laneway Guerrilla Bootleggers Bottle-O is still trading.

Nilgiri’s, Cremorne

Nilgiri’s Indian Restaurant is cooking 40 portions a night for healthcare workers and people in need, with both vegetarian and meat options. If you’re eligible, email them through their website. They’re also offering takeaway and delivery options. If you want to lock down dinner, order in advance.

Nútie Wholefoods & Hole Foods, Surry Hills

Nutie is doing next-day deliveries for gluten-free, vegan and other specialized foods. They offer a range of products from donuts to dinner. Why not pay a meal forward to the elderly, disabled or unemployed?
Porteno, Surry Hills
Sometimes you crave the kind of food that just can’t be cooked at home. Depending on your price range you can choose options priced between $30 and $65. Dishes include classic fare such as lasagna, wood-fired salmon, sides and flan. Call Porteno for delivery or order via the Bopple app.

Reuben Hills, Surry Hills

Drive-thru has come to Reuben Hills! Order your breakfast, brunch or coffee to-go. Order online for dishes like coconut overnight oats, scramble on rye, Mexican meatballs with a fried egg, fried chicken and salad bowls.

A Tavola, Darlinghurst

A Tavola’s gourmet menu features boasts multiple pasta dishes as well as veggie sides and salads. You can call ahead and order your favourites to go. Check out their offerings at atavola.com.au

Cebu Lechon, Newtown

Lechon is offering meals that are designed to be enjoyed and shared. Lechon is offering both takeaway and delivery options.  Choose your poison –  fried pork belly, pork coconut curry, barbecue pork skewers or humba braised soy chicken.

Firedoor, Surry Hills

Firedoor draws on its extensive network of suppliers and local producers to put together market boxes at $150 a pop. Firedoor’s market boxes aren’t your usual fruit and veg. You can look forward to house-baked bread, hand-churned smoked butter, local eggs, protein and seasonal fruit and vegetables. You can even select gourmet add-ons like dry-aged steak.

La Piadina, various locations

This Italian café is a bustling local favourite. These people are for their crispy Piadina of course, as well as salads, mains and freshly roasted coffee for that at home barista experience. Order from 7 am to 9.45pm.

One Penny Red, Summer Hill

One Penny red has come up with a takeaway menu that is 15% cheaper than its usual prices. Fussy kids can delight in their kids menus. For those with a more complex palette, try the pistachio and orange mortadella focaccia, potato gnocchi cacio e pepe with ‘nduja, or smoked plum and molasses beef short rib.

Pazar Food Collective, Canterbury

If you’re up Canterbury way check out Pazar Food Collective, who are running their own drive through You order online and then park in Gould Street at the appointed time. The friendly staff pop the food in your car window. Then scoff down their delicious Turkish-Middle Eastern-Mexican fare in your car or at home.