Sydney Eat Street: Best restaurants for takeaway in lockdown 2021
Though you may be locked in at home, your options for breakfast, lunch and dinner are limitless. See our list of takeaway and pick-up options around Sydney.
Eat Street
Don't miss out on the headlines from Eat Street. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Take a tour of Sydney’s best eateries right here with The Sunday Telegraph’s Eat Street. Are you hungry for more inspiration? Follow us on Instagram or Twitter. #SydneyEatStreet
MORE: Takeaway and pick-up ideas or do-it-yourself food kits
The Fold
The De Hoedts would like to bring you into The Fold. After years of planning, this casual Sri Lankan-inspired cafe brings together the whole family’s vast culinary experience with Travin De Hoedt (head pastry chef at Franca Brasserie in Potts Point) and his younger brother Jason handling the pastries (in between their work at Franca), their father, Augustus, a 40-year veteran of global five-star hotels overseeing the menu, and their mother, Dilki pretty much keeping it all together.
The Fold is unique in that the ingredients may be modified for Australian diets, but Augustus is adamant that the flavours remain genuine; he’d rather mill spices himself than skimp on quality.
It’s that persistence that carried them through last year’s lockdown, and they’re confident they’ll be able to do it once again. For one, Travin, along with his brother, has introduced ‘The Fold’s Bake Sale’, a Dulwich Hill version of an initiative Travin started up last year at Franca Brasserie in Potts Point.
What began as a one-off activation to use the surplus ingredients in the kitchen proved so wildly popular that it has continued ever since. Additionally, Augustus’ menu will be available for takeaway, but for a truly immersive experience, he has proudly prepared a Lankan Feast ($75, serves two).
The menu changes fortnightly but based on this week’s menu — blue swimmer crab curry, basmati rice, red lentil curry, kale malum, condiments and even an orange cream caramel dessert — that’s a pretty good indication of what’s up next.
The Bake Sale will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 8am until sold out, and for the Lankan Feast, you’ll need to order via hello@thefoldsrilankan.com.au for 5pm pick up every Thursday-Saturday.
Check Instagram @thefold.srilankan for specials and regular updates.
— 402 New Canterbury Rd, Dulwich Hill; thefoldsrilankan.com.au
Olio Restaurant
Known for its abundant array of food and drink, Sicily, a Mediterranean island in the southern-most part of Italy, has earned the nickname God’s Kitchen, but while you won’t be pulling up a chair to that table any time soon, you can still enjoy the flavours of the region right in your own home.
At Olio, executive chef Lino Sauro has assembled everything you need to cook a beautiful meal for two with his signature Tonnarelli pasta, Sicilian Seafood Stew and Cannoli for dessert.
This DIY Meal Kit ($199) even includes a 100ml bottle of Olio’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (from Sauro’s family farm in Sicily) and your choice of wine — Nero D Avola (red) or Grillo (white).
For those who prefer their food hot and ready to go, Olio is still offering an ala carte takeaway-menu plus at their Str’eats of Sicily food cart right outside the front door, you can grab single, and family serves of hearty classics including an array of classics such as Lasagne al Forno, Arancino, Smoked Buffalo Burrata and a range of handmade pasta.
To purchase the DIY Meal Kit, email Olio@olio.kensingtonstreet.com.au or call 0451 484 660 by 12pm Friday for pick-up between 4pm-5pm, Saturday or Sunday.
As for the rest of the menu, that’s available as takeaway or pre-ordered pick-up, Tuesday-Sunday from 12pm – 8pm.
— Level 2, The Old Rum Store, 2-10 Kensington St, Chippendale; olio.kensingtonstreet.com.au
SOUL Deli
Those plans of learning a new language during lockdown might be a tad ambitious, so why not start off a little slower and first embrace a different cuisine. SOUL Deli in Surry Hills is all about helping customers learn how to enjoy Korean cuisine.
They have three ‘at home’ kits that show people how to recreate some of their signature dishes: Spicy Pork Belly Kit ($27) — 400g of premium quality pork belly slices lightly dressed in house bulgogi sauce and SOUL Deli’s special Fire Hot Sauce; Korean Charcoal Chicken Kit ($32) — free-range Bannockburn half chicken, slow-cooked to tenderness, then sealed on Hibaki grill with Korean charcoal, ready to be heated up and served with SOUL Dining Sweet & Spicy Chilli Sauce; and a customer favourite, the Galbi BBQ Kit ($45) — Black Angus Beef short-rib on the bone, marinated in soy-pear juice for 12 hours, then sous-vided for another 12 hours.
Finally, add to your order SOUL Deli’s Korean pickles, rice, and a salad for a complete meal. – and you have the perfect Korean meal.
To make it easy, rather than fiddling with recipes while you’re trying to cook SOUL Deli/SOUL Dining’s executive chef, Daero Lee ha spout together SOUL Deli/SOUL Dining’s executive chef, Daero Lee has put together a step-by-step instructional video (souldeli.com.au/our-at-home-range/).
The DIY kits are available at their Surry Hills location or via Thai Kee IGA’s Restaurant Range.
— SOUL Deli, 185 Campbell St, Surry Hills; Thai Kee IGA Market City, 9-13 Market St, Haymarket
Sheraton Grand Sydney
Kick off the heels and undo that belt, as there’s no need to gussy up for this High Tea sitting.
Usually served on an elegant three-tier stand in The Gallery High Tea Lounge, but with the High Tea at Home ($69, serves two), you don’t even need to get out of your jammies -– much less your bed.
Rest assured, The Sheraton Grand’s pastry chefs aren’t taking such a casual approach, rather they’re continuing to prepare a selection of signature treats for you to replicate at home.
Start off with fluffy scones served with Devonshire cream and jam, then move on to the four different savoury bites, including Moreton Bay bug and caramelised leek quiche topped with smoked salmon, or head straight to the four sweet treats such as the purple coconut cream on short crust and the candy-red caramelised apple with hazelnut mousse on shortbread which are as tasty as they are colourful.
Should you fancy some seasonal fruit, local cheeses, charcuterie and roast vegetables as well, there’s also the Indulgent Picnic Hamper ($125, serves two-four). Order by Wednesday, 5pm for pick-up or delivery (via Uber Package Delivery on your Uber app) between 11am-3pm Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The whole set-up is as pretty as a picture, and that picture might just help you win a $500 voucher. Post it to Instagram, tag #myhighteagallery and complete their online web form. The competition ends January 9, so fingers crossed you’ll be able to indulge with friends.
— Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, Ground Level, 161 Elizabeth St, Sydney; galleryonthepark.com.au
Pasticceria Caruso
Whoever said that one cannot live on dessert alone has clearly never eaten a cannoli, so in the name of self-preservation, Pasticceria Caruso is saving the day with its Cannoli Survival Kit ($35).
Included in your box is the makings for 15 mini cannoli’s: 15 pre-made cannoli pastry shells and two sealed bags of custard (chocolate and vanilla). Your only job is to cut off the top of the piping bag and commence filling.
“Ordering packs like our cannoli survival kit or sending a gift pack of desserts and sending to a loved one who’s having a birthday or going online and using our easy online ordering and delivery system is a way of helping us stay open,” says Giuseppe Caruso, Pasticceria Caruso’s founder.
“I’ve purposely stood nobody down from our cake making headquarters, simply shuffled hours around to make sure everyone is still working, as these people are like family, they have bills, and I don’t want them to not have a job.”
That’s amore.
Tokyo Lamington
Rhetorical question: What’s better than one lamington? Two, of course, especially when the second one is free.
July 21 is National Lamington Day, and Tokyo Lamingtons is celebrating with a gift that’s sure to cure your lockdown blues — a bonus square of sponge cake bliss with any online order.
So, feel for our Japanese friends ahead of the Olympics because if not for Covid, the magical hands that craft these delectable desserts were heading to Tokyo rather than King St in Newtown.
Owners and artisans, Min Chai (N2 Gelato) and Eddie Stewart (Black Star Pastry) had planned to open a boutique spot in the back alleys of Tokyo, early 2020, but Covid restrictions curtailed that plan, so they stayed in Sydney.
MORE LOCKDOWN TAKEAWAY OPTIONS
While this iconic treat seems innocent enough, the challenge with making the perfect jam-filled lamington is ensuring it doesn’t go all soft and squishy from the melted chocolate on the outside or berry juices on the inside.
So, with their combined experience, Min and Eddie developed a sponge cake that is astoundingly moist but dense enough to carry a generous amount of cream filling, all the while holding its unique cube shape when dipped in chocolate.
While their selection changes regularly, reflective of its name, Japanese flavours and Japanese ingredients feature prominently on the menu, the signature being the yuzu meringue lamington.
But of course, it wouldn’t be a lamington shop without The OG, their take on the iconic version but with thick cream in the centre — rather than on top and a jam made with native Australian ingredients, and the ever-popular Fairy Bread with a popcorn butter cream centre.
Keep an eye on their social media feeds for their one-off creations such as The Black Truffle, which is made with a cream infused with this season’s truffles, as well as clever collaborations and promotions with brands such as Koko Black chocolate, Nikon and even the Singapore Grand Prix.
While you’ll have to wait a while to visit this sleek little shop (which Min and Eddie fitted out themselves), the online store is always open.
— 277 Australia St, Newtown; tokyolamington.com
La Favola
Fresh is best isn’t a cliche for La Favola’s chef and owner Fabio Stefanelli, it’s the foundation of his Italian restaurant’s famed six by six menu — six varieties of pasta including spaghetti, rigatoni and fettuccine, and the six different sauces- creamy carbonara, beef and Roma tomato Napolitano; seafood in tomato sauce; broccoli and pork sausage; eggplant, ricotta and tomato sauce; and four cheese.
Fabio and his team make their pasta fresh daily, as is the stock and other sauces – no exceptions, he says.
Customers can order pasta already prepared or separate with “dry” noodles to freeze and cook later, something he started doing for the local community at the start of the first lockdown last year when pasta was a hot commodity.
Plus, he’s converted many a customer to fresh with his handmade version rather than packaged grocery store pasta. (500g for $15)
Fabio has a growing brood himself, so he understands the need for family portions, so he’s added family meals to the menu such as 700g of spinach and ricotta cannelloni ($30), 1kg lasagne, eggplant parmigiana, as well as meal a combination for two that includes carbonara focaccia, burrata, tiramisu and two Italian beers.
Starting this weekend, every Friday to Sunday from 8am, the La Favola crew will also begin donning their baker’s hat, arriving at 5am to make fresh bread, focaccia, and a vast array of croissants and other pastries.
The selection will vary, so bookmark their Facebook page for upcoming specials.
— 170 King St, Newtown; favola.com.au
Hours: Restaurant (Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 5pm-9pm); Favola Bakery (Friday-Sunday, 8am until sold out)
Takeaway: Takeaway/pre-order for pick-up
Delivery: Direct within 5km radius; otherwise, Deliveroo and UberEats
ChefPrep
There’s a fine line between straight-up takeaway and ingredient boxes with recipes. Both come with the best of intentions but different levels of lockdown commitment.
While some thrive in the kitchen, the meals from ChefPrep online are ready when you are. A virtual marketplace and meal delivery service ChefPrep allows you to order weekly frozen ready-made meals from premium, award-winning restaurants (quite affordably at that) such as Olio, Long Chim, and Bellevue Cottage by Antoine.
It’s a win-win set-up as, in addition to having a variety of meals at the ready, you’re also helping the hospitality industry by giving chefs and restaurants alternate revenue streams.
Rather than each venue slugging along with a day-by-day takeaway, the meal prep is more concentrated, which keeps staff employed and food on their tables.
In addition, the number of participating restaurants is growing exponentially every week, which means that you can have a meal from a different place every day as it all comes in one delivery.
Try Tandoori Chicken ($16.50) from Delhi O Delhi on Monday, or Six-Hour Wagyu Beef Bolognese with Orecchiette ($16.50) from STIX on Sunday.
Feel like French on Friday? Bellevue Cottage has you sorted. Or how about Long Chim for Thai Tuesday?
“The restaurant and catering industry has been heavily impacted by Covid-19 and current lockdowns,” ChefPrep partner and Delhi O Delhi owner Javed Khan says.
“It has forced us to pivot to takeaway and to rely on delivery services to sustain the business. Unfortunately, many delivery services take very high commissions, which leaves us with very little profit to run the business.
“For this reason, we were very excited to partner with ChefPrep, supporting local jobs and the economy. We have been working with the team for a number of months to help them develop the platform.
“We are very happy that we are able to serve our meals to a large number of customers through the site, which offers access to customers all throughout NSW, and a better share of the commission. Support your local business with Chef Prep.”
Order by 5.30pm Friday for Monday delivery.
Jam Shed
Hearty soups and rich stews are great winter warmers but to really curb the chill on cold nights, add a hot drink such as a mug of Jam Shed mulled wine.
For a limited time, when you purchase a bottle of Jam Shed Shiraz, you’ll get a packet of mulling spice mix so you can whip up a batch at home.
While it’s perfect for dinner, Alison Baker of Jam Shed says: “With the cooler weather settling in Sydney and most of us trying to stay cheerful and connected in lockdown, no doubt virtual drinks among friends is back on the agenda.”
Sounds like a plan!
Wholefarms Mystery box
Get those creative culinary juices going with Wholefarms’ Winter Mystery Box, a selection of seasonal produce that just might surprise you.
Stuck for what to make? Wholefarms sent a few boxes out to social media influencer and chefs around Sydney and challenged them to whip up something clever.
Jimmy Wong, former MasterChef contestant turned food photographer and creative consultant used his ingredients to make a more-ish Asian braised pork shoulder.
“What a fantastic mystery box of produce from Wholefarms for this winter’s mystery box challenge,” he says.
“A strikingly gorgeous range of fresh vegetables and meats giving me the best start to creating something special in my kitchen. Everything was bursting with freshness.”
The challenge has proved so popular that they have extended the challenge through July to anyone keen to present their creations.
As Jimmy would say: “It’s time to cook, and your time starts now.”
— 27 Mitchell St, Enfield; Henry Lawson Dr, Milperra; facebook.com/wholefarmsmarket
Cucina Espresso
For brothers Rocco and Carlo Calautti, food has always been a family affair, be it helping out in the kitchen at a young age, or sitting around the dinner table surrounded by family and friends.
Now, it’s Carlo who mainly covers the cooking delivering contemporary takes on traditional Italian dishes, including his wildly popular baked eggs, but it’s the two together that have made Cucina Espresso such a part of the local community.
So when lockdown came into play, they did what they do best and that’s taking care of their extended family in the best way they know how — through food.
In addition to their regular takeaway menu, they’ve also added family-sized meals including lasagnes, schnitzel packs, soups, and jars of fresh pasta sauce.
Check out their Facebook page for updates and specials, then call to pre-order for pick-up.
For your convenience, they’ve also set up a “drive-thru” option in the laneway behind the restaurant. Buon appetito!
— 89 Majors Bay Rd, Concord; 9743-4088; facebook.com/cucinaespresso
Catalina Rose Bay
This renowned waterfront restaurant, known as much for their premium menu as they are for the stunning view, is now extending the service to your home.
“Although we have had to adapt the actual service offering and timings, we haven’t changed anything at all regarding the preparation of the food, our suppliers, or the ingredients which our regulars are used to,” executive chef Mark Axisa says.
“We use the absolute freshest seafood, meat and produce available.
“Basically, I want our food to be off the grill, into the car and to them within 10 minutes so the food is as hot and fresh as it can be.”
While not everyone will be willing to lay out a pretty penny for their luxury offerings such as mud crab and lobster box but owner, Judy McMahon notes: “Given that people come to Catalina for a high-quality dining experience, we feel there’s a real expectation for our takeaway food to be as close to our in-house meals as possible.
“People don’t want cooking kits from us. They want food to be cooked, presented, and ready to eat as soon as they get it home. At all times we replicate all of the procedures people have come to expect from Catalina.”
If these fabulous seafood feasts are a tick beyond your lockdown budget, you can always settle for a tipple with Catalina’s pre-mixed cocktails. Oh, and they accept your Dine & Discover NSW dining vouchers. So there’s that.
— Lyne Park, Rose Bay; catalinarosebay.com.au
Viet
Cold nights call for warm noodle soups, but if you’re looking for something on the lighter side, Vietnamese pho makes for a great option. And because much of the southeast Asian dishes (not just soups) are based on fresh and seasonal ingredients, it’s also one of the healthiest cuisines going. All the better to avoid that lockdown load-on.
Address: 12 Kensington St, Chippendale
Website:viet.kensingtonstreet.com.au
Phone: 9211 5081
Takeaway: Pre-order for pick-up
Delivery: Delivery via Deliveroo
Open: Monday-Sunday, 11am-9pm
JC’s Pizza
Address: Harbord Bowling Club, Bennett St & Stirgess Ave, Harbord
About: Family-run and owned Italian restaurant with a focus on classic and gourmet pizzas. GF pizza base available.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 4pm-9pm, Saturday and Sunday, 12.30pm-9pm; 5pm-8:30pm,
Phone: 9939 9744
Website:jcspizzaharbord.com.au
Facebook: @jcsharbord
Instagram: @jcspizzaharbord
Takeaway: Pre-order for pick-up
Delivery: Delivery via Deliveroo, UberEats and Menulog. Free delivery with direct order (within 6km radius).
CBD
District Brasserie & District Bakery: French-inspired takeaway menu featuring tartines, savoury and sweet croissants, spiced rum canelé, and a selection of wines and groceries.
— 2 Chifley Square, Sydney; districtbrasserie.com.au
Takeaway, pre-order for pick-up
Palace Chinese Restaurant: Cantonese cuisine, fine-dining and Yum Cha.
— Shop 38, 133-145 Castlereagh St, Sydney; palacechinese.com.au
Takeaway, pre-order for pickup, Sydney city delivery via Menulog. Frozen dumplings available for next-day delivery within 15km of CBD.
Kitchen By Mike: Nourishing meal boxes made with market-fresh ingredients. Menu changes weekly. Feeds four ($250).
Pre-order by noon Thursday for Friday delivery (10km radius of CBD), $20 delivery fee for 10-20km from CBD
Tayim: Middle-eastern inspired menu. Cold mezze box ($55, serves two-four) and dinner boxes ($28) with choice of (chicken, falafel, beef, lamb, veg, chicken schnitzel) with option to add extra chips, pita and falafels.
— 34 Harrington St, The Rocks; tayim.com.au
Takeaway, pre-ordered pick-up and delivery.
CITY (East)
Beppi’s: Traditional Italian with flair
— 21 Yurong St, Darlinghurst; beppis.com.au
Pre-order for pick-up Monday-Saturday, 4pm-8pm.
RaRa Randwick: Handmade ramen
— 162 Barker St, Randwick; rararamen.com.au
Takeaway and pick-up // Delivery via UberEats and DoorDash
Sandoitchi: Casual eatery offering Japanese bowls and sandwiches including the fan favourites katsu sandwich ($10) and more.
— Shop 3/113-115 Oxford St; sandoitchi.com.au
Takeaway and pre-ordered pick-up // Delivery via Deliveroo and UberEats
CITY (South)
RaRa Redfern: Handmade ramen
— 66B Regent St, Redfern; rararamen.com.au
Takeaway and pick-up // Delivery via UberEats and Door Dash
Monday-Sunday, 12pm-8.15pm
EASTERN SUBURBS
I Maccheroni: Authentic Italian cuisine with a modern twist, including dishes such as Beef Cheek Ragout, Lamb Shoulder Gnocchi, Spinach and Parmigiano Tortelli and Chocolate Terrine.
— 3 Jersey Rd, Woollahra; imaccheroni.com.au
Takeaway, pre-ordered pick-up and delivery to Eastern Suburbs. Frozen gourmet meals delivered to Sydney Metropolitan, NSW Central Coast, NSW Newcastle, NSW Blue Mountains and NSW Wollongong Coast.
Pacific Club: Premium bistro offering the best of land with quality seafood, meats and locally sourced produce, featuring both small plates and snack as well as larger mains including a whole roasted John Dory.
Campbell Parade, Bondi; thepacificclub.com.au
Pre-order for pick-up // Delivery via UberEats and Deliveroo
INNER WEST
Lonely Mouth/RaRa Ramen: 100% plant-based ramen bar
— 275 Australia St, Newtown; rararamen.com.au
Takeaway, pick-up and delivery via UberEats and DoorDash.
Swallow Coffee Traders: Specialty Coffee Shop and only cafe in Rockdale offering a great vegan/plant-based menu. Free Karma Cola with any order above $20 on UberEats.
— Shop 3-4, 1-7 Tramway Arcade Rockdale; swallowcoffeetraders.com
Takeaway, pre-order via Skip or Hey You, and delivery via UberEats.
The Eate: Mediterranean restaurant featuring food cooked over specially selected Charcoal & smoking barks. Emphasis on locally sourced seafood, meat and produce with house-made sauces and pickled vegetables. 10% off online order when using the code “social”.
— 555 New Canterbury Rd, Dulwich Hill; theeate.com.au
Takeaway, pre-ordered pick-up, and free delivery within 3km radius.
WESTERN SUBURBS
Threefold Pastry: Bakery featuring handcrafted pastries and sandwiches including chunky meat pies and twice baked savoury croissants, as well as Threefold’s range of sweet croissants with such flavours as apple crumble, Ferrero Rocher, chocolate, hazelnut and lavender.
— Parramatta Square, 404/12 Darcy St, Parramatta; threefoldpastry.com
Open weekdays for takeaway only.
SOUTH-WEST
The Shed Cafe: Rustic home-style meals and coffee.
— AG70 52 Soldiers Prde, Edmondson Park; theshedcafe.com.au
Takeaway, pre-ordered pick-up and delivery via UberEats, Menulog and DoorDash.
Granata’s: Italian fine dining food at cafe prices, plus $15 pizzas during lockdown.
— 8 Nuwi Place, Prestons; granatas.com.au
Takeaway and pre-ordered pick-up only.
NORTHERN SUBURBS
Gram Cafe & Pancakes: Famous for their three-tiered, souffle-style pancakes with a wide-variety of flavours including chocolate, pear, Nutella, strawberry, mandarin and matcha as well The Benedict, a savoury premium pancake.
— Chatswood Station, Shop 67, Level 3/436 Victoria Ave, Chatswood; gramaustralia.com.au
Takeaway, pre-ordered pick-up and delivery to surrounding suburbs via DoorDash and UberEats.
Evolve Wahroonga
— 9a Railway Ave Wahroonga; evolvewahroonga.com.au
Takeaway, pre-ordered pick-up and delivery via UberEats, Menulog, DoorDash and Deliveroo.
COCKTAILS
Catalina: Iconic waterfront restaurant offering luxury seafood and roast “boxes” as well as pre-mixed single serves of their signature cocktails including Rockmelon Rose Martini, Catalina Negroni, and Tommy’s Margarita.
— Lyne Park, Rose Bay; catalinarosebay.com.au
Pre-order for pick-up // Delivery to adjacent suburbs
Four Pillars Gin & Four Pillars Laboratory: Award-winning gin distillers, Four Pillars, is delivering bottled cocktails, gin, mixers, wine, beer and a number of their “Made from Gin” products.
Their signature Double-Barrelled Negroni cocktails is available in 500mL bottles ($60) or order a 700mL bottle of Spiced Negroni Gin ($85) and start from scratch.
— Level 1, 351 Crown Street, Surry Hills; fourpillarsgin.com
Pre-order for pick-up (seven days) // Delivery Wednesday-Saturday within 10km radius, $5 flat fee
WHAT’S FRESH
Roll’d Vietnamese
They’ve already built a reputation for fresh Vietnamese food such rice paper rolls, banh mi baguettes and noodle soups and salads, but now, Roll’d has crossed borders and added two fusion-style soups to their menu.
The Vietnamese-style chicken curry soup is made with a coconut and lemongrass broth with hints of Indian, Thai and Malaysian flavours, while the Vietnamese/Chinese noodle soup is loaded with chewy egg noodles in a prawn dumpling noodle soup, topped with char siu pork and Chinese broccoli.
For locations, menu, and delivery options, visit rolld.com.au
Winter warmers to celebrate the season
Everyone is happy to see the sun peeking through the clouds, but winter’s not all bad. Bid farewell to the colder days with one last hurrah of warming fare.
Sniffing out Sydney’s best truffle desserts
Save the best for last. As truffle season comes to a close, be sure to indulge in some sweet treats featuring the annual earthy gem.