Like many people, you might have gotten to grips with cooking every meal for yourself, experimenting with herbs and spices and hey, maybe you've even baked your own banana bread.
But we still miss the little luxury of a takeaway, and when it comes to date night, it's much harder to drum up excitement over another homemade spag bol.
Many restaurants are ramping up their delivery and collection menus, reworking their most beloved dishes to be created at home with very little effort. So, if you've been missing tacos and margs* with the girls, your one fancy Chinese a month or just something sweet, read on for some of the best restaurants to try now.
777
One of the best Mexican spots in Dublin, 777 has long been renowned for its tacos and margaritas. Now, they're doing 777 At Home, a veritable selection box of their greatest hits.
Available Thursday to Sunday, the at-home kit costs €50 for two or three people sharing, and comes with totopos and salsas to share, chorizo taquitos, chicken tostadas, mushroom taquitos, grilled corn slaw, pico de gallo and two chocolate cremeux. Everything comes in small pots, pouches or bags, with labels to ensure you don't put the wrong thing in a taco.
So, okay, Taco Tuesday is out of the question, but if you ask us, Taco Tuesday is a state of mind. To make it truly authentic – well, as authentic as possible – you can add a 750ml bottle of margaritas for €40.
Lucky Tortoise
There was a time, not too long ago, when you couldn't get a seat in this Aungier St dumpling house for weeks, such was its popularity. One of the most exciting new openings in the city recently, Lucky Tortoise is known for its lighter-than-light dumplings, fiery kimchi and dazzling small plates.
Lucky for us, they're dishing up a selection of their plates for collection or delivery, so if you're longing for a "fancy takeaway", you can have it.
Classics like the scallion pancake, Okonomiyaki and kimchi are on there, as well as the mouthwatering dumplings: choose from panchetta potstickers, duck dumplings or veggie ones.
Le Patissier
Yes, okay, fine, banana bread is delicious and easy to make. But should you really have to make all the cakes yourself? There are few things as comforting and joy-inducing than being handed a slice of cake you didn't have to make.
Thankfully, Dublin bakery Le Patissier are on hand to serve up exquisite French classic pastries right to your door. Each box comes with a selection of seven of the bakery's most beloved cakes, including their award-winning Opera cake, eclairs, fruit tarts and more. The selection is curated by the patissier himself, Robert Bullock, and changes with the seasons.
The summer selection has just been announced and includes a raspberry tart, Strawberry and pistachio Opera slice that looks truly breathtaking. Perfect for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, passing exams or, you know, making it through these challenging weeks.
Mister S
Many of us are celebrating birthdays, graduations, engagements and many other milestones while away from the usual ways of marking them. With this in mind, the Mister S at-home kits perfectly fills that gap between easy and comforting takeaway and a slightly higher-end, three-course meal.
That said, it's reasonably priced at €22 per person for three courses. This week, you could chow down on duck doughnuts with rhubarb hoi sin, crispy porchetta, smoked short ribs and chocolate lava cake, among other tasty treats.
Booking for the weekend takes as much planning as booking online any day between Tuesday and Saturday, but be warned: they're only taking 15 orders a night. So you get to recreate the jostle for seats in a buzzy restaurant at home!
Uno Pizza
The Ranelagh spot is well-loved for its fluffy Neapolitan-style pizzas, and now they're creating a range of at-home kits to suit any kind of pizza lover.
Perfect for those who want a little treat, but still want to feel involved, the Uno at-home kits include ingredients to make two Neapolitan-style pizzas. Even better? You don't need a chef-level industrial oven to get that doughy crust – just a frying pan and an oven or grill.
You can choose from the classic Margherita (€16) and the spicy Diavola (€18), or if feeding a crowd the Family Kit, which includes ingredients for both kinds. You can even add a bottle of prosecco to your order for an extra €20. Kits are available for collection or delivery.
* Drink responsibly
