Cancel Your Reservations: Sydneysiders Can Get Better Food At Home
There is no doubt that the hospitality industry took a huge hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of Australia’s most beloved and acclaimed restaurants had to completely close their doors to the public throughout the lockdowns last year, and sadly some had to close for good.
A few months later, and the easing of restrictions alongside, restaurants are now back in full-swing, and Australia’s first-class cuisine culture is on the rise once again. With table-spacing precautions for social distancing and mandatory masks on all restaurant staff in many regions of the country, restaurants, by and large, have managed to steer clear of news headlines reporting on COVID outbreaks.
The risk still remains, however, and many would-be diners are still opting to stay home rather than chance a visit to their favourite eateries and restaurants. Thankfully, a number of the most high profile fine-dining institutions have continued serving from takeaway menus as business returns to normal.
For Sydneysiders, fine-dining is 100% doable at home. Some of Sydney's (and even Melbourne’s) top-line restaurants, have brought us premier delivery services to help transform home dining rooms into hatted bistros. Dining in style and safety this year doesn't have to mean going out, so we've rounded up a few of the best ways you can experience your favourite restaurants without ever leaving the house.
Merivale at Home
Delivering iconic dishes from Totti’s, Bert’s, Mr Wong, Felix & more!
Image: Merivale
Merivale at Home is where fine-dining meets fresh ideas. Launched in April 2020 during Sydney’s lockdown, this dining service delivers Merivale’s most celebrated menus straight to your home.
Featuring specially designed “nearly ready” meal packages from Totti’s, Bert’s, Mr Wong and others, as well as personal video guides by some of Sydney’s most accomplished chefs, you’ll be recreating these iconic dishes in no time!
Image: Merivale
As the perfect accompaniment to their meals, Merivale at Home also offers a hand-selected list of wines and aperitifs from their restaurants’ beverage lists and even pre-made cocktails to complete your home-restaurant experience. For home chefs looking for more flexibility, the delivery service also includes premium quality fresh seafood, meat and produce from Merivale’s trusted suppliers.
Top it all off with a curated restaurant playlist to set the mood, and you’re ready for truly luxurious living-room dining. Bon appetit!
Be sure to browse the Merivale at Home website for their full range of meals, beverages and produce.
Providoor
Delivering across NSW a suite of dishes from Melbourne’s finest: Di Stasio, Estelle, Supernormal & more!
Image: Providoor
Sydney wasn’t the only Australian fine-dining hub to have been hit by the pandemic during 2020. In fact, all the recurrent lockdowns deflated Melbourne’s hospitality industry even more.
Despite that, however, these trying times came with a silver lining that is not looking to tarnish any time soon: Merivale at Home’s counterpart-in-the-south, Providoor.
An initiative by renowned chef Shane Delia, Providoor brings the biggest names in Melbourne fine-dining to your door -- and yes-- they deilver to Sydney.
Providoor offers “finish-at-home” menus to suit a range of home restaurant occasions, and luxury tastes, as well as the kitchenware and guidance you need to cook like a top chef.
Since its launch last year, the service has expanded its operations beyond Melbourne, allowing those of us outside of Australia's unofficial food capital to get a taste. Now, their operations run across Victoria, New South Wales, the ACT and South Australia.
Foodies across the country can enjoy the specially curated offerings of Cafe Di Stasio, Estelle, Supernormal and many others while wearing their favourite sweatpants at home.
Providoor's online platform also features several meat and produce suppliers, including the renowned Meatsmith. This means that you can hone your culinary skills with only the very best, expertly curated meat and goods.
Just to ensure that your next fine-dining feast goes off without a hitch, Providoor also provides a broad range of best-selling wines and beverage package products from its associate restaurants.
What to drink with your Supernormal dinner of banana-leaf wrapped Hapuka with fermented red chilli? How about the famous kombu martini? See, Providoor has got you covered, all the way from Melbourne city.
Despite the devastation that the year passed wrecked on Australia’s first-class cuisine culture, bright stars like Merivale at Home and Providoor have helped keep the industry afloat, and thousands of discerning diners fed. With no signs of slowing down, these food delivery services are poised to change the face of fine-dining as we know it.
Rather go out? Get a taste of Italy in Woolloomooloo.