The next instalment in our Goodie Box Series is all about ready-made meals. One of the best things about ready-made meals is that talented local chefs have already done the work for you so you can enjoy their delicious food at home! Many local businesses and chefs have adapted to create packaged meals for you to pick up or get delivered. All you need to do is reheat and make a few finishing touches to enjoy restaurant-quality and homely meals in the comfort of your own home.
Pialligo Market Grocer
As part of the mega range of home delivery items, Pialligo Estate’s ‘Heat + Eat’ mains and sides are bound to make your night in that little bit better! Maple smoked beef brisket, beef cheeks, braised lamb ragout, honey soy pork, Pialligo’s famous lamb shoulder, Penang beef curry and many more scrumptious dishes are available with the click of a button. You can even add a bottle of wine to accompany your order!
Click n collect is available, just order through their website for contact-free service.
Swirl Catering
As winter approaches, the hearty dishes from family-run and owned, Swirl Catering, will be sure to warm you up. Enjoy beef bourguignon, lamb meatballs, lasagne, curries, homemade pies, pastas, soups and chicken cacciatore from home! Choose from a two or four person bundle ranging from $90 to $280.
Delivery is available when you order through their website, with a minimum two days’ notice required for all orders.
Long Track Pantry – Riverside Dr, Jugiong NSW
Located in Jugiong, this adorable country food store is cooking up a storm each week and delivering their goodies to Canberra every Thursday! Think slow-cooked lamb curry, beef and barley soup, lasagne, butter chicken and mushroom risotto. They’re constantly creating new dishes and you can even order a 5-course dinner party pack for 4 people for only $79.
Order online for Thursday deliveries, or ‘click and collect’ is available every day if you live close by.
Banana Leaf – 17 Kennedy St, Kingston
Experience mouth-watering Sri Lankan meals inspired by family recipes handed down through generations. Meals include beef biriyani, chicken curry, fish string hoppers, and much more. Dishes are made daily, vacuum-sealed and most are available to freeze for later. Prices ranger from $10 to $12.50 per meal.
Visit their website and order online for pick up or delivery. Minimum of five meals required.
No Biggie Meals
No Biggie is a metropolitan initiative to keep the struggling hospitality industry alive during the current crisis. Their aim is to support local producers and keep people in jobs, and they make it easy to do so with their affordable meals that can be reheated or frozen. Choose between a changing weekly menu subscription, or a single order of either 5 or 10 meals. Vegetarian, halal, gluten-free, lactose-free and kids meals are available too.
Order through their website. Weekly cut off is Sundays at midnight, and you can choose a pickup location near you for pick up between 3pm and 8pm Wednesdays.
Canberra Gourmet
Canberra Gourmet’s mission is to provide affordable food that gives you the experience of sharing a restaurant-quality meal at your family table. Husband and wife Thomas and Larah Heinrich are the duo behind Canberra gourmet and Thomas is Head Chef at one of Canberra’s best restaurants, Sage Dining Rooms.
With a Spanish-Filipinio twist, some favourites include crispy pork shanks, short rib steak, chicken afritada, sweet and spicy pork longganisa, 5 spice confit duck and Hungarian beef goulash to name a few.
They donate 50c from each pack sold to Mums and Babies, an initiative to support mums and babies living in poverty. Just in case you needed anoher reason to purchase their tasty meals. Order from their website to organise pick up from Tuggeranong or they delivery on Fridays.
Hotel Realm’s Ostani Bar – Hotel Realm, 18 National Circuit, Barton
Chef-curated dishes from the suave Ostani Bar are now available for takeaway from Hotel Realm. Dishes are only $15 each and include braised beef and chorizo ragout, bolognese, butter chicken, ricotta and potato gnocchi. Ready-made meals come with reheating instructions and a full list of ingredients. They also have high tea boxes and grocery boxes!
Visit the Doma Hotels website to see their weekly menu and order by 3pm for next day delivery. To order, email your full name, contact number and order details to ostani@domahotels.com.au or text 0423736061 and Ostani Bar will be in contact to discuss pick up and delivery options that best suit your needs.
The Albion Cafe – 119 Wallace St, Braidwood
You don’t have to travel to beautiful Braidwood to experience the superb food from The Albion Cafe, because they now deliver to Canberra every Monday and Thursday! Their tasty and comforting slow-cooked frozen meals use produce from their local gardens.
Their meals are $12 or $15 and they have a selection of vegan and vegetarian options. Enjoy their smokey baked black beans, lemony lentil and silver beet stew, yellow curry, eggplant and chickpea curry, red lentil dahl and more.
Visit their website to order, orders must be placed at least 48 hours before preferred delivery day.
Check out the episode of Let’s Eat! to find out more about our visit to Braidwood, including The Albion Cafe.
Les Bistronomes – 18 Blamey Pl, Campbell
Fancy some refined French cuisine at home? Popular French restaurant, Les Bistronomes, relocated to Campbell last year and the restaurant has been a hit with local residents. Their dinner package for two will make you feel like you’re dining in Paris without leaving your house. Choose from classic dishes like Duck a’ L’orange, Beef Wellington and Chateaubriand. What French dinner is complete without dessert, a freshly baked baguette and smoked tomato butter? All you have to do is put the finishing touches on your dishes at home – resident Chef Clement makes it easy by providing a recipe card and a link to a cooking video with instructions.
Be quick because their dinner packs regularly sell out! They’re available to order Tuesday-Saturday. To order, visit their website to decide what you want, call them on (02) 6248 8119, pay over the phone and select from their pick up or delivery options.
Check out our article to find out about our experience when we dined at Les Bistronomes.
You might also be interested in our fresh produce and grocery box article.
Feature image of Banana Leaf’s Chicken Biriyani via www.bananaleafrestaurant.com.au
About the author:
Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson is a freelance writer with a mission to prove that Canberra is a fabulous place to live. As an avid coffee drinker, breakfast connoisseur and self-confessed 'eater-outerer' she will help you decide where to go for the best experience. She loves a grungy music gig, local beer, fancy french toast, and has a soft spot for the Southside.