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Ah, New Year’s Eve. Deciding where and how to spend the last hours of the year can be stressful even in normal times, but right now, planning a big celebration seems… tricky.
Whether you’re choosing to have a low-key NYE this year or you want a solid back-up plan (what’s up, Omicron!), then you could do a lot worse than staying in and getting a Very Good Takeaway. To save you from mindlessly scrolling through Deliveroo or UberEats at 7pm on December 31, we’ve rounded up some of the best options for an indulgent meal that you won’t have to cook or wash up after.
Plum Valley
This ace Chinatown spot is open until 11pm on NYE, giving you plenty of time to order one of its excellent set menus for two. There’s a Chef’s Special menu with chilli-and-garlic-fried spare ribs and sweet chilli kung po chicken, or try the Classic Canton if you want your last meal of 2021 to involve crispy duck with pancakes. There’s also a veggie option and a Sichuan menu, as well as loads of delicious dishes on the main menu, including dim sum platters, which are never a bad idea.
Chick ’n’ Sours
Want to see out the year with a fried chicken feast? Give the Colonel a wide berth and hit up the excellent Chick ’n’ Sours instead. There are branches in Seven Dials, Haggerston and Whitechapel. If you want minimal decision-making, or to avoid a lengthy discussion with your mates about what to get, there are various meal deals which mean you can try all the big hitters. Don’t miss the excellent disco wings.
Yard Sale
Okay, a pizza might not seem that indulgent for NYE, but have you seen the size of Yard Sale’s? You can choose between 12-inch or 18-inch, but obviously you’ve got to go large for the last night of the year. This ever-expanding London fave has branches all over the city, in Finsbury Park, Clapton, Walthamstow, Leytonstone, Hackney Road, East Dulwich, Balham, Crystal Palace and Crofton Park. No order is complete without its cheese-and-marmite garlic pizza bread, which, thanks to a special collab with the Off Menu podcast lads, you can currently get as an 18-incher. It’s the least you deserve.
Motu Indian Kitchen
From the crew behind Gymkhana and Hoppers, the delivery-only Motu Indian Kitchen serves up – in its words – ‘indulgent homestyle Indian food’. Handily, it has locations in Battersea, Bermondsey, Whitechapel, Swiss Cottage, Crouch End, Islington, Canary Wharf and Wandsworth, meaning Londoners all over the city can get their fix of Motu’s excellent chicken curry or black dhal. There are also set menus to choose from if you want a taste of everything.
Napoli Gang
If you want to end the year with a bang, then Napoli Gang has you covered. From the people behind Gloria and Circolo Popolare, this is the group’s delivery-only offering. While your cosy flat might not have the same OTT decor as the restaurants, you can order some of the cult dishes to your door, including the decadent many-layered lasagne and super-rich tiramisu. If you’ve underestimated your booze needs, it can deliver on that front, too.
Trafalgar Square’s New Year’s Eve celebrations have been cancelled.
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