Pasta Poetry
Photograph: Simon Shiff
Photograph: Simon Shiff

The best at-home meal kits to try this lockdown

Bring the experience of a restaurant home with these heat-and-eat numbers

Advertising

Is your pantry looking a little bare? Are you tired of recreating the five recipes you know off the top of your head? Or are you simply craving a top-notch steak with potatoes coated in an ungodly amount of duck fat? Whatever your reason to bring the restaurant experience home, we're here to help.

Below you'll find some of the best meal delivery kits by Melbourne's best restaurants and brands. There are some that include a simple heat up, while others are a little more involved. Competition in the meal kit world has never been more fierce so to help you navigate this crowded space, we've picked out a few of our favourites for you to try.

Need more? Check out our guide to celebrating in lockdown with cakes that can be delivered, shows you can stream and more.

The best at-home meal kits

  • Fairfield

Craving fresh pasta? Pasta Poetry in Fairfield has you covered, with an ever-changing menu of both filled and unfilled pasta and sauces available for pickup and delivery. Choose from 12 weekly dishes including gnocchi with ragu bolognese; saffron tagliatelle with mushroom ragu; and slow-braised ox cheek cappelletti. Each box comes with freshly made pasta and a matching sauce, which are easy to reheat. Just boil the pasta for a few minutes and heat the sauce in a saucepan and you're good to go. Order here.

  • Carlton

Scopri offers a seasonally rotating menu comprised of produce from the team's own biodynamic farm in the Macedon Ranges. While the restaurant is often booked out, you can now experience a taste of the Italian bistro at home. Scopri is offering an a la carte box that allows you to choose from any of its winter warmers to add to your own personalised box. Think pappardelle with duck ragu, braised beef cheeks, DIY cannoli kits and more available via the website. There's a minimum order of $80.

Advertising
  • Restaurants

Providoor offers ready-made meals from many of Melbourne's best restaurants. All you need to do is heat and assemble before serving up. Completing the dish at home means there's less disconnect between what you’re eating at home and what you would have eaten at these top-notch restaurants. There are plenty of acclaimed diners like Tipo 00, Cumulus Inc and Hardware Club onboard – many of which aren't doing straightforward takeaway like other restaurants in Melbourne. Browse the entire list of venues and order via Providoor's website.

  • Shopping

Make-Out Meals is a Melbourne initiative that combines the meal kit model of Hello Fresh and Marley Spoon, with the expertise of local chefs and restaurants. Here’s how it works: like a regular meal kit, you choose what you want to cook based on a database of available recipes, and the company then sends you the pre-portioned ingredients and instructions to make that meal. Make-Out Meals’ point of difference is that all the recipes were designed by the folks behind your favourite eateries: Bomba, Simply Spanish, Tipico, Fancy Hank’s, Ish, Babajan, La Tortilleria and others. And every time someone chooses to cook a particular recipe, that restaurant gets a cut of the sale, which helps support that venue during lockdown. Find out more about Make-Out Meals here.

Paid content
Advertising
  • Melbourne

CBD-based South Indian-Sri Lankan eatery Indu, one of the best restaurants in Melbourne, is dishing up heat-and-eat meals for you to enjoy at home. ​​Boxes serve two people comfortably with three courses and are delivered ready to simply heat and serve. Some very limited cooking may be required but full instructions are provided. Check it out via the website.

  • Japanese
  • Melbourne
  • price 3 of 4

Japanese eatery Akaiito is offering a seafood shabu shabu banquet that you can cook at home. It comes with Australian abalone, scampi, scallops, king prawns, sashimi-grade fish, seasonal vegetables, tofu, house-made shabu shabu soup, ponzu and udon noodles for you to pop into your pot and cook away as you please. Order here.

Advertising
  • Carlton

This Carlton eatery is still offering takeaway which can either arrive hot or cold for you to finish at home. On the menu there are freshly shucked oysters or charcuterie to start with and hot roasted chicken, duck or beef short rib with roasted duck fat potatoes to follow. There's also a tiramisu with a bottled cocktail to finish. Place your orders here.

  • Southbank

A fancy Nobu feast to heat and eat at home? Yep, it's one of the fanciest you'll likely have. This Japanese fine diner has revived its popular "Nobu at Home" menu which includes two finish-at-home omakase boxes with Wagyu tacos and black cod miso. Plus, there are bottled cocktails to match.

Advertising

Hello Fresh is so synonymous with meal kits that it's now become a household name. The process is simple: You choose your meals, pick a date for them to arrive and they appear on your doorstep, colour-coded and foolproof. While there are cheaper traditional meal kits on the market, you really do get what you pay for so it’s well worth the extra couple of dollars for the highly varied recipes and overall experience. Read a bit more and order here.

Rather leave it to the professionals?

  • Melbourne
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

You'll be glad to know that Tipo 00, one of the finest pasta bars in Melbourne, is offering a special set menu for Easter. On Good Friday you can enjoy a seafood extravaganza – think tuna crudo, prawn ravioli, spanner crab spaghettini and more. At $120pp, it truly is a fishy feast. Tipo 00 will also be open from 11.30am on Easter Saturday. A 15 per cent surcharge applies on both days. Find out more here.

  • Things to do
  • Kew

After undergoing a major transformation, Studley Park Boathouse is now a dining, drinking and entertainment space. Celebrate Easter here, where relaxed riverside dining meets family-friendly fun. Tuck into classic fish and chips with family-style packs available across the weekend, while little ones can enjoy Easter-themed activities from Saturday to Monday. On Easter Sunday, the Easter Bunny hops in with sweet treats from 12–2pm. Get the details here

Advertising
  • Italian
  • Prahran
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

In a city where many restaurants lean toward curated aesthetics and trendy branding, this restaurant serves hospo the old-fashioned way. Think homestyle Italian with large servings, zero pretences, and, of course, carbs on carbs on carbs. Nestled on Malvern Road, Officina Gastronomica Italiana (or simply, Officina) exudes rustic charm and screams of 'local fave'. This Easter, it's open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner (a 20 per cent surcharge applies). Book here

  • Hotels
  • Luxury hotels
  • Melbourne
  • price 3 of 4

If you fancy a bougie brekkie this Easter weekend, Allegro at The Westin on Collins Street has got you covered with its sumptuous spread. We're talking hot and cold buffets, barista coffee, eggs made-to-order and a fresh juice station. The Lobby Lounge is also open all Easter long weekend from 9am until late. Book here.

Advertising
  • Windsor
  • price 1 of 4

Hanoi Hannah is a teeny-tiny diner in Windsor that's jam-packed and bustling – just like any cheap eats restaurant in Vietnam. Fitted out with exposed bricks and retro Vietnamese watercolours, it serves affordable, tasty hawker-style fare. This Easter, it's open on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday (a 20 per cent surcharge applies). Find out more here.

  • Modern Australian
  • St Kilda
  • price 3 of 4
  • Recommended

Stokehouse will be open all Easter weekend long, serving its full à la carte menu (with plenty of seasonal seafood) plus an exclusive weekend-only dessert by the pastry team. Inspired by the Easter egg, the sweet treat comes in a nest-like form and centres around chocolate and caramel – yum! Downstairs at Stokehouse Pasta and Bar you can score $3 oysters from 3-6pm, and be sure to try the hot cross cake with rum and raisin sauce. Find out more here.

Advertising
  • Italian
  • Melbourne
  • Recommended

Chris Lucas’ Grill Americano distils a retro-glam brief into a squelchingly expensive fitout of terrazzo floors and royal blue leather seats, a sweeping white marble bar lit by individual deco-ish lamps and the sultry backdrop of ink-blue walls. It's open as per normal trading hours across the entire Easter long weekend with $14.50 cocktails. Expect Bellinis, Pineapple Fizz,  Hugo Highballs, Negroni Classico and Sicilian Spritz. Get the details here

Atsu

Atsu in South Carlton is open for dinner from 5.30-9.30pm on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday (15 per cent surcharge applies). You can feast on crispy katsu, donburi bowls and excellent cocktails – all set to a soundtrack that's vibing. Book here

Advertising
  • Pubs
  • Brunswick

Brunswick's heritage-listed Hotel Railway had a massive facelift from the Riverland Group and new life has been breathed into the space so that the public can once again pop in for a pint. Open all Easter long weekend from 12 noon until late, you won't want to miss the Easter Hunt – just grab a map and find all the Easter egg artwork around the venue to claim your prize. There's also colouring and face painting, plus kids get a free meal with every adult main from the grill section. Make a booking here

 
  • Pubs
  • St Kilda
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

The Espy, as locals like to call it, has got live bands and DJs to ensure your Easter is pumping all long weekend long. The Main Bar, the Sunroom and the Gersh all play host to different musical offerings. We're most keen for the Bad Bunny Appreciation Party on Easter Sunday from 9pm. Get the details here

Advertising
  • European
  • Melbourne
  • Recommended

If a fancy-fied fish and chips will steal your heart this Easter feasting season, then look no further than Lillian – the refined brasserie from restaurateur Chris Lucas, housed in the same luxe Collins Street precinct as fine diner Society. The dish will be served throughout the weekend (except Easter Monday), available alongside the venue’s regular à la carte offering. Walk-ins will be welcomed, but your best bet is to make a reservation here.

  • Polish
  • Brunswick
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Hit up one of Brunswick East's most happening restaurants this long weekend for an authentic Polish Easter feast for $95 pp. You'll chow down on traditional dishes like Żurek (white borscht), salatka jarzynowa, whole baked rainbow trout and mazurek Easter cake. Fun fact: Eat Pierogi Make Love won the Best Relaxed Dining award at Time Out Melbourne's Food and Drink Awards 2025! The feast will be available on Good Friday and Easter Saturday across two sessions: 12pm or 2pm. Make a booking here.

Advertising

Hofbräuhaus

Hofbräuhaus has been serving traditional German comfort food – schnitzel, bratwurst, pork knuckle, sauerkraut and plenty more – since 1968. And that's exactly what you'll be digging into (washed down with a Bavarian beer, of course) from Good Friday until Easter Sunday from 12 noon onwards (closed on Easter Monday). Book here

  • Hotels
  • Luxury hotels
  • Melbourne

Until April 7, enjoy a luxe chocolate-driven Easter afternoon tea with a selection of appetisers, just-baked scones, and sweet and savoury creations prepared by the Ritz-Carlton's master pâtissiers. Indulge in a glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne on arrival and free-flowing tea and barista coffee. Set on Level 80 against the breathtaking backdrop of Melbourne’s skyline, this is Easter feasting in style. Find out more here

Advertising
  • Cocktail bars
  • Cremorne

Round up your crew and settle in at Fargo and Co for an Easter long weekend of bottomless brunch, DJs and guaranteed good times. From Thursday through to Easter Sunday, expect flowing drinks, live music and sunset sips, with the party going late into the night. If it's a fun party vibe you're after this Easter, this it the place you want to be. Find out more here

  • Port Melbourne
  • price 1 of 4

Ciao Cielo in Port Melbourne is an Italian bistro that's already gathered quite a dedicated local following. Some of our fave dishes on the menu include the duck arancini, homemade pappardelle and a caramel plate that's to die for. This Easter, it's open from noon to 10pm all long weekend (with a 15 per cent surcharge). Book here.

Advertising
  • Merricks
  • price 3 of 4
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Located in the wonderland of Pt Leo Estate on the Mornington Peninsula, Laura is the Estate’s pièce de resistance. If fine dining and a regional road trip are your thing this Easter, be sure to make a booking. It's open for lunch from Good Friday right through to Easter Sunday, with a special dinner sitting on Easter Saturday from 6pm (a 15 per cent surcharge applies). 

Andzero

Open all Easter long weekend for brekkie and lunch, Andzero in Glen Waverley is perfect for a special Easter brunch sesh with a Japanese twist. The menu features katsu rolls, teishoku set meals and grilled salmon chazuke, but we're really here for the drinks – our picks are the melon cream soda and matcha mont blanc. Book here

Advertising
  • Italian
  • Melbourne
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

Osteria Ilaria, the smart-casual bar and eatery from the same peeps behind Tipo 00, is located on Little Bourke Street. It's open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday (with a 15 per cent public holiday surcharge), and is perfect if you're after an Italian feast with world-class wines. Bookings can be made here

Common Cuts

Common Cuts is open for lunch and dinner on Easter Saturday and only for dinner on Easter Monday (10 per cent surcharge applies). Located opposite Old Melbourne Gaol on Russell Street in the CBD, this steakhouse is serving epic steak frites, Wagyu cheeseburgers and steak tartare – among plenty of other tasty things. Book here.

Advertising
  • French
  • Melbourne
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Harriot, the polished CBD bistro one of our food critics recently gave five stars, is open for business on Good Friday and Easter Saturday with a 15 per cent public holiday surcharge. Head here for French-inspired flavours that make the most of classical French cooking techniques and local Victorian produce. Find out more and make a booking here

  • Hawthorn

Settle in for five days of footy, food and good company at the Hawthorn Hotel this Easter long weekend. From Thursday through to Monday, catch all the AFL action live while tucking into the crowd-pleasing Punters Pack – which includes classic pub favourites like a parma, beef burger (or plant-based) or fish and chips, paired with two hours of bottomless drinks for $70 per head. Whether it’s with mates or family, it’s a winning way to spend the long weekend. To book, head to the website.

Advertising
  • Hawthorn
  • Recommended

The family-friendly Easter festivities at the Auburn Hotel kick off at noon on Good Friday with a basket making sesh the kids will love. There's live music late on Saturday, while on Easter Sunday the line-up of activities includes an egg hunt, a petting zoo and face painting. The fun continues on Monday with children's entertainment from 12-2pm. For more information, head to the website.

Sachi

Open every single day during the Easter long weekend for dinner from 5.30pm (15 per cent surcharge), Sachi in the CBD is a love letter to seafood-focused Japanese cuisine. Make a beeline here if you're craving the freshest sushi, sashimi, chirashi don and, of course, omakase. Book here

Advertising
  • Italian
  • Melbourne
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended

Marameo is giving Italian party vibes – what more could you want this Easter long weekend? It's open on Good Friday for dinner and Easter Saturday all day (a 15 per cent surcharge applies). Our pick of the menu? The ten-cheese lasagne with mushrooms. We can confirm it's one of the best things we've eaten. Make a booking here.

  • Chinese
  • Balaclava
  • Recommended

Good for dates and family outings alike this long weekend, Moonhouse invites you to linger over some truly tantalising Easter specials. Order the set menu and thank us later – it features all the tastiest bites: oysters, pork buns, wontons and fried rice. Moonhouse is open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday for dinner. Note that a 20 per cent surcharge applies. Make a booking here.

Advertising
  • Vietnamese
  • Prahran
  • Recommended

Everything tastes better charred – and Firebird got the memo. A restaurant dedicated to smoke, flames and fire, every dish in some way, shape or form has been licked by the fire, and it’s all the better for it. It's open from 5-10pm on both Good Friday and Easter Saturday this year. A 20 per cent surcharge applies. Make a booking here.

Advertising
  • Windsor

Hungry for a modern Japanese take on your Easter feast this year? Tokyo Tina has you sorted. It's serving up all its funky faves this long weekend. You can make dinner booking from 5-10pm all weekend long (20 per cent surcharge), except Easter Monday. And best of all, if you feel like a spot of karaoke, Tokyo Tina has a room where you can belt out a banger or two. Find out more here.

Recommended
    Latest news
      Advertising