The best takeout and delivery restaurants in NYC

The Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Uncle Boons recently transitioned its takeout spin-off to delivery-only. The chef-owners Ann Redding and Matt Danzer are keeping the meals wallet-friendly, too: The homemade yellow curried lamb pastry with sweet chili sauce and cucumber vinegar is popular but we prefer the Phat Bai Horapha (Thai basil and chili stir fry with a fried egg).

Sam Yoo’s take pan-Asian take on brunch staples made his restaurant one of the biggest hits we reviewed in 2019. Order brunch favorites such as the honey butter pancakes, the “vegetalian” hero sandwich, or, the matcha crumb cake.

The menu of this pretty little Thai restaurant attracts citywide food-lovers for good reason: their crispy duck Panang curry, the whole fish with basil sauce, papaya salad, tom yum soup and more.  

An East Asian general store with bites at the counter, the recently opened Maya Bed-Stuy serves experimental congee, updated with quinoa, avocado and other good additions you see in fashionable grain bowls. There's also the stand-out Porkduckin with Chinese century egg—a yolk that’s been preserved in salt, ash and clay over months, not 100 years—that is worth trying.

Oasis continues to have some of the best Palestinian food with plentiful portion sizes. We always opt for the platter, which arrives with a selection of pickled veggies, white sauce, red sauce, five green falafel balls and more pita than you’ll know what to do with.

Bronx staple, La Morada serves up stand-out Oaxacan food with a dose of activism. We suggest the chile rellenos de queso, but you'll find lots of other dishes worth exploring here. 

Here, you’ll find West African–inspired dishes in a fast-casual café. Look no further than chef Pierre Thiam’s food to tell the story. The Senegal-born chef draws on influences from Nigeria, Côte D’Ivoire and other African countries but imparts a break-the-rules approach. The fufu, a spongy ball of pounded plantain, is a stand-out that you’ll want to dip in the slightly sweet peanut sauce.

This bakery follow-up to the fan favorite is offering delivery and pick-up for items such as their fan tuan, turnip cakes, mochi donuts, BEC on milk buns and more. 

A new fast-casual chain hailing from Cairo has opened in Nolita, bringing with a menu of Egyptian street food. Though their dishes may look like the hummus and falafel you know, what Zooba offers is entirely different. The chain has come to be known for its ta'ameya, swapping out balls of fried chickpeas for fava beans (in addition to the classic version, Zooba also offers versions with spicy pepper, eggplant and pickled lemon). Instead of hummus you'll find a fava bean dip called bessara.

One peek at the menu reveals this eatery stays true to its Cuban roots. Start with the Cuban nachos or stuffed tostones and continue on the journey with the pernil with black beans, maduros and a yuca garnish. Next door, its bakery is also offering to-go Cuban coffee, empanadas and other sweets. 

The Malaysian café is now bigger and (arguably) better with an all-day menu of affordable small plates and snacks like nasi lemak in a new location down the block.

What began as a modest cart is now upgraded to a sit-down restaurant specializing in arepas and other Colombian bites in Jackson Heights. The kitchen is run by Maria Piedad Cano and her family. Order for some of the best South American corn cakes found in New York.

Chinese hot pot, customarily stewed with thinly sliced meats, vegetables and stock, gets a brothless showcase with this East Village eatery from owner Ning Amelie Kang and chef Qilong Zhao. Named after the Chinese phenomenon of ma la (literally “numbing and spicy”), the restaurant’s starring dish is a variation on Chongqing-hailing dry pot, a stir-fry-like spread built with a choice of 52 add-ins—which means lots of options for delivery. 

Started in 2015, chef Myo Moe’s erstwhile Burmese pop-up has become a brick-and-mortar restaurant. While this southeast Asian cuisine is rare in the city, Moe’s menu offers a tasty primer. The colorful dishes available for delivery include lemongrass fish stew, cinnamon chicken and spicy pork mee shay.

Though we love the glamorous interior design of Cafe China, dishes such as their bang bang chicken, spicy cumin lamb or crystal shrimp dumplings are still worth ordering for delivery at home. 

Elmhurst Thai restaurant Hug Esan has recently become one of our favorite Queens-spots for takeout or delivery. We love the sour pork soup "Tom Zabb."

The beloved natural wine bar, The Four Horsemen has a limited takeout menu for pickup. Whether it’s an upgraded Caesar salad or roasted chicken with a pickle pepper relish, you can order these comfort specials  and also grab wine and batch cocktails to-go.

At Claro in Gowanus, you can order (dinner-only) delivery right now: frozen mezcal margaritas, mezcal flights, wine by the bottle, as well as their most popular dishes like short rib mole and quesadillas tinga.

The team behind the popular Glady's has opened a Japanese-Caribbean ramen joint in the Prospect-Lefferts Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. Classic bowls of Japanese ramen are riffed upon with Caribbean touches.

Bánh mì are one of our favorite to-go foods. This Chinatown staple has continued to offer delivery to make their sandwiches still accessible to enjoy back at home.  

We've been a big fan of the wraps from Wolfnights for years, and they've become a go-to as of late. One of TONY's staffers recommends "The Howling" with grilled chicken, fried pickles, feta, melon, mint and yogurt sauce all packed into a date and pumpkin seed wrap.

Fuku is the materialization of David Chang’s obsession with the fast-food chicken sandwich. There’s just one main dish on the menu (guess what it is), so the biggest decision you’ll face is whether you want a savory side or a Compost cookie for dessert. Chang’s oversize sammie, served on a steamed Martin’s potato roll with habanero puree, pickles and fermented-chickpea butter, is crispy, juicy and the perfect choice when you’re overwhelmed by all the other delivery options.

Sure, part of the charm of this family-owned, 127-year-old institution­ is that its employees carve horseradish-spiked pastrami and thick-cut corned beef by hand, right there in front of you. But now, you don’t have to worry about losing your ticket, having enough cash or careening through the throngs of tourists befuddled by the ordering system, and can scarf down that meat-stacked sammie at your leisure.

The vegan movement is expanding beyond just restaurants, as grocers, butchers and deli counters are starting to go meatless. Joya Carlton (the Butcher’s Daughter, Buvette) teams with Sara and Erica Kubersky (MooShoes, Modern Love Brooklyn) for this Lower East Side grocery store and delicatessen that’s exclusively stocked with vegan products. 

Order from this healthy-ish all-day Mediterranean café which offers Levant options, such as cauliflower chermoula or our favorite, the eggplant menemen with crispy egg and saffron yogurt.

The Awkward Scone, a queer-and-woman-run bakery with stand-out New Mexican-style burritos opened its doors after a period as pop-up caterers. The Bushwick spot also serves carrot-cake donuts, fennel proscuitto pretzels and a slew of other unique treats (including one stand-out rainbow cookie). 

Found under the high-line in Chelsea, this quaint little Italian restaurant serves ace traditional fare. With piadina, salads, paninis, pasta and more on the menu, it's sure to have one of your Italian favourites. What's more, they are still taking orders for delivery. 

This stylish Japanese fine-dining spot is found on the Lower East Side, taking influence from the Hida region, you're in for some succulent Hida beef should you choose it (you should). At the moment, you can get delicious-sounding bento boxes but be sure to call them as there is no online delivery option. 

Brooklyn’s Jungle Cafe specialises in vegan cuisine, using high-quality ingredients to create a variety of plant-based plates. On the menu, you can expect to find loads of your favourite dishes – think burgers, burritos, tacos and salads – as well as some unique options like cashew mac ’n‘ cheese. Sounds delish. 

If you’re currently on a health kick but missing those takeaway dinners, Pure Ktchn is answering your prayers. Their mantra is ’eat pure nutritious whole food‘, so nothing they make is fried, there's no added sugar or soy, just simple ingredients. We feel healthier just looking at the menu. 

Primarily known for being a neighbourhood party hotspot, Ponyboy also has an Omakase counter, where you'd normally find a chef waiting to blow your culinary mind. Sadly, that's not possible in the current circumstances, but what Ponyboy is offering is a range of delicious-sounding takeaway Mexican meals. Someone grab some napkins, it's taco time. 

Ben's Deli has two locations in NYC, so there’s a good chance that you're within delivery-range. For more than 44 years these delis have been creating classic deli dishes and European comfort food, we're talking knishes, homemade soup, hot pastrami, chopped liver and more. If that sounds like it's up your street, you can now order for both collection and delivery. 

After growing up in different parts of Thailand, a bunch of friends came together to create Soothr, a place where people can try the delicious Thai recipes they grew up eating. So, if you’re looking for some good-for-the-soul family cooking, look no further. 

Normally you’d head to Gentleman Farmer for a candlelit dinner amongst romantic surroundings. Sadly, you’ll have to set the mood yourself for now, but you can still enjoy the range of high-end French fare from the comfort of your couch. That’s right, Gentleman Farmer is now available for pickup and delivery.