With restaurants across the UK set to open for business tomorrow and over the next week, one might wonder if the DIY food kits our favourite eateries had been offering might become obsolete. However, the home cooking kits remain to stay for the time being – which is excellent news for anyone who is shielding or does not feel comfortable dining out at restaurants just yet. Plus, is it just us who has enjoyed a few extra nights in recently? DIY home cooking kits allow you to get the best your favourite restaurants have to offer while eating at home in your pyjamas (or dress up for date night, your choice).
So many restaurants are offering these home cooking kits so if what you’re craving isn’t on this list, it’s always worth checking the restaurants’ websites and social media pages as it has been a great way of keeping Londoners fed well (and as they are used to!), as well as making sure ingredients don’t go to waste. But for the time being, we’ve got you covered for kits ranging from burgers to pizza; ramen to curry night.
Quo Vadis At Home
Don’t fret about not being able to dine at Quo Vadis amidst rumours of Tier 3 hitting London, thanks to the at-home menu chef proprietor Jeremy Lee, head chef Doug Sims and their team have created. Celebrating the same seasonal, British produce, this menu has been specifically designed to give Quo Vadis fans their fix, with delightful dishes that require the slightest bit of ‘finishing off’ at home. Hey, see this as your moment to take a bit of credit for the meal you’re about to devour. The menu includes baked salsify and parmesan to start; a choice between cured salmon with pickled cucumbers, mustard and dill or goose and pork rilettes with pickled figs and cornichons (our vote!) before moving onto the main course where you can choose between the classic turkey and bacon pie (that, quite frankly, has us drooling over our keyboard) and winter vegetable cannelloni – both served with a choice of mash or broccoli. Don’t forget dessert now: there’s a real Sophie’s choice here with options including an almond tart with berries, custard and cream or Quo Vadis’ own recipe St Emilion au chocolat. As we’re nearing Christmas, there’s another pudding to pick from: Jeremy’s figgy pudding – with plenty of sherry and brandy to accompany, don’t you worry. Well, we’ve let you know about dinner, you just have to choose.
Cost: £95 for two people.
El Pastor Taco Party
‘Tacos to go’ is music to our ears but to learn that you can also enjoy a Mexican feast at home, courtesy of El Pastor is the exactly the news we needed. The Taco Party by London’s beloved Mexican restaurant is aptly named as it includes, the chips (or totopos) with guacamole; a choice of the divine tuna tostadas or the chicken tinga; one of the sharing plates El Pastor serves: Al Pastor, Short Rib or the Yucatan classic Cochinita Pibil. Enjoy esquites or frijoles refritos on the side, the trio of salsas and copious tortillas to create your delicious tacos. Wash it down with their classic – and dangerous! – margaritas and mezcals, as well as beer and wine being available to add on to your order. If you’re in London, you can receive this all ready to eat – or for those with a longer delivery time, you can ‘finish’ the dishes at home, whereby a little reheating is required – and that’s what those chips, guacamole and margaritas are there for as you do this.
Dishoom Breakfast Naans
Everyone’s favourite breakfast sandwich is now available at home. Dishoom has joined the ranks of restaurants creating DIY kits to recreate your much-loved and missed meals at your favourite eateries in the comfort of your own home. Does anyone get anything other than the breakfast naan when dining at Dishoom in the morning? We definitely don’t. But now you can make your own breakfast naans – choosing between the classic bacon (adding an egg, if you wish) or opting for the new vegan sausage naan. We tried both and both are delicious. We couldn’t choose and we don’t think anyone should have to. One of the more fairly priced DIY kits, these breakfast naan packages come with all of the ingredients and both written instructions and links to a video online. Dishoom is even kind enough to give you an extra doughball – in case your first try doesn’t go exactly to plan. Find all the condiments – cream cheese, tomato chilli jam, coriander – the works – included, as well as loose-leaf Darjeeling tea, chai spices and fresh ginger slices for brewing everyone’s favourite Masala Chai. It’s not bottomless but it does the trick. What’s even better is that even though this is a DIY kit, Dishoom still makes its donation to Magic Breakfast as if you were dining in the restaurant.
Crazy Pizza Tiramisu Kit
Bring some Italian indulgence to your kitchen with Crazy Pizza’s ‘At Home Tiramisu’ kit. Available in both kids and adult version, this homemade dessert kit features Savoiardi fingers biscuits, quality grade coffee, a pre-piped bag of vanilla cream and rich cocoa powder. Bring the magic of Crazy Pizza home with an apron and sieve to ensure that your tiramisu dessert is as perfect as the restaurant’s. So easy to make, the tiramisu involves soaking the biscuits in coffee goodness, layering over the vanilla cream – before leaving in the fridge for half an hour. Remove and sprinkle over rich cocoa powder and grab a spoon – or two.
Cost: Kids kit – £28 / Adult kit – £30
Spicebox Vegan Curry Box
Spicebox At Home gives you and your family an entire box of ingredients needed to make the perfect plant-based curry in the comfort of your own home. The box comes with instructions, meaning in just 60 minutes, your family feast will be sorted. There are two options to choose from; the Tikka Masala and the Korma and it wouldn’t be a proper curry night if the boxes weren’t complete with naan bread, kachoris and samosas. The Tikka Masala box is great for anyone who loves cauliflower and peppers while the Korma option offers sweet potato, mushrooms and cannellini beans. Each box comes with a step-by-step recipe card but there are videos on Spicebox’s website as well, if you prefer a cook-along vibe. All that’s left to do is get creative with the curry sauces, chutneys and building your own curry. It’s a hard choice so maybe Tikka Masala this week and Korma the next?
Cost: £39.95 for six people.
Eat Crudo DIY Bowls
There are certain meals that sometimes feel a little trickier to recreate at home and ceviche is one of them. However it’s actually quite simple – if you have the right ingredients. The team at Crudo Cevicheria has come up with DIY crudo bowls to enjoy Aguachile in your home – or garden, if this weather keeps going strong. Aguachile is Crudo’s shrimp ceviche dish but you can also select a sea bass option online (they also have sea bass, salmon and a vegan option if you’re looking to eat in or take away). The kits include shrimp (or sea bass), Mexicana Leche de Tigre (ceviche sauce), quinoa, salad, corn chips and jalapeños to create and enjoy this refreshing dish at home. What we love about it is how quick it is to make – so your tummy won’t have to rumble for long!
Cost: £18 for two people, £34 for four.
Crudo has also just launched a Pisco Sour DIY kit – right in time for National Pisco Sour Day. Mark your calendars for 6th February and order your kit now so you can celebrate the occasion properly. Since we’re likely to be in lockdown for a bit longer, who could say no to this delicious and popular cocktail in the comfort of your own home?! The Pisco Sour kit contains everything you need to make the perfect drink; pisco, lime juice, egg whites, Angostura bitters, sugar syrup, passion fruit syrup – the works. There’s even canca corn snacks so you can nibble on something tasty as you knock back a few. Cocktail glasses are option as well, if you’re looking to emulate the full bar experience.
£14 for a kit for two; £25 for a four (+£4.50 for a cocktail glass).
Perkd Up DIY Burgers
Who hasn’t been craving their favourite burger during lockdown? Luckily, if you’re not keen to go out to eat at restaurants, the best burger spots are still offering their DIY food kits so you can enjoy a good burger at home. Perk’d Up is no exception with their build-your-own-burger kits (BYOB has an entirely different meaning, right now!) Currently only available for delivery to London postcodes, those living in the capital can sink their teeth into a classic cheeseburger, the brand’s signature Espresso Jam burger or even a plant-based patty. The cheeseburger DIY kits come with mince to make your patties, brioche buns, burger cheese slices, Wagyunnaise sauce and crispy onions – although you’ll have to source your own lettuce and any other salad or garnish you might enjoy in your burger. If you’ve gone for the Espresso Jam food kit, you can enjoy streaky bacon and Espresso plum jam too. It’s whisky butter mayonnaise for the plant-based burgers – it’s important to note that this option is vegetarian but not vegan. We’ll take one of each kit, please.
Cost: £30 for four burgers.
Polú Poké Ramen Kit
If you’ve been missing poké or ramen during the lockdown and still don’t want to venture to a restaurant, Polú’ Poké is your go-to for creating the delicious dishes at home. The DIY food kits include all the ingredients you need to make a refreshing bowl of poké or steaming bowl of ramen at home. You’ll be sorted with pickles, marinades, seasonings and fish for a high quality, sustainable poké. If you’re a ramen-lover, enjoy a 12-hour slow roast Chashu pork belly, fresh handmade noodles and garnishes such as chillies, sweetcorn and spring onion – as well as a ramen egg with which to top off the bowl of comfort.
Cost: £20 for two people.
Al Dente
Our favourite Fitzrovia-based pastificio has launched its own DIY kits so you can create its much-loved pasta dishes at home. Customers can choose from four options: a classic Carbonara dish; the Amatriciana (with guanciale, pecorino cheese from Amatrice and tomato); a truffle ravioli and the restaurant’s best-selling special dish: broccoli and sausage pasta. These kits can be picked up from the restaurant or you can order via Deliveroo. The traditional pasta place is, indeed, open again for bookings but if you’re still spending time at home, you don’t have to miss out on a delicious dinner.
Cost: £18-22, depending on choice of pasta, for two people.
Dirty Bones x Dirty Vegan
Craving your NYC-inspired comfort food but not ready to go into Central London for it? Not to worry; Dirty Bones has launched its Dirty at Home DIY kits to cook your favourite dishes at home. Not only can you enjoy the classic Mac Daddy burger (complete with mac ‘n’ cheese and pulled rib short rib) and lamb fries, you can also opt to ‘get down and dirty’, with a pouch of an Old Fashioned cocktail – and a condom is even included. Vegans don’t have to turn away either as the restaurant’s collaboration with Dirty Vegan (which launched in February earlier this year), means you can get your hands on the Dirty Vegan DIY kit too, featuring plant-based chilli cheeseburgers.
Cost: Mac Daddy Kit for four people: £25; Dirty Vegan Chilli Cheeseburger Kit for four people; £25; Get Down and Dirty Kit for two people: £35; Lamb Fries kit: £10.
Arabica Falafel Wraps
Create one of Arabica’s most iconic dishes with their DIY falafel wrap kit. Falafel is one of those things that makes a great snack or main course; fitting into a sandwich or alongside a bowl of couscous. Arabica’s classic mix of chickpeas, broad beans, onions, sweet peppers, garlic, green chilli and fresh herbs and spices is packed full of flavour and simply requires building on the flatbread, alongside the included chopped salad, crunchy pickles, chilli and tahini dressings. Best enjoyed on the same day you make the falafel out of the restaurant’s mix, the question remains: will you ever be able to eat store-bought falafel again?
Cost: £20 for five wraps.
Passyunk Avenue Philly Cheesesteak
Another American food you might be craving is the famous Philadelphia cheesesteak. Thanks to Passyunk, you can enjoy one of its LOVEbundles – which includes everything you need to make your own iconic sandwich. The bundle kits will ensure you’re fully prepared with prime rib eye steak, homemade Wiz Cheese sauce (it is said to be to a cheesesteak what mayonnaise is to a BLT), chopped onions and, of course, a hoagie roll (no cutting corners when it comes to this DIY sandwich creation). If a Philly cheesesteak doesn’t take your fancy, there are also DIY kits for Buffalo wings; steak and wings; and hoagie and wings to enjoy at home too.
Cost: Cheesesteak LOVEbundle kit £32.99 for four people, £42.99 for six; other bundle kits available from £19.99.
The Ninth Truffle Pasta
Chef Jun Tanaka’s The Ninth At Home will feature a DIY truffle pasta kit – in addition to some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. Truffle pasta is a classic favourite for most of us and is the perfect measure of lockdown luxury – if you’re still avoiding dining out but don’t want to miss out on the chance to indulge. While we’ve been in lockdown, people seem to have developed their chef skills but there are certain dishes signature to restaurants that we have all been guilty of craving. The kit includes freshly made Conchiglie pasta, 10g of Australian winter truffle, truffle velouté, egg yolk and parmesan, so everything you need to make that bowl of cheesy, truffle goodness you’ve been craving.
Cost: £38.
Rudy’s Vegan Diner
Craving something plant-based this lockdown? Rudy’s Vegan Diner has launched its DIY delivery kits, featuring four of its favourite meals – ready for you to cook/assemble at home. Chef Matthew Foster’s recipes will be easily recreated in the comfort of your own kitchen, witht he kits featuring Rudy’s Reuben, the Dirty Burger, the Grilled Chick’n Caesar Burger and the Broccoli Mac ‘n’ Cheeze. We opted to try the classic Reuben, which came complete with a whole loaf of rye bread, vegan pastrami, sliced cheeze, pickles, sauerkraut, grilled and crispy onion and Russian and creamy ‘cheese’ dressings – allowing us to pile high a fair few sandwiches! Every kit comes with the necessary ingredients, as well as a recipe card so you know exactly what to do. If you’re feeling a little out of depth, there’s also a QR code which takes you straight to Rudy’s YouTube channel for a cook-along with Chef Matthew. As if this vegan DIY goodness wasn’t enough, £1 from every box sold is donated to Friend Farm Animal Sanctuary; a long-time partner of Rudy’s.
Costs: £18.
Shuk Via Plateaway
Plateaway launched in July 2020 and now hosts a wide range of restaurant partners, all offering DIY kits of their meals to make at home. We tried Shuk, an Israeli-style pita stall, offering its fish tagine, spiced lamb meatball or sabich (roasted aubergine) sandwiches on the Plateaway website. All kits include all the ingredients needed to create your delicious pita pocket, including sauces like harissa and tahini and garnishes, such as coriander; mint and dill. A full set of instructions comes with each kit so you’re in safe hands when building your sandwich and if you listen carefully, you’ll be almost able to hear the buzz of Borough Market.
£28.05 for a Shuk Pita Combo Kit.
The Cookaway
If you’re looking for recipe boxes to make cooking at home easy but don’t fancy the subscription, look no further than The Cookaway. A particularly good choice for those trying to cut down on meat, there are a lot of vegan and vegetarian recipe boxes (along with meat and pescatarian options) and the boxes are available for delivery across the UK. Perfect for home chefs wanting to expand their repertoire, every recipe box in The Cookaway’s Healthy range has been created by chef May Simpkin and is deemed healthy but delicious. May has a Masters in Personalised Nutition and has worked with hundreds of clients, supporting them develop healthy eating habits. We tried the jackfruit stew – which is a great meal choice for anyone new to cutting down on meat, given jackfruit’s texture – with Italian-style couscous and chickpea and green bean salad. It’s a hearty selection that will keep you full and free from snacking later on in the day/evening.
Prices start at £18 for a two-person recipe box, including free delivery.
Comments are closed.