Food

Cook-Your-Own Restaurant Meal Kits to Make Dinner More Fun

Steam your own dumplings, bake a pizza, and more

All-Purpose's pizza-making kits. Photograph courtesy All-Purpose.
Coronavirus 2020

About Coronavirus 2020

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Pasta from Stellina and Osteria Morini
399 Morse St., NE
Make yourself a comfort dish with some help from this Italian hotspot. The restaurant supplies handmade pastas like paccheri or tonnarelli along with sauces (bolognese, cacio e pepe), and parm for $25. The kits make enough to feed four. Available for pickup or delivery via Caviar. Want to go a step further and make your own stuffed pasta? Osteria Morini in Navy Yard is offering cappelletti-making kits for two ($40) that include truffle ricotta filling, stamped-out fresh pasta sheets, butter sauce, prosciutto, and assembly instructions. A limited number will be available April 23 for pickup and delivery and periodically going forward.

Dumplings (and more!) from Laoban Dumplings
Union Market, 1309 5th St., NE
Stock up on frozen dumplings—including pork soup dumplings–along with noodles, sides, and choco pies. Add on a bamboo steamer while supplies last. Laoban is also offering a limited number of meal kits for two from chef Tim Ma for under $30. Look out for options like stir-fried chicken lo mein, spicy citrus, mangolian beef, and fermented black bean and shiitake mapo tofu. Available for pickup at Union Market or delivery on multiple platforms.

Pizza from All-Purpose
1250 9th St., NW; 79 Potomac Ave., SE
Play pizzaiolo with a ball of dough, mozzarella, Bianco DiNapoli tomato sauce, grana padano cheese, and fresh basil from these popular pizza spots ($15 plus extra for toppings like pepperoni or mushrooms). Chef Mike Friedman offers pie-making tips—like how to toss your dough!—on YouTube. For more pizza kits, check out Centrolina, Nicoletta, and Paisano’s.

Make your own yakisoba, or Japanese noodle stir-fry, with a kit from Hatoba. Photograph courtesy Hatoba.

Yakisoba from Hatoba
300 Tingey St., SE
The ramen joint is branching out to yakisoba, a popular Japanese stir-fry. The $13 kit includes a package of noodles, sliced pork belly, sliced onions, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, carrots, seaweed flakes, pickled ginger, and sauce (shio, shoyu, or miso) plus step-by-step cooking instructions. Pick it up or get delivery via UberEats, DoorDash, or GrubHub.

Fajitas from Republic Cantina
43 N St., NW
Minimal assembly is required for this Tex-Mex feast for two. Just finish off par-cooked flour tortillas on a skillet and assemble your fajitas with a choice of steak and chicken ($35) or veggies ($32), grilled peppers and onions, guac, crema, pico de gallo, rice, and beans. Should you want breakfast tacos the next morning, you can also order pantry provisions like a dozen eggs, hot sauce, and an extra pack of tortillas. And while you’re at, donate a three-taco dinner ($8) to healthcare workers. Available for pickup or delivery.

Tacos from Taco Bamba
Multiple locations
“Prepare your oven” meal kits ($42) let you build your own tacos with a choice of re-heatable fillings like chicken tinga, beef barbacoa, pork carnitas, or spicy ‘shrooms. Each package comes with 20 corn tortillas and a pint of pico de gallo. Add salsas, beans, and yellow rice for a little extra. Available for pickup and delivery.

Ramen by Uzu
Hana Market, 2000 17th St., NW
Union Market’s ramen stall is selling kits with fresh noodles, homemade broth, and traditional Japanese toppings like spinach, menma (bamboo shoots), and chili paste. Shoyu and vegan options are available for pickup at Japanese grocery Hana Market.

Steak Dinners from Mastro’s
600 13th St., NW
Fire up the grill and order steak dinner for two-or-four, pickup or delivery. The restaurant’s 28-day wet-aged filets come vacuum-packed with secret house rub plus a large Caesar salad, choice of sides, and butter cake. Get extra fancy with add-ons like truffle or bone marrow butter. Other steakhouses, including The Grill at the Wharf and Rare Steakhouse downtown, are also offering raw steaks and meats you can cook at home.

Burgers from Officina
1120 Maine Ave., SW
A pasta kit might be the obvious choice from chef Nick Stefanelli‘s upscale Italian restaurant and market. But why not a burger kit too? Get four 20-day-aged beef patties with sesame buns, and cheddar cheese for $20. Available for pickup and delivery.

Sukiyaki Set from Sushi Taro
1503 17th St., NW
For more of a splurge, try this wagyu sukiyaki set for two. The $230 offering comes with a propane stove and iron plate to cook thin slices of beef with sukiyaki sauce and veggies. You must order at least one day in advance for pickup only.

“Stay Home Warrior Kits” come with fresh fruit and granola. Photo courtesy South Block.

Acai Bowls from South Block
2121 N. Westmoreland St., Unit B, Arlington
Trying to avoid the “quarantine 15?” Get your smoothie bowl fix with “Stay Home Warrior Kits” ($55) including six portions of blended acai plus pint containers of homemade granola, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. Pickup at the Arlington location or get free delivery with orders of $45 or more.

Cinnamon Rolls from District Doughnut
Multiple locations
Sometimes you just want the satisfaction (and delightful aromas) of pulling hot cinnamon rolls from the oven but without too much work. District Doughnut has you covered with this package of four ready-to-bake pastries, vanilla glaze, and baking instructions. Want to get extra decadent? Pair with a pint from Ice Cream Jubilee. Order here for delivery. Pickup coming soon to Barracks Row and Georgetown shops.

Cookies and Cocktails from Summer House Santa Monica
11825 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda
This California-inspired restaurant has a whole bunch of DIY options from pizzas to rice krispies treats. Get the party started with build-your-own cocktail kits ($45-$150) featuring whole bottles of booze and detailed instructions. The six options include mango margaritas, Manhattans, and Aperol spritzes. Alternately (or additionally!), indulge in a cookie decorating kit ($16.95) that comes with mini piping bags of royal icing and colored sugar sprinkles. Available for delivery or pickup.

Jessica Sidman
Food Editor

Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.