Not many good things have come from the past year, but one thing which lockdown and the pandemic has certainly inspired plenty of, is innovation.
That is particularly true within the hospitality industry, with bars and restaurants having been pulling out the stops to continue offering their products and services however they can throughout a year of changing restrictions.
One of the most popular introductions we have seen from the hospitality industry during lockdown is the finish at home meal delivery kit. These home food deliveries bring restaurant quality food to your home with all the hard-work and prep having been done by the chef beforehand and you simply having to finish off heating the food at home – usually provided with very simple heating instructions so nothing can go wrong.
These kits have managed to keep bringing a special dining experience to our own homes through lockdown, and have been a staple of date nights, virtual birthday parties, and socially distanced garden gatherings.
Of course Leeds’ fabulous eateries haven’t fallen short on offering a tantalising selection of meal delivery kits – some of which I’ve had the delight of trying myself and some of which I’ve simply drooled over on Instagram.
To help us all get through the next few weeks before restaurants reopen – and potentially after that (I would love this service to remain even when back to normality) – I have put together a round-up of some of the best finish at home meal delivery kits I have seen being offered by some of Leeds’ most loved restaurants and food businesses.
Best Finish at Home Meal Delivery Kits in Leeds
Jah Jyot
I have been following Jah Jyot on Instagram for a good few years, and owner Ranie is certainly not afraid to mix things up and try out new offerings, so I wasn’t surprised that they were one of the first Leeds food venues which I came across offering meal delivery kits – and the first one which I tried back in lockdown 1.0.
The first order we got from Jah Jyot was a mixed thali including amritsar chicken curry, chole masala, rice and samosa, plus a chilli paneer paratha wrap. It was all absolutely delicious and you could really tell it was all homemade and authentic.
We loved it, and so when we saw Jah Jyot launch their special Sunday roast kit it wasn’t long before we ordered this too. Again, it was incredible!
The Sunday roast features tandoori chicken, Bombay roast potatoes, gobi leek cheese, coriander peas, star anise cabbage and the star of the show – naan yorkies! Plus a spicy gravy to go over it all.
Jah Jyot are offering a whole range of different meal kits currently on site and are continually adding new and limited time options, so make sure to check it out.
By Mölly
Unlike the restaurants which have turned to offering delivery, By Mölly specialises solely in home deliveries with prepped meal kits cooked up by award-winning home chef Molly Payne.
There is a wide range of different menu options available from By Mölly, with Sunday roasts appearing to be a popular (and delicious looking) choice on Instagram, but it was the signature menu which I enjoyed for a special dinner to celebrate me and the Yorkshireman’s anniversary.
You can choose between 2 or 3 courses from the signature menu, with the option to pick your own individual dishes or enjoy a sharing starter of camembert or sharing main of beef wellington.
We opted for our own choice of starters, salt and pepper panko prawns for me and beef brisket croquettes for him (though of course we did a bit of mix and matching!). Both were truly delicious, the croquettes were packed full of very tender beef and the seasoning on the salt and pepper prawns came through perfectly. Both were the type of starter we wouldn’t really be able to master at home so it was certainly a nice treat to enjoy them having already been cooked up by a professional and us simply popping into the oven.
Next up we went for the beef wellington to share between us, which was served with potato dauphinoise, seasonal greens and a red wine sauce. Just incredible! Perhaps surprisingly, we had never had beef wellington before so it was a special dish to try and the potato dauphinoise was heaven – carbs and cheese yes please!
The portions were huge so we were so full after our main that we saved our dessert for the next day – a white chocolate choux bun and a sticky toffee pudding.
It all comes with lovely personalised reheating instructions which are really easy to follow – basically just pop everything in the oven or microwave, and then tuck in.
The whole meal really felt like something truly special and the quality was undoubtedly first class – definitely a great choice for a special occasion.
https://bymolly.myshopify.com/
Stuzzi
Stuzzi is one of my absolute fave restaurants in Leeds, and I cannot wait to get back after lockdown.
In the meantime I was pleased to see they are offering fresh pasta kits to cook at home. Unfortunately, I haven’t actually tried for myself yet as they are collection only but if the quality of their dine-in food is anything to go by I have no doubt that their home kits are a true treat.
The kits include everything you need to whip up a Stuzzi finest creation, including freshly made pasta, and the options change up regularly. At just £15 they are a total steal too! You can order via DM on Instagram.
Heaney & Mill
Heaney & Mill have been pulling out all the stops when it comes to at home restaurant kits – with a weekly changing set menu, a Sunday roast offering, a deluxe dining menu and regular limited edition menus for occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and right now, St Patrick’s Day.
I haven’t yet tried a Heaney & Mill delivery myself but it’s certainly been popular across my Instagram and the quality looks incredible. Having done some research about the different kits available for delivery in Leeds, Heaney & Mill certainly has one of the best offerings and very reasonably priced too – plus they deliver to all of Leeds so you don’t need to worry about your proximity to the city centre.
I’ve dined at Heaney & Mill pre-lockdown and it was lovely, so I can only imagine their dine at home kits will be every bit as good.
https://www.heaneyandmill.com/shop
Tattu
Tattu has to be one of Leeds’ most iconic restaurants and I know many of us – myself included – have missed dining under those cherry blossoms this past year.
But now you can enjoy Tattu to you (cherry blossom not included)! The relatively new offering from Tattu delivers everything you need to enjoy their contemporary Chinese food at home, with boxes changing on a monthly basis.
The March offering includes a Tattu by the Sea box featuring the legendary lobster and prawn toast, black cod fillet and dessert, or their Caramel Soy Fillet Steak box including their popular caramel steaks (can attest this dish is amazing) plus everything you need to bring the Tattu flavours alive.
I’ll take both please!
Ambiente Tapas
Tapas is my favourite restaurant food, and I have missed it terribly over lockdown. Leeds is certainly not short of top tapas restaurants, and Ambiente down by The Calls has to be one of the best.
The restaurant is offering a great-value tapas at home experience offering a choice of 5 tapas, a sharing paella and a bottle of wine for just £50.
It’s billed as a family feast but I’m sure me and the OH would happily finish this between just the 2 of us!
https://www.ambiente-tapas.co.uk/dineathome
Yuzu
A newly launched dine at home box I have seen with raving reviews across Instagram this past week is You do YUZU, from Asian street food specialists YUZU.
The box features a bao, gyoza and a beer. It doesn’t look like the Leeds offering is fully live yet but definitely something to keep your eyes peeled for!
Scottish Girl in Yorkshire 