When birthday parties and bar hangs aren’t possible during the novel coronavirus shutdown, care packages can be one way to pass along a bit of joy to loved ones. And with no more dine-in service, many local restaurants, bakeries, and other food businesses are supplementing business by offering new boxed sets or launching make-it-yourself kits at home to boost sales during the downturn.
Whether sending somebody a pick-me-up treat — or sending bulk provisions for an upcoming holiday such as Passover or Easter — here are a few boxes and DIY options that may feel more celebratory than a standard grocery order.
For those looking to luxuriate, upscale wholesalers are also doing consumer deliveries, meaning caviar and truffles could also do. See that list here. And if looking to just send some tote bags, t-shirts, or hats from hit NYC restaurants, that list is right here.
Economy Candy: All-encompassing LES candy icon Economy Candy is offering candy care packages for delivery ($35). Options include chocolate, dried fruits and nuts, and a “recess pack,” which comes filled with small toys. Easter- and Passover-themed options are also available.
Doughnuttery: Chelsea Market’s mini-doughnut purveyor Doughnuttery is delivering DIY doughnut kits that include four sugar blends and a pound of doughnut mix.
Breads Bakery: Breads Bakery, home of a venerable chocolate babka loaf, is delivering a pescatarian dinner for Passover, including vegetarian “chopped liver,” mushroom matzo brei, gefilte fish or roast fish, plus desserts ($180). Pick-up and delivery are available for all three locations of the bakery.
The Fly: Bed-Stuy’s popular rotisserie chicken restaurant the Fly is selling whole ready-to-roast chickens, plus a six-pack of natural wine bottles for $150. The restaurant’s online store opens on Monday at 12 p.m. for pick-up on the following Wednesday.
Parcelle: This wine shop from the team behind restaurants like Charlie Bird is selling a wine package including six bottles and a four-pack of canned wines, all made by their sommelier friends. Options include Sohm & Kracher from Le Bernardin’s Aldo Sohm, Annona from Fausto’s Joe Campanale, Ramona from Momofuku’s Jordan Salcito. Profits from the $150 set goes toward ROAR, a nonprofit for restaurant relief efforts.
June Wine Bar: If anybody wants to get into the sourdough game, Cobble Hill wine bar June can deliver 30 grams of sourdough starter and packs of flour. Throw in some small bites or bottles from the bar’s impressive selection of natural wine.
Katz’s Delicatessen: Famed Manhattan deli Katz’s Delicatessen has sold out of Passover packages, but the restaurant does offer other meaty packages that can be shipped nationwide. A birthday box ($120) includes pastrami, corned beef, and all the necessary tools for the deli’s sandwiches — plus black-and-white cookies.
Leo: Williamsburg’s buzzy cafe and bakery Leo is selling what it calls a “friends and family labor of love care package,” including a box of Variety Coffee beans, several bottles of wine, a loaf of housemade sourdough bread, ricotta, and lemon jam. Call the restaurant at (718) 384-6531 to order. The bakery also delivers one pound bags of flour through Caviar.
The Meat Hook: The guys behind hip Williamsburg meat shop the Meat Hook have set up an online grocery delivery and takeout service selling everything under the sun. Send someone a care package with the butcher’s popular pork sausages, alongside IPA’s from Gowanus beer maker Three’s Brewing.
Roberta’s: Bushwick’s freewheeling pizzeria and bakery is delivering make-your-own pasta and pizza kits, with oxtail tagliatelle and margherita pies on deck. Send it alongside some of the wood-fired pizzeria’s ready-to-eat pies.
Russ & Daughters: One New York’s oldest bagel stops is delivering in Manhattan and shipping its baked goods nationwide. Bagels and lox, babka, pantry items, tinned fish, pickled goods, soups, and breads are all available, as are preserved, smoked, and cured fish. Delivery in Brooklyn coming soon.
Tipsy Scoop: Boozy ice cream shop Tipsy Scoop has two types of DIY Sundae kits on deck: a mango margarita mix and one made from Irish dark coffee, dark chocolate whiskey, and spiked mint chip ice creams.
This post was originally published on Friday, April 3, 2020 and has been updated with more options.
Disclosure: Eater has a video series, Prime Time, hosted by Ben Turley and Brent Young of the Meat Hook.