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New York restaurants consistently stepped up to the challenges of the pandemic, from constructing cool outdoor dining set-ups to pivoting to takeout and delivery operations to offering meal kits and groceries. And with winter here, it's officially stock-up season, and local restaurants are ready with frozen dinners and prepared foods that can be pulled from the icebox when you're feeling a little lazy. (Guilty!) Here are 10 tasty options that we'll be stocking our freezers with this winter:
Juliana's
Launching January 14th via Fresh Direct or in-store pick-up and delivery, Patsy Grimaldi's pizzeria is offering take-and-bake versions of its most popular pies: Margherita, white, pepperoni, and Pizza Special No. 1 (mozzarella, scamorza affumicata, pancetta and scallions). Each pie has been par-baked in the shop's 800-degree coal-fired oven—the pizza arrives fresh but it'll freeze and reheat like a champ.
Mimi Cheng's
Available for pick-up and delivery, the Frozen Dumpling Meal Kit ($67.50) from this family-run wonton den include 30 frozen dumplings in your choice of pork-and-chive, chicken-and-zucchini, or veggie flavors. Thirty hand-rolled scallion pancakes and a 12-ounce bottle of the restaurant's secret sauce round out the kit.
Brodo Broth Shop
The West Village soup counter offers frozen 10-ounce and 22-ounce versions of each of its hearty broths, including grass-fed Beef, vegan Seaweed-Mushroom, and Spicy Nonna (chicken broth, roasted garlic, Calabrian chili paste). Buy them individually ($7 for 10oz, $13 for 22oz) or as a six-pack (starting at $35).
Rezdôra
As part of its fresh pasta kits (anolini, tagliatelle), the Flatiron spot rolled out ready-for-the-freezer containers of sauce, including pomodoro, prosciutto-and-pork ragu, and sausage ragu. Choose two sauces with your pick of pasta, starting at $40. Peace out, Prego.
Gino's Pastry Shop
The Golden Girls had it right—there should always be cheesecake in the fridge. This iconic Arthur Avenue bakery is here to help with frozen cheesecake, pastries, cannoli cream and shells, all available for curbside pick-up or take-out. Call directly to place an order.
Bessou
Make weeknight meal-planning infinitely easier with the frozen Japanese comfort foods from this Bleecker Street spot. Freezer options include chickpea curry, beef shortrib congee, pork tonkatsu cutlets, dan dan sauce, and soy koji–marinated flank steak. You'll have yourself a Japanese feast in the time it takes for your oven to preheat.
Maman
Ready-to-bake cookie dough is an absolute godsend, especially when it comes from one of our favorite bakeries. The chic French cafe is offering a cookie dough kit ($49), each yielding up to two dozen cookies, in flavors like brown butter cranberry oatmeal, double chocolate peppermint crunch, nutty chocolate chip, and caramel chocolate hazelnut.
Katz's Delicatessen
To us, a winter freezer isn't complete without a big hulk of meat. Luckily, the Lower East Side legend is offerings by-the-pound packages of its famed brisket ($32), pastrami ($34), turkey ($32), and corned beef ($32), which can be stored in your freezer for up to three months.
Yaso Tangbao
The frozen menu at this Shanghainese street-food spot is a vast one: Serving up to six, the family-style freezer meals include curry chicken ($35), sweet-and-sour pork ribs ($40), and braised tofu ($35), as well as soup dumplings and uncooked noodles.
Colonia Verde
Along with easy-to-assemble meal kits and pantry staples (hola, blue corn tortillas), the Fort Greene restaurant is offering frozen arepas ($8 for five) and pao de quiejo, Brazilian cheesy bread ($9 for a dozen). Just pop 'em on a sheet tray and toss them into a 400-degree oven.