Where to Order Christmas Dinner for Every Mood

As someone who often worked major holidays, whenever I made it home to Michigan to celebrate with my mom we always ordered takeout. Our menu traditionally consisted of wonton soup, egg rolls, and whatever else we decided to snack on all day long. While it understandably is not the preferred way to celebrate this year, I have to say, takeout and a marathon of old movies in the background have never steered me wrong. Some Twin Cities spots that wowed with their Thanksgiving takeout meals are doing it again, this time for Christmas and Christmas Eve. If there was one you were tempted to try for Turkey Day, but didn’t, well now’s your chance.

If you want your festive red and green in salsa form...

Colita Holiday Meals

Tex-Oaxacan eatery Colita is offering their take on a holiday meal for two to three people for $134 and up to four to six for $255. For a main dish, the smoked short rib with mole negra guarantees to be flavorful and mouth-watering. Pair that with refried beans and queso fresco, chipotle roasted cauliflower, elote, handmade tortillas, fermented fresno hot sauce for those that like it hot, salsa verde, and salsa rojo. While delicious every day, using both red and green salsas infuses this dinner with a much-needed sense of holiday whimsy. Can’t imagine dinner without dessert? Their flourless chocolate cake is just the thing.

Get it: Order by December 21st to pick it up on Wednesday, December 23rd between 1 and 4 p.m.

Restaurant Alma/Facebook

If you have an idea of a holiday menu but could use a little zhoosh…

Alma Cafe Holiday Essentials

This holiday season, Alma Cafe is serving up two mains that serve 4-5: a tender New York “Manhattan Roast” and herb-crusted pork short loin roast are great for anyone who still intends to make a few family classics at home but would rather not deal with the main event. Other options include cookies by the dozen, a Bloody Mary mix for a holiday brunch, hors d’oeuvres, assorted condiments, a sauvignon blanc viognier blend from one of my favorite domestic wineries, Fausse Piste, and the list goes on. If you do more than all right in the kitchen, but want to treat yourself to a couple of goodies, Alma Cafe might have just what you need.

Get it: Order by December 15th at 3 p.m. for pickup December 17th-18th.

If you’d rather buy a board and have cured meats and cheese for dinner...

Kiernan’s Kitchen Northeast Party Sized Charcuterie

If you like a cheese or charcuterie board before dinner, or for dinner, Kiernan’s Kitchen in Northeast is pre-selling provisions. The larger “party-sized” options of their aptly named abundance boards serve either 5-6, 10-12, or even 20-24 if you want to stock your fridge to nosh for a week or share with a friend. An assortment of Red Table Meat Company cured meats, cheese from Alemar Cheese Company, house-made pickles and preserves, and loaves from Baker’s Field Flour and Bread round out a feast perfect for curling up on the couch and watching the Christmas movie of your choosing.

Get it: Order it here. They require a 24-hour notice, but for safety, give them more.

If for Christmas, you traditionally serve ham...

P.S. Steak Christmas Meal Kit

The Christmas dinner package from P.S. Steak in Loring Park will feed four to six people with a decadent smoked pork shoulder with bourbon-mustard glaze. The classic maple glazed baby carrots come with pecans and ras el hanout warming spice blend, roasted garlic and ricotta potato purée, and grilled broccolini with harissa yogurt will surely comfort and impress simultaneously. Add-ons like packs of beer, cider, and bottles of wine are yours for the taking.

Get it: Order on Tock for a December 23rd pick up.

Stewart’s/Web

If Christmas Eve is the night you love...

Stewart’s Christmas Eve Dinner Kit

For $120 a ticket, Stewart’s is providing the goods for 4-6 people to enjoy a beautiful Christmas Eve celebration. Their classic take will feel like a warm hug beside the fireplace, a cup of hot cocoa or a glass of bourbon in hand. The main attraction is the honey glazed ham alongside cheesy scalloped potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts with squash and bacon, and parker house rolls with honey butter. For a true feast, consider add-ons like Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce (of course), brandade, shrimp cocktail, and monkey bread for something sweet. Their “Christmimosa” comes with bubbles, cranberry, and apple for a wintery twist.

Get it: Order by noon on December 20th for pick up on December 4th between 1 and 3 p.m.

Tilia [Official]

If you can’t live without Yorkshire pudding…

Tilia’s prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, $60 a person

Linden Hill’s New American jewel Tilia’s holiday menu is classic in the best way and comes par-baked with detailed instructions so you can complete the dishes for maximum freshness at home. For $60 a person you’ll receive roasted prime rib with horseradish cream sauce, the aforementioned Yorkshire pudding with a red wine demi-glace, au gratin potatoes, roasted baby carrots, and black garlic parker house rolls. For dessert? A black forest yule log with swiss buttercream, chocolate ganache, and cherry compote. Two additional offerings of a charcuterie board for two for $30 and a 32oz serving of eggnog mean you can chill this Christmas.

Order for a December 22nd or December 23rd pick up, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

If the idea of Christmas pizza makes you smile…

Wrecktangle’s Holiday Pizza Party, $70 for one pizza and sides or $90 for two

The Wrecktangle team is back at it with holiday offerings in pizza form. This time, their pizza party has sides like fluffy mashed potatoes and herbed gravy, brussels sprouts gratin with crispy garlic chili, and a family sized caesar salad. Sip on either the crowler of raspberry lemonade jinx tea or Earl Giles ginger beer and stuff a slice in your face. Their holiday take-n-bake offerings include a Swedish Meatball pie with mushroom cream sauce and lingonberry relish and their holiday ham comes fully decked with honey glazed ham, green bean casserole, crispy fried onions, and Cry Baby Craig’s, of course.

Get it: Order for a December 22nd to December 24th pick up, from noon to 8 p.m.

Tavola’s pumpkin spice pizza $15 and roasted squash orecchiette $16

Dreamy Tavola in Elliot Park Hotel is now offering their entire menu for takeout. While their pumpkin spice pizza with roasted pumpkin, ‘Nduja sausage, mozzarella, aleppo pepper and orecchiette pasta dish with roasted squash, mushroom, savoy cabbage, preserved lemon, brown butter, and hazelnuts isn’t explicitly intended for the holidays, it’s seasonal and enticing enough to fit the bill. Add on the chicken breast with parsnip puree and kale and white bean soup while you’re at it, if you’re so inclined.

Check out their menu and order by calling the restaurant at (612) 389-2299 or email info@elliotparkhotel.com with any questions.

If you want vegan eats that do good...

Eureka Compass Vegan Food and Minneapolis Black Market’s Pay What You Can Community Dinner

The main focus of this round of pay-what-you-can dinners out of Eureka Compass Vegan Food in Hamline-Midway is to raise funds for The Rebellion Relief Fund operated by Zedé Harut aka Holistic Heaux. Half of the funds for the event, up to $1500, will be contributed to efforts to support Black and Brown birthers.

On top of that, the menu looks amazing: curried chickpea shepherd’s pie with roasted squash, root vegetable purée, collards and black eye peas, citrus cranberry kale salad, roasted yukon gold potatoes and button mushrooms, and rustic corn drop biscuits. Gift yourself a tasty plant-based feast and know your money is helping others at the same time. Besides, isn’t giving what the holidays are all about?

Preorder by 8 p.m on Sunday December 20th by emailing requests to eurekacompassveganfood@gmail.com. Please include a window of time/number of meals/how much you want and can pay. Pickup between 10-7 on December 23rd.

If you’re craving all the sweet things…

The Buttered Tin’s Holiday Bakery

For the individual who can’t get enough sugar on the holidays but maybe doesn’t like to bake, The Buttered Tin’s holiday cookie tins and decorated sugar cookies certainly will do the trick. For $30.39 you’ll receive twelve cookies: molasses, lemon cream, shortbread, and Russian tea cakes. If cupcakes are more your speed, their adorably festive flavors (TBT HoHoHo, Red Velvety Mistletoe, Chocolate Peppermint Tree, and Vanilla Caramel Santa Hat) are sure to bring a smile to any Grinch’s face. Whatever you do, be sure to buy the Gingerbread House Kit. Constructing a gingerbread house with freshly made gingerbread? Come on now.

Get it: Order it here.

If you want to cater yourself fancy for Christmas or New Year’s…

D’Amico Catering at Home

This holiday season, D’Amico Catering has spoiled us with choices to enjoy at home. Designed to feed up to four guests, their spreads, sweet enhancements, and libations provide families with everything they could possibly need and then some. Their joyful brunch option includes a choice of between a vegetable strata with fresh herbs or quiche lorraine with gruyere and bacon for entree, and comes with caramel rolls, breakfast potatoes, sausage, bacon, and fresh fruit. Their libations are available with champagne or San Pellegrino for appetizing and festive nonalcoholic bubbly sips.

Get it: Order by Monday, December 21st at 4 p.m. for December 23rd or December 24th pickup.

For New Year’s Eve, order by Monday, December 28th to pick up on December 31st.

If a cute (and vegan!) cake would brighten up your table...

Vegan East’s Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake, $39

When I say I uncontrollably squealed when I saw a picture of this cake on Instagram, I mean it. It is such a little beaut. While I enjoy decorating a cake, I have never been able to achieve anything worth writing about. Vegan East’s pretty pastel tree with a curly Christmas light border is a perfect example of what I wish I could do. The chocolate peppermint holiday cake is also available with no added gluten, if that’s your thing. Since it’s officially peppermint mocha season, order this cake and enjoy it with a mug of local coffee beans for utter bliss.

Get it: Order here with at least 48 hours notice.

If you’d like a deluxe cocktail kit add-on…

Petite León’s Christmas Dinner, $185 per ticket and Bloody Mary Kit, $50

The holiday Christmas Morning bloody Mary bar add-on option comes with a bottle of locally owned Garden Variety bloody Mary mix, a 5oz bottle of Petite León hot sauce, a package of Tech Farms spicy old fashioned meat sticks, a jar of pickled eggs, and a jar of pickles and olives. Whether you pour vodka or tequila in your bloodies or prefer them virgin, 10% of all drink sales will be donated to the Minnesota Homeless Fund.

For $185 Petite León’s main attraction is an absolutely breathtaking and plentiful feast for four to six people that includes a collection of four appetizers, beef short ribs braised in a birria sauce of warm spices and Mexican chilies for the main, and sides like a haricot vert hot dish, pureed potatoes, garlic mushrooms, and carrots will evoke comforting memories with a hit of cheffy sophistication. For dessert, they will spoil you with a deep dish apple pie.

Get it: Order your dinner with reheating instructions and other tips from the Petite León team for a Wednesday 23rd pick up from 12 to 5 p.m.

If your ugly sweater collection is your pride and joy…

Groundswell Coffee, Classic Sweater Cookie Set, $20

If you keep a box or suitcase full of ugly Christmas sweaters in your closet all year long and come December 1st you throw one on and jump for joy, Groundswell has cookies for you. For $20, you can unironically love these five whimsically decorated edible works of art. If you’d like to do some decorating of your own, pre order a $20 cookie decorating kit that includes six classic sugar cookies, three colors of icing, four varieties of sprinkles, and piping bags. And if you’re just a cookie fanatic, they also have a variety box for $28 that includes a rosemary chocolate chip creation I’m incredibly intrigued by and many others.

Get it: Order for a Saturday December 19th pick up.