Grub Guides

Sweatpants Gourmet: 24 Great Restaurants That Also Deliver

Now you can enjoy Mission Chinese Food on your couch.
Now you can enjoy Mission Chinese Food on your couch. Photo: Konstantin Sergeyev

This week, Mission Chinese Food began offering delivery to any and all Sichuan-pepper-heads who are lucky enough to live in the delivery zone. But it’s hardly the only class-A restaurant that will dispatch its food right to your door. In fact, it’s simple to eat a spicy duck laab salad, Khachapuri, or a Porchetta sandwich in your PJs.

Kin Shop
Delivery Zone: From 18th Street to Bleecker Street, between Seventh and Fifth Avenues.
What to Order: The Massamam braised-goat curry, with fried shallots, mustard greens, purple yams, and toasted coconut is one of Harold Dieterle’s signature dishes. Make sure to add the spicy duck laab salad.

Bun-Ker
Delivery Zone: From Myrtle Avenue to Fresh Pond Road, between Metropolitan Avenue and Broadway.
What to Order: The Underground Gourmet named this Vietnamese restaurant in Maspeth the best new cheap-eats joint, calling the roasted portobello bánh mì (with Havarti, smoked Gouda, and basil-peanut pesto) “the kind of whimsical concoction that defines this moment in high-low cuisine.”

Parm
Delivery Zone: From E. 8th Street to Broome Street, between Sixth Avenue and Bowery.
What to Order: All of the parm sandwiches are outstanding, of course, but the sleeper hit is the house-roasted turkey sandwich. The $5 pizza knots will help you meet the minimum charge.

Mimi’s Hummus
Delivery Zone: From Ocean Parkway to Ocean Avenue, between Parkside Avenue and Avenue H.
What to Order: The Underground Gourmet awarded this Ditmas Park spot four (four!) stars for its Israeli cooking. Get the warm fava-bean hummus with lemon-garlic dressing.

Mission Chinese Food
Delivery Zone: From E. 3rd Street to Grande Street, between Bowery and Avenue B.
What to Order: Thrice-cooked bacon’s always delightful, but if you feel like eating healthily at home, Danny Bowien’s now offering four vegan dishes: Mongolian long beans, braised pea leaves, Taiwanese potatoes, and red braised eggplant.

Tacombi at Fonda Nolita
Delivery Zone: From E. 8th Street to Grand Street, between Sixth Avenue and Essex Street.
What to Order: Tacos don’t travel well (Pete Wells agrees), so Tacombi packages ingredients separately and lets you assemble them yourself. Be mindful: Crispy fish will probably get soggy, so opt for the pork belly or sweet-corn-and-poblano-pepper fillings.

Oda House
Delivery Zone: From E. 23rd Street to Houston Street, between 6th Avenue and Avenue D.
What to Order: On a cold day, this Cheap Eats pick’s Khachapuri (traditional Georgian cheese bread) will be rich and comforting. The Chakapuli (grass-fed slow-cooked lamb) is also excellent.

Cómodo
Delivery Zone: From 14th Street to Battery Park, between the Hudson River and Allen Street.
What to Order: If it’s lunchtime, order one of the Latin American restaurant’s excellent tortas — made with chipotle-braised pork shoulder, grilled vegetables, or pulled chicken.

Motorino
Delivery Zone: East Village: From 23rd Street to Prince Street, between Ninth Avenue and Avenue C. Williamsburg: From N. 12th Street to Wallabout Street, between Kent and Union Avenues.
What to Order: Definitely get either the Cherry-stone clam pie or the one with Brussels sprouts and pancetta, even if your friends insist they want plain ol’ cheese.

Porchetta
Delivery Zone: From 20th Street to Delancey Street, between Bowery and Avenue D.
What to Order: Sara Jenkins’s Porchetta plate, with beans, cooking greens, and Porchetta meat, is pretty much the perfect meal. Throw in a side of crispy potatoes (with “burnt ends”) to take it to the next level.

Kutscher’s Tribeca
Delivery Zone: From Horatio Street to Barclay Street, between West Street and Broadway.
What to Order: Matzo-ball soup for lunch is always a good call. Plus: You can get a side of hand-cut duck-schmaltz fries!

Beyond Sushi
Delivery Zone: From E. 23rd Street to E. 4th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Avenue A.
What to Order: Vegan sushi doesn’t sound too appealing, but the Underground Gourmet promises this place is a “godsend.” The Spicy Mango roll, with black rice, avocado, mango, cucumber, spicy vegetables, and toasted cayenne sauce, is a standout.

Katz’s Delicatessen
Delivery Zone: From E. 14th Street to Reade Street, between Broadway and the East River.
What to Order: What’s better than staying in your PJs on a Sunday and eating a potato knish and pastrami sandwich? Absolutely nothing.

Burger & Barrel
Delivery Zone: From E. 8th Street to Grand Street, between Sixth Avenue and Bowery.
What to Order: The award-winning “Bash-Style” burger — with onion-and-bacon jam, pickles, American cheese, and special sauce — is delightful, of course. But don’t overlook the chickpea-based veggie burger, which has received serious praise of its own.

El Toro Blanco
Delivery Zone: From E. 8th Street to Canal Street, between Varick Street and Bowery.
What to Order: Skip the tacos and opt for a hearty entree, like the enchiladas with pulled roasted chicken, and the vegetarian empanada.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Delivery Zone: Harlem: From 110th Street to 155th Street, between 12th and Lenox Avenues. Larger orders can be delivered almost anywhere in the city.
What to Order: The “Sweetheart Deal for Two” includes a full rack of dry-rubbed, slow-pit-smoked ribs, and four homemade sides. Now that’s a perfect date night.

Fatty Crab
Delivery Zone: From 20th Street to Leroy Street, between West Street and 6th Avenue.
What to Order: Watermelon pickle with crispy pork is a Fatty specialty, and it’s a good deal for $17. Throw in a dark-chocolate Fatty Bar, made with roasted almonds, chile, and sea salt, for dessert.

Frank
Delivery Zone: From 19th Street to Grand Street, between Park Avenue South and Avenue C.
What to Order: This East Village mainstay turns out stellar homemade pastas, but on Thursdays only, you can order the lasagne verdi special. a Chrissy Teigen’s leading the cult following.

Mile End
Delivery Zone: From E. 14th Street to Canal Street, between Sixth and First Avenues.
What to Order: All-day breakfast means you can order a smoked-meat-hash plate and whitefish salad on a bialy whenever you damn please. Freedom!

Peels
Delivery Zone: From E. 10th Street to Delancey Street, between Broadway and Avenue A.
What to Order: Nobody wants to deal with the jam-packed brunch scene here, but the breakfast food is awesome. Avoid the two-hour wait and order flapjacks and shrimp and grits to your door.

Otto
Delivery Zone: From 26th Street to Broome Street, between Seventh and Third Avenues.
What to Order: Yes, the pizzas are only so-so, but the $5 vegetable sides are fantastic — and hearty enough to turn into a full meal. Even better: Order a pint of olive-oil gelato.

Schiller’s Liquor Bar
Delivery Zone: From East 14th Street to Canal Street, between Lafayette and Avenue C.
What to Order: Keith McNally offers solid moules frites and rotisserie chicken at his Lower East Side French spot, and you’ll save money by drinking your own booze at home.

Tea & Sympathy
Delivery Zone: From 30th Street to Canal Street, between the Hudson River and Broadway.
What to Order: Shepherd’s pie is going to become even more appealing once it’s snowing outside. This British eatery also offers a vegetarian version with creamy mushrooms.

Hill Country
Delivery Zone: From 42nd Street to 14th Street, between Eleventh and Second Avenues.
What to Order: For $27, the Pitmaster Combo “for one” includes a quarter pound of brisket, one pork spare rib, one beef rib, a quarter-pound chicken, and any two sides. Choose the sweet-potato-Bourbon mash and the Longhorn cheddar macaroni and cheese, and don’t share.

Sweatpants Gourmet: 24 Great Restaurants That Also Deliver