Dough Pizza Co.’s New York-style-crust pizza is one of the options you can order for contactless curbside pickup.’
Writer: Wini Moranville
As the temps go lower and COVID-19 cases go higher, I know I’ll appreciate curbside pickup more than ever. But to be honest, I’ve occasionally experienced some hiccups, especially when ordering via phone. That’s understandable—I can only imagine what a disruption it can be for multitasking skeleton crews to take phone orders (including cumbersome credit card info) and deliver the food outdoors while also serving dining-in patrons. It can’t be easy.
Nevertheless, some restaurants have smoothed it over. A few of my most successful forays are listed below; I also leaned on dsm dining contributor Karla Walsh to fill out the list.
The Gold Standard: Order and pay online, pick up curbside. The most convenient, hassle-free way to get food from a restaurant is to order and pay online, specify the time you’d like to pick up the order and pick it up curbside. These spots let you do just that. And you can stop clicking around—links go directly to each venue’s ordering page.
Lucky Lotus: This Southeast Asian venue recently unveiled a new menu. While my personal favorite dish has vanished, Karla Walsh recommends the recently unveiled Laap Salad and Bing-Bing Wrap—the menu gives details on these great-sounding dishes.
Table 128: Consider this spot for a special-night splurge (e.g., beef tenderloin or lamb shanks). Or not—I’ve enjoyed the fabulous Brussels sprout salad with salmon as a casual, any-night entree.
Dough Co Pizza: Karla Walsh particularly applauds the Big Mo Cason barbecue pizza at this relatively new Drake-area venue. “The quality chicken and roasted corn really elevate the typical barbecue chicken pie,” she says. She’s also a fan of the hand-tossed New York crust: “the perfect chew—not too thin, not too thick—just right.”
Basic Bird: I’ve discovered two developments since I wrote last spring’s article on the Korean-fried chicken by way of Harbinger’s kitchen: You can order online and you can order more than chicken, including sticky ribs, dumplings, vegetarian options and steamed buns.
The Next Best Thing: Order and pay via phone, pick up curbside. We’ve had glitch-free experiences at these places. Links take you right to the menus.
As the temps go lower and COVID-19 cases go higher, I know I’ll appreciate curbside pickup more than ever. But to be honest, I’ve occasionally experienced some hiccups, especially when ordering via phone. That’s understandable—I can only imagine what a disruption it can be for multitasking skeleton crews to take phone orders (including cumbersome credit card info) and deliver the food outdoors while also serving dining-in patrons. It can’t be easy.
Nevertheless, some restaurants have smoothed it over. A few of my most successful forays are listed below; I also leaned on dsm dining contributor Karla Walsh to fill out the list.
The Gold Standard: Order and pay online, pick up curbside. The most convenient, hassle-free way to get food from a restaurant is to order and pay online, specify the time you’d like to pick up the order and pick it up curbside. These spots let you do just that. And you can stop clicking around—links go directly to each venue’s ordering page.
Lucky Lotus: This Southeast Asian venue recently unveiled a new menu. While my personal favorite dish has vanished, Karla Walsh recommends the recently unveiled Laap Salad and Bing-Bing Wrap—the menu gives details on these great-sounding dishes.
Table 128: Consider this spot for a special-night splurge (e.g., beef tenderloin or lamb shanks). Or not—I’ve enjoyed the fabulous Brussels sprout salad with salmon as a casual, any-night entree.
Dough Co Pizza: Karla Walsh particularly applauds the Big Mo Cason barbecue pizza at this relatively new Drake-area venue. “The quality chicken and roasted corn really elevate the typical barbecue chicken pie,” she says. She’s also a fan of the hand-tossed New York crust: “the perfect chew—not too thin, not too thick—just right.”
Basic Bird: I’ve discovered two developments since I wrote last spring’s article on the Korean-fried chicken by way of Harbinger’s kitchen: You can order online and you can order more than chicken, including sticky ribs, dumplings, vegetarian options and steamed buns.
The Next Best Thing: Order and pay via phone, pick up curbside. We’ve had glitch-free experiences at these places. Links take you right to the menus.
Alba: The current menu features upscale cold-weather comfort picks like osso buco and New York strip steak beef stroganoff. Phone-in ordering and curbside service have been exceptionally on the mark.
Cheese Bar: No reason to let winter get you down! Not when you can enjoy fondue or raclette—two of the world’s best-melted cheese dishes—for a cozy fireside dinner at home. Creative cocktails to go will also brighten a dark, cold night.
Eatery A: General Manager Jared Hess says online ordering is on the horizon; for now phone-in/curbside pickup has worked just great. Personal favorites on the menu include the skewers (both the lamb and the chorizo always make me happy) as well as the No. 7 pizza (merguez, red pepper, crispy shallots). This is a place to splurge for dessert—the salted caramel budino slays me every time.
Aposto: Karla says, “You can’t go wrong with the polenta, mussels or any of the handmade pastas. And of course, you must order whatever cake is on the menu—dessert is pretty mandatory with any Aposto visit.”
Cheese Bar: No reason to let winter get you down! Not when you can enjoy fondue or raclette—two of the world’s best-melted cheese dishes—for a cozy fireside dinner at home. Creative cocktails to go will also brighten a dark, cold night.
Eatery A: General Manager Jared Hess says online ordering is on the horizon; for now phone-in/curbside pickup has worked just great. Personal favorites on the menu include the skewers (both the lamb and the chorizo always make me happy) as well as the No. 7 pizza (merguez, red pepper, crispy shallots). This is a place to splurge for dessert—the salted caramel budino slays me every time.
Aposto: Karla says, “You can’t go wrong with the polenta, mussels or any of the handmade pastas. And of course, you must order whatever cake is on the menu—dessert is pretty mandatory with any Aposto visit.”
