It doesn’t matter if you would give Curtis Stone a run for his money in the kitchen, or if you would find a way to burn cereal: we could all use a bit of a break sometimes and there’s no shame in ordering catering.
You can pass along the tip to your loved ones or sneakily pass it off as your own recipe, we won’t tell! The one rule is, it should be as good as — if not better than! — a homemade meal, especially during this magical time of year. Here are some of the places that pull it off best.
1. Rosalie Gourmet Market
Looking for a bit of everything, with outstanding quality? Rosalie’s Gourmet Market provides one of the widest ranges of Christmas fare out there! Besides all the usual suspects, they offer quiches, chocolates, cheese and crackers, and feasting boxes for a more laidback holiday celebration.
You can build your own perfect meal or select one of the packages, like their Ultimate Christmas Feast for 10, which will run you $330.00. You can order any and all of their goodies until December 16 on their website. They offer delivery or you can visit them in person as well!
📍164 Baroona Rd, Paddington
2. Vegan Yumm
This 100% vegan bakery has the most Santa-stic treats on the market. Their adorable cupcake, doughnut and brownie designs are almost too beautiful to eat — emphasis on almost — and they also have all the traditional Christmas desserts, like mince pies and trifle, that we know and love. It’s not all sweet though, their delectable samosas and spinach rolls will keep bellies full and smiles on faces.
You can order on their website until December 18 and pick your goodies up in-store!
📍487 S Pine Road, Everton Park
SEE MORE: Wonderfully Festive Treats You Can Enjoy This Christmas In Brisbane
3. Darvella
Tradition meets elegance at Darvella Patisserie, and with crowd-pleasers like mixed berry pavlova and baked lemon meringue pie, even the guest with the sweetest tooth will be satisfied. Throw in some classic gingerbread men and you’ve got a recipe for the most Christmassy of dessert treats! You can even order one of their custom cakes, if you want to go all out. Get it all from their website.
📍Shop 1/37 Oxford St, Bulimba
4. Dalton
There snow way you’ll be left hungry with Dalton’s Christmas feast options. Deliciously fresh prawns, mouth-watering mains like smoked ham and stuffed turkey and a decadent Italian dark chocolate Christmas pudding await you on their website. The smaller of their banquets, which includes only the main course, and feeds 10-15 people, will cost you $799.00. Being the host with the most is priceless.
📍B1/247 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley
5. Jocelyn’s Provisions
With a truly long list of delicious Mediterranean specialties and baked goods on offer and a Complete Catering Package — including glazed ham, potato salad, spinach, pea and ricotta tart, Mediterranean vegetable, olive and goats curd tart and more — for $679.00, Jocelyn’s Provisions will indeed provide. Go to their website and stock up for the holidays or, with enough leftovers, hibernation!
📍Various locations
6. Shingle Inn City Hall
Serving desserts as gorgeous to the sight as they are to your taste buds, Shingle Inn has all the goodies you would expect, all of them festive! Get your guests a Christmas pudding or red velvet cake or, even better, make dessert into an activity with one of their Decorate-Your-Own-Gingerbread packs. See your options on their website!
📍Hall King George Square, 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane CBD
7. Tognini
There’s nothing better than a fresh, crisp salad in the summer and that is Tognini’s specialty. Whether you’re looking to go light with their beetroot, feta and wild rice salad, something more carb-heavy like potato salad, or get the main course taken care of with ham or turkey, they have what you need. Order from their website until December 20.
📍Milton Village Shopping Centre, 12/36 Baroona Rd, Milton
8. Gathar
Designed to take all the work out of hosting, Gathar’s A Very Festive Feast is a 3-course dinner that’ll bring everyone together. For a minimum of 6 people, you can choose from an array of mouth-watering dishes, like oozy baked brie, prawn cocktail, roasted turkey roulade, and marmalade-glazed ham, as well as sides and dessert. You can even add matching wines and truly make a night of it! See the details here.