It might seem frivolous to think about the aesthetics of the takeout you’re ordering when we’re in the middle of the biggest economic and public health crisis many of us have ever seen. But, the truth is, we need to take our small joys where we can find them. Even as we shelter in place, birthdays and anniversaries are being celebrated, high school and university students are graduating, and all manner of other occasions when people might normally go out for a special meal are passing, day by day.
The good news is that this is a time of unprecedented creativity in the realm of takeout and delivery. So many San Francisco restaurants are offering delicious and — perhaps just as important if you’re trying to make a meal feel extra special — beautiful takeout offerings, from Japanese bento boxes to celebration-worthy cakes, portioned down to a more reasonable size for these times. Here are 12 of the city’s prettiest takeout options.
Chirashi bowl from Ju-Ni
Is there a single more indulgent takeout item you can buy right now than a chirashi bowl from your favorite omakase joint? These days, it seems like every sushi spot is selling these bowls, but NoPa’s Ju-Ni, with its Michelin pedigree, might have the most vibrantly colorful and attractive version in town — a modest $39 splurge, with an optional uni add-on, available for pickup or delivery by ordering online.
Katsu curry bento from Rintaro
Few chefs in San Francisco have more experience putting together delicious, aesthetically pleasing boxes of takeout than Rintaro’s Sylvan Mishima Brackett, who ran a lunchtime bento business for years before he opened his Mission District izakaya. During the pandemic, the restaurant has been offering a wide a variety of bento each day, but you can’t go wrong with whatever version of katsu (panko-fried pork or chicken) you’d like — say, the katsu curry bento ($30) pictured above. You can order online here.
Quarantine cakes from Butter&
Very early on during the region-wide shelter in place, the Dogpatch-based custom cake shop Butter&, known for its modern, buttercream-frosted special-occasion cakes, pivoted to selling mostly what it calls “quarantine cakes” ($50–$95) — miniature layer cakes, just five inches in diameter and sized to serve two to four people. They’re perfect for the smaller, more intimate celebrations folks are having while cooped up at home. They’re available in six different versions, including the salted caramel and chocolate flavor pictured above. Order online for pickup or delivery.
“Little Lao” set from Farmhouse Kitchen Thai
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai’s “Little Lao” set will run you $59.99, but it comes with a lot of food: Hat Yai, fried chicken, a Penang short rib, papaya salad, pad Thai, blue rice, and loads more — all arranged, gorgeously colorful and Instagram-ready, in a big aluminum takeout tray. There’s also a vegetarian version available. Either set comes with a free kids meal and a couple of Singha beers (or Thai iced teas), and they’re available for pickup and delivery from the restaurant’s Mission location, and also from either of its Oakland sister locations.
Washoku bento box from Restaurant Nisei
The brainchild of a couple of Californios vets, this year-old pop-up was meant to open as a stand-alone restaurant this summer. COVID-19 threw a wrench in those plans, so for now Restaurant Nisei is operating as a takeout operation, offering $38 bento boxes three days a week through the Mister Jiu’s Ho Ho general store in Chinatown. The specialty here is washoku style food — often described as Japanese home cooking — with individual bento items like salmon tataki, mushroom suimono soup, and an assortment of braised, charred, and pickled vegetables. Order online for pickup or delivery.
Chartreuse slushy and charcuterie from the Morris
The Mission District wine lover’s paradise has been doing curbside pickup on a decent chunk of its menu since the start of the shelter in place, and many of the options are notably photo-friendly — say, its Chartreuse slushies ($11), which come in a mason jar, or its celebration-worthy “full monty” charcuterie spread ($65). Email your order to info@themorris-sf.com at least two hours before your desired pickup time (Tuesday through Saturday, 5–9 p.m.).
“Torima” yakitori bento from Hina Yakitori
Hina Yakitori, the Divisadero yakitori omakase hot spot, has transitioned — for at least the short-term future — to selling these handsome Torima grilled chicken skewer bento boxes ($25), which are available for both takeout and in-house delivery. Each box contains a nice mix of binchotan-grilled greatest hits: thigh, the negima (thigh-and-scallion), the wing, the tsukune meatball — plus grilled mini tomatoes, pickles, and ground chicken over rice. Order online.
Mini cupcakes from Black Jet Baking Co.
Even during a pandemic, kids (and grown ups!) are still celebrating birthdays, even if it’s just at home with their families. What better way to put a smile on your dear one’s face than with some of Black Jet’s adorable mini cupcakes, which come five to a box ($7.50) but can easily be gobbled up by the dozen. Pre-order online for Saturday pickups.
The “Birdbox” from Birdsong
Birdsong, the Michelin-starred fine dining spot in SoMa, is selling a “Birdbox” ($35), which comes with a big hunk of fried chicken (claw and all!), hot sauce, Peruvian-style purple cornbread, and a chocolate chip cookie. Is it “pretty”? That depends on your definition, of course, but there’s no question it’s one of the most striking-looking takeout options around. Order online for pickup, or get delivery via Caviar.
Inari sushi from YUBU by the Shota
The Shota, the buzzy FiDi omakase newcomer, is now operating as a new takeout operation called YUBU by the Shota focused on variations on two items: donburi (rice bowls) and inari sushi, in which the sushi rice and toppings come tucked, adorably, into little tofu pockets. The latter come in at least 11 different, stunning-to-look-at varieties ($5–$11 each), from your standard fatty bluefin tuna to forward-thinking veg options like a broccoli rabe number. Order by text (628-224-2074), Instagram DM, or, for delivery, via Caviar.
Sushi bento from Oma San Francisco Station
Sure, everyone’s doing chirashi bowls now, but if you want something closer to a traditional omakase experience, you could do a lot worse than this sushi bento from Oma San Francisco Station in the Japantown Center mall: $65.10 for 10 nigiri, plus five pieces of tuna-and-pickled-radish oshizushi (pressed sushi). Pre-order for pickup via the restaurant’s website.
Pies in a Jar from Revenge Pies
Leave it to Revenge Pies’ Elizabeth Simon to figure out how to make pie by the slice (or at least the individual portion) a viable — and photo-friendly — for takeout and delivery. She’s just launched a new line of pies in a jar and “pies de crème” (both $9.95; the only difference is whether the crust comes on the top or bottom). Try the new portable version of the “Death Star,” Simon’s popular take on a chocolate blackout pie, which comes, like all of these six-ounce jarred wonders, with a crumbled version of the bakery’s signature all-butter, all-vodka crust. Order online through the website of the Polk Street cocktail bar Macondray, and pick your pie up there — delivery, through the same online portal, is coming soon.