10 hot Melbourne takeaway menus to try this weekend from Aru to Mr Miyagi

Aru & Ansari (Melbourne)

One of Melbourne's hottest restaurant openings of 2021, Aru, is now coming to you. For its first takeaway menu, the team are offering hit dishes such as roasted dry-aged duck, skewers of grilled wagyu tongue and forbidden rice sourdough, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. And Aru chef Nabil Ansari, who became a takeaway treasure of 2020, has revived his menus, with Keralan fish curry, naan stuffed with lamb mince and palak paneer starring this week. Can't decide which to order? Split it with a friend in your 5km.

Available Friday and Saturday for local pick-up or delivery within 10km of CBD for $20. Order online by 7pm the day before.

Bia Hoi (Glen Waverley)

Blast out those cobwebs with a fresh and vibrant feast from Bia Hoi. Pork sausages amped up by fish sauce and garlic are ready for wrapping in fresh leaves, green mango salad is itching to hang out with lemongrass chicken, and there's a pumpkin, kohlrabi and pork soup to keep you toasty. The menu can be ordered for one person or two, and you can even throw in Jerry Mai's book, Street Food: Vietnam, to keep the good times rolling in your kitchen.

Available Friday and Saturday for local pick-up from Glen Waverley or delivery to western suburbs and Bayside (Friday) and Mornington Peninsula and northern suburbs (Saturday). Visit Bia Hoi's website for delivery details and to order.

Hazel (Melbourne)

Go on a jaunt through Provence this weekend, starting with gougeres and ending with blood orange creme brulee. Yep, spring is definitely in the air and the Hazel team are celebrating, serving potato, fennel and leek galette, globe artichokes cooked in white wine, and bouillabaisse with saffron rouille (pictured above). A full vegetarian menu is available, along with wine and cocktails. We recommend adding a strawberry negroni for extra pep in your step.

Available Friday and Saturday for local pick-up or delivery within 10km of CBD. Email Hazel or message via Instagram to place your order before 9pm the night before.

James (South Melbourne)

One of the many venues that has seen more takeaway boxes than customer's faces, James is a smartly dressed wine bar just off Clarendon Street that's pulling no punches with its at-home menus. You'll start with a round of small snacks, perhaps tiny pork-filled doughnuts and charred cucumbers, followed by some heavy-hitting dishes crying out for great wine. Think roasted short-rib with burnt carrots and whipped feta, with a creative take on cheesecake for sweets. Pescatarian options also available.

Available Tuesday to Saturday for local pick-up or delivery within 10km of CBD. Order via direct message on Instagram

Lulu's Char Kway Teow (Melbourne)

You know what you're here for: those smoky, smoky noodles that, pre-lockdown, were bringing queues to Hardware Lane. The namesake dish is the winner, given excellent char and studded with small cubes of fried pork fat just like the ones you'd find in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. There are also curry noodle soups to chase end-of-winter chills, the tomato-spiked broth of jawa mee, and char mee, a close cousin of char kway teow that uses egg noodles instead of the flat rice ones.

Available daily for local pick-up or delivery to select suburbs. Order via Doodel or check Instagram for details.

Many Little (Red Hill)

The stupendously good Sri Lankan that Many Little began serving during 2020's long lockdown has stuck around, becoming a permanent fixture on the dine-in menu. While the Red Hill restaurant is in takeaway mode, that means lucky locals get to enjoy string hopper kottu tossed with egg, vegetables and beef or lamb. Or just go straight for the curries, ranging from the spicy jaffna-based chicken curry to a mild coconut and cashew vegetarian option. Bonus: most curries are also available in pouches to heat-and-eat.

Available Thursday to Sunday for local pick-up or delivery to select suburbs (pre-orders essential). See suburb lists and order via Many Little

Mr Miyagi's One Night Stand (various locations)

Windsor's Mr Miyagi is bringing the good times to different corners of Melbourne each weekend, popping up at local venues from Eltham to Beaumaris for local takeaway collection. This weekend, it's Hawthorn's turn. Mr Miyagi handles dinner, six courses of its modern Asian favourites such as salmon nori tacos and mushroom bao, while cafe pick-up point Rumour Has It is on dessert duty with an apple crumble wagon wheel creation. Two-litre casks of Miyagi signature cocktails and magnums of Moet & Chandon can also be added. Why not?

Available 26 & 27 August for pick-up from Rumour Has It, 2 Monteath Avenue, Hawthorn East. Order online. For regular Mr Miyagi takeaway, order here.

Public Wine Shop (Fitzroy North)

Weekend looking a bit dull? Make a quick visit to Public Wine Shop and your Saturday night will soon be in better shape. Along with the overwhelmingly great range of wine selected by importer and sommelier Campbell Burton, the team have just added take-home meals. Think greens and cheese pie, bouillabaisse and Lyon's comforting veal stew, blanquette de veau. The selection changes regularly which means you'll be coming back, trust us.

Meals available in-store, 179 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North. Open noon-8pm daily.

Va Penne (Northcote)

Sail away to the Italian coastline of your dreams with bowls of pasta and perfect pizza from this northside newcomer. Spaghetti vongole, big rounds of artichoke- and olive-topped pizza, and stretchy burrata with bright salsa verde are just what the doctor ordered. Throw in a bottle of something fresh and Italian and, hey, maybe even a T-shirt printed with the restaurant's signature hand gesture that means whatever you want it to mean, depending on your mood: bellissimo, what do you want or get outta here.

Available Tuesday to Saturday for pick-up or local delivery. Order online via Va Penne.