11 of Melbourne's best healthy-ish takeaway options

The baking bonanza is over. Lasagne's had its 15 minutes (or is that 15 months?) of fame. And pasta-making is looking a bit passe. It's time for a reset on your lockdown lifestyle. But you don't have to go it alone. Before you start cursing meal prep, take a look at the healthy-ish options out there in the land of takeaway.

BIO by D.O.C

Say hello to Italian flavour and goodbye to any lockdown lethargy with the vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free cooking that BIO by D.O.C champions. The plant-loving sibling of the D.O.C empire can bring ricotta and spinach gnudi, caponata, charcoal spaghetti with grilled vegetable ragu and more to your door. Go with a banquet (from $115) or pick and mix your favourites.

Available Wed-Sun for delivery across Melbourne and select regional locations. Order via Providoor

The Left Handed Chef

Crunchy salads, generous handfuls of herbs and good-for-you grains and lentils are the MO at this Israeli street-food spot in South Melbourne. The Moroccan feast sounds heavy but isn't. It's anchored by chraime, fish that's simmered in a spicy tomato sauce, and paired with stuffed vine leaves and other bright bites. Alternatively, go for one of the salad or veg-topped hummus bowls with pita, add some falafels for crunch and then tear, dip, swipe and wrap your way to feel-good satisfaction.

Available Wed-Sun for local pick-up from South Melbourne or delivery to select suburbs. Order from lhceatery.com

Dodee Paidang

This Thai spot is better known for scorchingly spicy soups but dig deeper and you'll find a whole line-up of light and fresh items. Som tum (green papaya salad) comes 10 ways, there are vibrant stir-fries that you can load up with vegies, and salads range from grilled pork with toasted rice and herbs to vermicelli.

Available daily for local pick-up from the CBD or delivery to a wide range of suburbs. Order from dodeepaidang.com

Tamura Sake Bar

It doesn't get much fresher than a bowl of sashimi on rice. This little Fitzroy bar and record shop can sort you out with that and more. Love agedashi tofu? Craving grilled salmon or miso eggplant on rice? Or maybe you're seeking out vegetarian ramen. Order some vinyl and sake online if you want to recreate the full Tamura experience at home.

Available Thu-Sun for local pick-up from Fitzroy or delivery within 10km. View menu at tamurasakebar.com and place order by phone 03 9417 1992 or SMS 0488 210 011.

Make Out Meals

Technically, this isn't so much a takeaway as a meal kit. But you get to eat restaurant-quality food that isn't a calorie party and doesn't take hours to prepare. Recreate Uncle's sang choy bao, harissa salmon from Babajan and, from next week, Mamasita's pan-fried fish tacos, with a leg-up from some prepped ingredients and an on-demand chat service if you hit a roadbump while cooking. Each week, nine different recipes are released. Choose two, three or four meals and wait for your box of goodness to arrive. makeoutmeals.com.au

Make Out Meals delivers meal kits with recipes from restaurants, including Mamasita's fish tacos.

Transformer

This Fitzroy restaurant has always been associated with plant-based fancy times. While in lockdown, that means seven-course menus that will feel like a treat and not an attack on your waistline. The fun might start with truffled panisse with macadamia and nutritional yeast then move to heirloom beets and radishes with almond cream or a side of quinoa, spinach, mandarin and chermoula. Kids are looked after with plant-based burgers and the full bar is available, too.

Available Fri-Sat for local pick-up from Fitzroy or delivery within 10km. Order from transformerfitzroy.com.

Ipoh Parade

This tiny Malaysian spot can be whatever you need it to be. Sure, it satisfies any cravings for a full-bodied laksa, but light and bright can be found, too. Try wonton soup, tom yum or Malaysia's answer to chicken noodle soup, hor fun, or get your greens with stir-fried kangkong (water spinach) given pep with sambal. There are plenty of other healthy-ish choices scattered through the menu. This one is for Armadale locals only, though.

Available daily for lunch and dinner for local pick-up from Armadale. Order from ipohparade.com.au.

D&K Asian Grocery

Here's some lockdown excitement. This westside favourite is bringing food from the other side of the Maribyrnong to its shelves each week. We're talking bento boxes from Collingwood's Wabi Sabi Salon and Neko Neko in Fitzroy and gorgeous sushi boxes from Takeshi Murakami, head chef at The Langham in Melbourne. Hainanese chicken rice from local outfit Chicky Bowl has been spotted too. Each week the guest restaurants change so keep an eye on D&K's Instagram for the latest.

Pick-up only from 17 Byron Street, Footscray

Vermicelli noodles

Bun thit nuong, that refreshing mix of cold noodles, shredded lettuce, pickled vegetables and nuoc cham dressing, is a surefire way to hit reset on lockdown indulging. Almost every Vietnamese restaurant in Melbourne offers these vermicelli noodle bowls, topped with grilled meat or spring rolls, so pick your favourite local spot. If you're close to Windsor, try Good Nights, which only uses free-range chicken and pork. Northsiders will be happy there's a sister restaurant, Good Days, in Brunswick. For Hanoi's regional take on the dish, bun cha, involving pork patties, broth and pork belly, seek out Co Thu Quan in Footscray, Richmond or Springvale or Bun Cha Co Dao in Footscray.

See menus and hours online for Good Nights, Good Days, Co Thu Quan and Bun Cha Co Dao.

Tahina

Who needs meat? The layered and vibrant flavours of Tahina's salads, pitas and roasted vegetable dishes are an excellent advertisement for eating more plants. Create your own winning line-up of salads from the likes of roasted eggplant, kale and zaatar or quinoa, dukkah chickpeas and sweet potato. Or opt for a meal in a fluffy pita: there's chilli-flecked falafel with pickled cabbage and hummus, fried cauli with leek and parsley or the hearty Iraqi-Jewish favourite of sabich: eggplant, boiled egg and potato.

Available daily for local pick-up from Northcote or Fitzroy or local delivery. Order from tahinabar.com.

Hunky Dory

OK, so there is a level of restraint required when ordering from a fish and chip shop, but we believe in you. Hunky Dory takes grilled fish seriously, dusting it with chermoula or keeping it simple with salt and pepper, and serving it with rice and fresh sides such as Greek salad or coleslaw. You can also ditch the fish in favour of a veg-loaded chicken and cauliflower bowl. Options!

13 locations across Melbourne. Order from hunkydory.com.au.