Keep calm and order in this Valentine's Day weekend, Victoria

Victoria will enter a five-day lockdown at 11.59pm on Friday night in response to the COVID-19 cluster from the Holiday Inn. Stage four restrictions will be in place until 11.59pm Wednesday, which means no visitors to the home, masks worn everywhere and restaurants returning to takeaway only service.

Restaurants and bars which were booked out for Valentine's Day and Lunar New Year celebrations this weekend are now faced with cancelling bookings and trying to deal with a surfeit of produce ordered for the events.

Victoria's hospitality community has learned to adapt to the moving target of lockdowns, and many businesses have immediately sprung into action, selling at-home celebration packages instead.

If you forgot it was Valentine's Day (it's Sunday, FYI) or usually think it's a rort, now is your chance to be a hero at home and help out restaurants in the process.

Chef Jason Staudt of Stokehouse Restaurant will be creating Valentine's Day seafood feasts using the crabs and top-shelf sashimi bought for the high trade weekend. Priority will be given to those with restaurant bookings, but there are extras available for those who want to jump on the bandwagon.

O. My restaurant in Beaconsfield and Frederic in Cremorne are likewise whipping out the boxes and hampers for the lavish Valentine's menu they had mostly prepped.

Banquets for Lunar New Year have also been thrown into disarray. With so many premium ingredients going into the celebratory feasts, restaurants are rallying to send the celebrations home.

After debating whether it was worth opening at all, Jason Lui of Flower Drum says they will be resuming hot takeaway directly through the restaurant and will also be selling through Providoor.

Lee Ho Fook will offer its yee sang prosperity salad to take home. The dish symbolises prosperity and vigour and comes adorned with raw Tasmanian ocean trout, hiramasa kingfish and baby abalone – ingredients that won't wait for a five-day lockdown to end. "We were ready for Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year ... and I don't want people people who wanted to celebrate to miss out," says chef-owner Victor Liong.

Diners should note that a 5km radius rule applies so make sure you are ordering within your zone if you need to pick it up. Can't? Many restaurants are delivering themselves or are available through sites such as Providoor, which cold-freights the dishes overnight ready to be finished at home.

You know the drill, Victoria. Stay safe, keep calm and order in.

Where to order

• Maha @ Home, Valentine's Day dessert pack, including champagne, $95. Order by 4pm for next day delivery, providoor.com.au/promo/mahago
• Embla, Valentine's Day menu available for delivery or pick up on Sunday morning. Order via embla.com.au
• Longrain, Thai Valentine's Day feast with wine or a Thai-style tiramisu, or try the vegan banquet for two. Delivery cut-off is 4pm on Saturday, providoor.com.au/promo/longrain
• Daughter In Law, Valentine's Day menu includes street food, dishes from the tandoor, a thali plate, and a sweet treat. Full menu will be available for delivery and takeaway on Saturday, with a 20 per cent discount applied for pick-up throughout the weekend. Order via carnation-grape-tsz2.squarespace.com
• Bistro Gitan, Valentine's Day hamper for two includes salmon gravlax, salt-baked beetroot, Parisienne gnocchi, crumbed orange roughy, potato gratin, roast spatchcock and dessert, $180. Available for delivery to selected suburbs, order via 03 9867 5853 or email info@bistrogitan.com.au
• Agostino, Valentine's Day set menu to finish at home includes housemade focaccia, culatello with gnocco fritto, yellowfin tuna with white asparagus and WA lobster ravioli with capers and lemon, $75pp. Includes a red rose stem. Matching wines available. Cut-off for free delivery by 4pm on Saturday, or pick-up on Sunday. agostinowine.com
• Babajan, choose from two Turkish and Middle Eastern-inspired Valentine's Day hampers. The $95 hamper includes simit, hummus, eggplant Aleppo, cheddar, salads, 12-hour lamb shoulder, borek, baklava with pistachio and rose. Or a sweet $55 hamper with Hey Tiger chocolate, hazelnut and chocolate baklava, Turkish delight and more. Delivery and takeaway available, babajan.com.au
• Rustica Sourdough, Valentine's Day breakfast or lunch for two, including delicious bakery items and trimmings, plus a bottle of rosé or prosecco. Pick up from South Yarra on Saturday and Sunday, order via 03 9804 7654.
• L'Hôtel Gitan, couples hamper includes ricotta and spinach ravioli, tuna nicoise, chicken fricassee, beef porterhouse, witlof salad and dessert, $160. Delivery on Saturday and Sunday to selected suburbs, order via 03 9999 0990 or email info@lhotelgitan.com.au