Deliverance: Getting the food you want without venturing beyond your front door.

OK, sure, soups and stews are great, but at this point can we just be honest and say they’re getting a bit old? When the first whispers of winter rolled in this fall, many of us wrapped up in our coziest clothing and revelled in the opportunity to slow-cook the hell out of fall vegetables and get some much-needed hearty food into our systems. But the preserving and pickling parties have come to an end. Holiday dinners are in the rearview and the kind of cuisine that comes so easily at the beginning of the season is going stale. It’s time to venture into different realms, to pull from faraway dinner tables and sample something different: Thai, Indian, Mexican, Japanese—whatever it takes to get some distance from the Dutch oven for a minute.

The thing is, though, the weather still sucks. And before the arguments about how great the winters are here begin (I know all about them having spent my childhood in Manitoba), can it just be said that it is nonetheless cold and dark and the idea of going out of the house to get something to eat isn’t as appealing as it is in summer? Truth is that despite the winter food fatigue, my inclination is still to lock myself indoors at this time of year, especially around dinnertime. Once inside, it’s very unlikely I’m heading back out.

And therein lies the problem: how does one access the great range of international food options in the city without venturing outdoors?

KNOCK, KNOCK

Victoria has never been a city famous for food delivery. It’s almost a surprise when restaurants deliver, other than pizza or Chinese. But things are changing. In the past number of years, more options have popped up—start-ups and independent services looking to get food to you through a simple phone call, text or online order so you can stay at home and nurture your inner hermit.

The services range in style and approach, everything from daily and weekly food boxes with all ingredients required to make complete meals to delivery companies that will pick up absolutely anything you want (so long as it’s legal) and bring it to your front door. The best one? Well, that depends on your requirements and willingness to part with your money. For some people, the luxury of not venturing beyond the threshold of home is worth every extra penny. For others, the idea is ludicrous. But even for those who don’t want to pay to play, there are options.

ON DEMAND DELIVERY
Getting what you want when you want it-ish. Until we can conjure up food with the wave of a wand, there is always going to be a bit of a wait, but these services are doing their best to get food to you as quick as possible. Most of these services deliver to the Greater Victoria Region, with a few exceptions that will go as far as Sidney (best to look on the websites to see). Expect to wait at least 45 minutes though, which isn’t really much to ask if it means not putting on pants.

Accio

Accio is probably the most dynamic home delivery option in the city. They will bring you anything, food or otherwise. Want batteries, a six-pack and some nachos (another wild Friday night)? They’ll get it for you. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, Accio delivers to your door with a 10 to 15 percent surcharge on the cost of whatever you order, depending on the deal they’ve struck with individual shops. They also charge a “variable service fee” which is tied to the distance of delivery and number of stops (I ordered food from downtown to be delivered to a location near downtown and it was $7.94 for delivery). The good news is that the prices include the tip too, so you won’t get stung that way when they arrive. The biggest downside? They won’t deliver an Americano and breakfast breakfast bagel with bacon at 7 a.m.

Order online and browse their featured shops at www.myaccio.com or order via text at 250-800-2680.

Dine In

You’ve probably seen the Dine In cars around town, zipping toward hungry hermits with hot food from different locations. A longtime Victoria service, these guys work with a selection of restaurants, mostly in the sushi, Indian, Thai realms, although not limited to it. They’ll do “most” deliveries for $4.95, making them a pretty decent option if you want food to your door but don’t want to pay a premium.

Visit www.dineinvictoria.com to view their full list of restaurants and place your order at 250-361-DINE (3463).

Just Eat

Something of a newcomer to the food delivery scene, Just Eat is a service available across Canada, serving most major cities (no, you can’t have food delivered to Victoria from Toronto). What makes this option unique is that there are no charges for delivery, other than a tip for the driver should you want to. They secure relationships with the restaurants who offer them a discount, but they charge you regular price. The savings is how they make their money. The only challenge is that it is still a very limited, with only seven sushi and Chinese restaurants on the list for now. That said, it’s a pretty great option if your favourite restaurant is working with them.

Visit www.just-eat.ca to see what’s on offer and to set up an account.

MEAL KITS

Perfect if you feel like taking at least some of the responsibility. Meal kits are a growing and going concern, with different services popping up all over North America. This approach does require some preparation and planning on your part, but it can help you avoid grocery store madness. You simply go online, choose your meals and they will deliver all the ingredients to your doorstep. All you’re required to do is reach out and bring it inside, then cook it up (they come with recipes).

Chefs Plate

This service is great for anyone who gets stumped by the question, what’s for dinner? You can choose between a two-person plan or family plan, each with options for two, three of four recipes per week. You go online and select your meals, which are put together with ingredients from local suppliers and farms, then delivered at the beginning of the following week. The variety is great, everything from pan-seared steak with creamed spinach to cornmeal-crusted chicken and chickpea ragout. It’s a changing menu, but the idea is they deliver everything you need for the meal, save the olive oil and salt and pepper, in a refrigerated box on your doorstep (in case you aren’t home). Then you just whip it up and get eating. It’s all seasonal and there are vegetarian options. Prices range between $9.75 and $10.95 per serving.

Find out what’s for dinner at www.chefsplate.com.

Local Urban Bites

A Victoria start-up serving the CRD and Sidney, this meal kit plan has two-person, family and school lunch plans. Everything is sourced locally and delivered on a Sunday between 3:30pm and 6:00pm (although there may be some wiggle room there). Started by two local twenty-somethings who go by Alyssa and Corey, this plan has a great range of recipes, from cheese ravioli and garlic toast to vegan Thai red curry (it’s an evolving and changing menu). Get your orders in by midnight on Wednesday to get in on the following week. Prices range from $8.50 to $10.50 per serving, depending on your plan, and are farm fresh.

To get started, visit www.localurbanbites.com.

THRIFTY FOODS

Yes, that Thrifty’s. Often overlooked (and not quite a meal kit) the delivery services from Thrifty’s are actually pretty great. The order platform is super-easy to navigate and lets you save previous shopping lists to make it quicker. With a minimum order of $50, you can choose a time slot to have a box (or boxes) of groceries dropped at your door. Anything and everything that is in-store is available, plus they have shrewd shoppers who will ensure you’re not getting ditched with the bruised bananas.

Visit www.thriftyfoods.com/shop-now to set up an account and get shopping.

— By Adrien Sala