It’s no secret that times are currently hard for everyone due to the Covid-19 outbreak. And the F&B industry, which is extremely competitive even during peaceful times, is one of the hardest-hit. Where customers usually flock to hip, semi-casual eateries for a gourmet dine-in meal, these restaurants are now offering delivery or takeaway meals to circumvent safe distancing measures.

The good thing is, these meals are also priced lower than a regular dine-in meal at the eateries (for instance, a Brisket Burger from American smokehouse Meatsmith costs $10 if you tapow it from the restaurant, compared to the usual $16 you’d have to pay if you dine in). So if you want to splurge a little to treat yourself for special occasions despite the current austere situation, or simply want to support our local F&B scene and keep them going through this tough period, read on for our list of restaurants with good tapow lobangs.

It’s usually near-impossible to get a seat at this open-concept mod barbecue restaurant (no. 5 on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list), but you can now try its menu via an islandwide delivery service. There are 10 types of value-for-money set meals that feed two to 10 pax, with prices starting from $54 for a Meal for 2 - A set that comes with two Burnt Ends Sangers (the house’s signature pulled pork shoulder sandwich with brioche buns, $22 a la carte), a Butterhead Salad and a slice of Berry Tart. You can also order from an a la carte menu items like 5-pc Jamaican Chicken Wings ($17).

Order at www.burntendstakeaway.oddle.me or via Deliveroo.

What we reckon is Singapore’s best beef burger courtesy of hip American-style barbecue joint Meat Smith is now available for island-wide delivery via online platform Oddle. Sweet — no more jostling with white-collared cubicle rats working in the area. Meatsmith’s cheeseburger ($18 for delivery) is unlike any other in town because its double patties are made not from regular minced beef, but intensely flavourful, unctuous smoked brisket that somehow retains most of its juices even when it’s not cooked to medium-rare. These are draped with oozy American cheese then sandwiched between fab, pillowy house-baked potato buns. We ordered this via delivery and were impressed that the patties remained fairly succulent and the buns were still soft yet not soggy. If you don’t mind going down to Telok Ayer — these takeout cheeseburgers (plus Fried Chicken Sandwich) are going at just $10 each if you self-pickup. Of course, Meatsmith’s signature barbecued meats are also available for delivery, like the 14-hour Smoked Brisket ($35 for 200g, served with zesty coleslaw). But we say just stick to the cheeseburger — it fares surprisingly well even after all that travelling time.

Order at www.meatsmithsingapore.oddle.me or via Foodpanda and Deliveroo.

The spicy, exotic cousin of the American 'cue flagship eatery. We love the creative modern Indian-American barbecue plates like the Suckling Pig Biryani ($58 for two pax via Oddle delivery): smoky pork topped with crackly skin, served with perfumey basmati rice and a really addictive “Madras mustard” (a tangy tomato-based curry lah). Now, you can enjoy this in the comfort (and safety) of home. The pork is first brined overnight, placed in the smoker for three hours, then finished on a grill. There’s a more affordable rendition of the dish: the new Crab & Tobiko Biryani ($18) featuring flaked crustacean and crunchy flying fish roe. Or get a simple but delish Hot Chicken Kebab ($16) plus some zingy Green Mango Slaw ($6) with pickled papaya, green chilli, coriander and crunchy cashew nuts.

Order at www.meatsmithsingapore.oddle.me or via Foodpanda and Deliveroo.

One-Michelin-starred Labyrinth’s chef-owner Han Li Guang had planned to launch a casual eatery this year, though he has since changed plans due to Covid-19. Instead, starting from April 14, he’s offering a tingkat-style “classic Singaporean food” delivery concept called Miss Vanda, which is named after Singapore’s national orchid. How it works: the food is served in a set of four dishes, which feeds two to four pax ($58 and $98 respectively). On the menu are Labyrinth’s gourmet yet homely family recipe signatures like Ang Moh Chicken Rice, Deboned Har Jeong Gai, Buah Keluak Wagyu Beef Rendang and Laksa with local mussels, local prawn broth, grilled Argentinian prawns and crab meat herh keow. You can also add on a la carte items like rice and onsen eggs, and housemade Kombucha made with local herbs and fruits. The menu changes every fortnight, and chef Li Guang is planning to introduce more local favourites like chilli crab and Hokkien mee.

Available from April 14 for delivery islandwide and self pick-up, Tuesday to Sunday. Food ordering starts from 10am to 2.30pm (delivery starts from 12pm). Call 6223-4098 or e-mail reservations [at] labyrinth.com.sg (reservations[at]labyrinth[dot]com[dot]sg) to order. www.labyrinth.com.sg.

One-Michelin-starred Korean restaurant Meta is serving a self pick-up set meal ($45) with gourmet Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles with beef and veggies), Cabbage Chawanmushi, Kimchi Soup, Potato Mayo Salad, Rice and the viral Dalgona Coffee. Perfect to munch on while bingeing on Crash Landing on You.

Available from now till Apr 3, 11am-4pm. Call 65130898 to order. Self pick-up at 1 Keong Saik Road, S089108. Full menu here.

You can now do self pick-up ordering at popular mod Australian bistro Cheek — we have tried and loved its luxe Fish & Chips ($36) with deep-fried red snapper and tangy green peas, buttery Duck & Waffle with Spiced Caramel & Cucumber ($38) and Waffle with Chicken Liver or Ricotta ($9). Worth the splurge if you’re saving your coins for a memorable meal.

Call 62211911 to order. Self pick-up at 21 Boon Tat Street, S069620. Full menu here.

If you can’t go out now to enjoy The Coconut Club’s thoroughly satisfying nasi lemak with hand-squeezed coconut milk rice, let it come to you instead. The restaurant is now offering islandwide delivery for its nasi lemak plates, starting from $5.60 for a Kosong Set with a fried egg, ikan bilis, peanuts, cucumbers and sambal chilli. There are also heartier picks available, like a Chicken Leg Set ($16.30) with fried chicken thigh meat and Otak-Otak Set ($14.50, preordering required), plus sides like Ayam Goreng Berempah ($12.10) and Satay Kulit Ayam ($11 for six). A minimum order of $60 applies.

Order at www.thecoconutclub.oddle.me.

This may be the only time you can dine on food from the one-Michelin-starred Alma by Juan Amador for $29+ per pax. The restaurant recently launched a special takeaway lunchbox set ($29+) that’s available from Tuesdays to Thursdays. Only 50 sets are available per day, and the lunchbox’s contents vary from day to day: on Tuesday, you get an Angus Beef Burger, and a Country Sourdough Sandwich on Wednesday. Thursdays are for the Rye Sourdough Reuben Sandwich. Each lunch box comes with a side of chips and a salad, and the buns and bread used for the burger and sarnies are from the artisanal Woodlands Sourdough Bakery. For every order, 10 per cent of the revenue will be donated to the National University Hospital (other than helping the battle against Covid-19, the hospital had also been instrumental in aiding Alma’s executive chef Haikal Johari’s recovery following a motorbike accident in 2015 that left him wheelchair bound).

Available Tuesday to Thursday, limited to 50 sets a day. Call 67359937/ 91198928 to order, or e-mail reservations [at] alma.sg (reservations[at]alma[dot]sg). Order at least one day in advance. Full menu here.

A meal at swish steakhouse Wooloomooloo can put a dent in your wallet, but its Executive Set Lunch ($25) is easier on the budget. Each set comes with an appetiser and a main course (the menu varies from week to week). If you’re driving and don’t want to spend additional moolah on parking, the restaurant — which is located at Swissotel The Stamford — offers curbside pickup at the hotel’s lobby for quick takeaways. All items on its a la carte menu (except its library collection wines) are also available for takeaway with a 25 per cent discount.

Available from 12pm to 10pm daily. Call 63380261 or e-mail woo-singapore [at] wooloo-mooloo.com (woo-singapore[at]wooloo-mooloo[dot]com) to order. Order at least 30 minutes in advance. Full menu here.

Candlenut
If you’re feeling iffy about dining out, swing by Candlenut to tapow its homely a la carte takeaway menu instead. It includes comforting fare like Bakwan Kepiting Soup with blue swimmer crab chicken balls ($16), Chef’s Mum’s Chicken Curry ($28) with French poulet cooked with potatoes and kaffir lime leaf, and the excellent Buah Keluak Fried Rice ($28).

Call 81210176 to order, only during the following hours. Lunch: 12pm-2.30pm; dinner: 6pm-9.30pm. Last orders at closing. Full menu here.

Mod Spanish restaurant Esquina offers a selection of its signature dishes delivered to customers to enjoy at home. You can order a Iberico Ham Arturo Sanchez with Pan Con Tomate (feeds two pax, $30) or even the fancier Carabinero Paella (feeds three to four pax, $98) that’s served in a proper paella pan (you have to return the pan, though. A $20 deposit is required for the pan that’s refundable upon its return).

Call 62221616 to order, or e-mail info [at] esquina.com.sg (info[at]esquina[dot]com[dot]sg). At least two hours’ advance notice required. Full menu here.

Additional reporting by Florence Fong.