It’s closing in on holiday get-together time! Don’t stress. We’re making navigating it easier by anticipating your needs. Already have a venue but need the food? No problem. Here is a list of fully prepared feasts, unique add-ons, festive sweets, and catering options, that will set you up for a low key holiday.

Pre-Order DINNERS

PROVENCE

Priced for $49 per person, Provence Marinaside’s heat-and-eat Turkey Dinner includes a spread of carved turkey, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and a dinner roll, plus chocolate fondant for dessert. The option to “add on” additional dinners for the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre ($25 each), which Provence will match, is also available. PRE-ORDER DEADLINE: Dec. 22nd for pickup on Dec. 24th until 2:45pm only. Find out more.

RAILTOWN

Turkey To-Go from Railtown Catering. Pre-order to pick up a heat-and-serve dinner of sage-roasted turkey, maple-glazed sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts with toasted almonds, and dried apricot chestnut brioche bread stuffing (plus pecan pie topped up with Chantilly cream for dessert). Go full-Turkey for $449 (serves 10 to 12 guests). A half-sized package for smaller gatherings of 5-6 people is also available for $309. Add-ons and amp-ups (like Railtown’s AAA Slow Roasted Certified Angus Prime Rib with jus and horseradish) are available at various prices. PRE-ORDER DEADLINE: Dec. 20th for pickup Dec. 24-26th, 10am-5pm. Delivery available for an additional cost. Find out more.

MON PITOU 

Prefer to indulge sans turkey or pie? Mon Pitou’s four-person Holiday Dinner will sort you out with red wine-braised short ribs with reduction sauce, accompanied by garlic butter mashed potatoes, maple-roasted carrots with balsamic glaze, mixed greens with dried cranberries, goat cheese & house-made Champagne Vinaigrette…and chocolate Turtle cheesecake for dessert. New add-ons include truffle mac & cheese, house-made eggnog, and roasted tomato bisque. PRE-ORDER DEADLINE: Dec. 19th at 2pm for pickup Dec. 24th. Find out more.

YAMA 

Yama Cafe’s Osechi (traditional Japanese New Year’s meal) is basically a portable buffet of Japanese favourites (including a Whole ‘Tai’ Japanese Snapper) packed in a three-tiered 重箱Jubako bento box. This decadent buddy rings in at $395 (plus tax) including its container. PRE-ORDER DEADLINE: Dec. 16th by 3pm for pickup Dec. 31st from 12-1pm. Find out more.

Catering

PAELLA GUYS

A massive pan of fresh paella (pictured above) is a fun way to feed a lot of family and friends! Nobody does it better than the Paella Guys. Pickup or delivery.

RAILTOWN CATERING

Intimate gathering or opulent event, Railtown will impress with culinary excellence. Take a look at their offerings in the image at the top of this page, and get ordering here.

THE LAZY GOURMET 

Seasonal menus rooted in West Coast flavours, with an emphasis on fresh, local, sustainable ingredients. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and cocktail menus to choose from. These consummate pros will set you up with the perfect spread for any party or event. Check out the latest menu details here.

CALABASH 

Whether you’re looking for a sit-down set menu or a load of canapés, Calabash will help you get festive with one of their seven available menus.

FABLE DINER & BAR

Build your hors d’oeuvre platters from dozens of options from Fable’s Hors d’Oeuvre Menu (think tiny sliders and flat iron steak bites, chickpea fritters, and mini grilled cheese sandwiches). Trays will be served in waves during your event.

FANNY BAY

Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market will deliver everything you need for a classic raw bar setup, paella, or seafood boil for the whole family. Email [email protected] to get sorted out.

JAMJAR

Holiday Menus are priced per person, and come in four options (Feast, Party, Vegetarian, and Vegan). All include hot and cold mezze, salads, and side dishes.

MARCHE MON PITOU

From breakfast sandwiches for the whole gang to chacuterie platters for 16, Marche Mon Pitou has some nice offerings.

LES AMIS DU FORMAGE

LadF cheese platters can be built to accommodate small or large groups (individual trays are also an option). Each tray includes a garnish of grapes, dried fruits and crackers (except for one- and two-person platters), and are labelled for your convenience. Medium size platters also come with baguette! Keep in mind: the cut-off date for online orders is Thursday, December 14th.

THE SWEET STUFF

ICE CREAM 

Glenburn Soda’s Ice Cream “Christmas Dinner” (pictured below) looks just like a stacked Christmas dinner, complete with a ‘drumstick’, ‘stuffing’ and ‘gravy’, but is made entirely of ice cream (and a butterscotch gravy). Pre-orders begin Monday, November 27.

CAKE & PIE

Thierry can always sort you out with a stunner of a cake, even last minute.

Fluffy, flavourful strawberry shortcake (a traditional Christmas cake in Japan) kicks the heck out of fruitcake, if you ask us. Pre-order yours from Yama Cafe to pick up Dec. 24th between Noon and 1pm. This WILL sell out, so don’t wait.

Although Salted Caramel Brownies and Chocolate Espresso cakes from Cadeaux Bakery are year-round favourites, this time of year their festive menu additions – like Buche De Noel/Yule logs, sugar cookies, rum balls, caramel corn, meringues, caramels, truffles, and gingerbread cookies (and much more) – are all also vying for our stomach space.

Cookies and gingerbread sets from Tall Shadow Bakery are available starting December 1st, and this team will knock it out of the park! Tall Shadow Bakery also offers three cakes: Funfetti + Buttermilk Sponge, Carrot, and Chocolate.

Oh Sweet Day makes mini cheesecakes that are perfect for a party, but we also think the Earl Grey Chestnut Cream Cake would make a nice centrepiece at the table.

Trying to dance around dietary restrictions? Hit up To Live For to hook yourself up with egg and dairy-free (vegan) options.

Fratelli’s Saint Honore Cake is always a good way to please a crowd, but they also have gingerbread biscotti and beignés (the spiced apple pecan & lemon whip flavour sounds pretty darn good).

Chocolate Pecan, Walnut Nocino, Quince Labneh Buttermilk, Apple – The Pie Shoppe’s offerings are always interesting, always made with organic flour and locally sourced ingredients. Also: Pear Ginger Brown Sugar Crumble and Pumpkin are available for take-home-and bake-situations that might come in handy!

COOKIES & CHOCOLATE

Beaucoup Bakery’s annual Holiday Collection actually covers all the holiday bases, from a special croissant flavour, to cookie boxes and glistening chocolate bonbons, plus three flavours of Bûche de Noël. This year’s theme: The Nutcracker’s Land of the Sweets.

Sobu Bakes has some top notch cookie boxes to pre-order and pick up at Krampus Market (December 1-3).

The Bench Bakehouse has some seriously good shortbread (they also have bake-at-home cinnamon buns that are a nice treat to keep in your freezer).

Thomas Haas Sparkle Cookies never disappoint.

East Van Roasters will make a custom chocolate boxes for you, or you can go in and pick up a box straight from the shelf. Try the chocolate ginger.

Mon Paris Pâtisserie does all manner of chocolates – from bars to tree ornaments (the latter are also sweet on the eyes, and would make a lovely centrepiece…if you can keep your paws off it). They also do Buttery Shortbread Cookie Bundles that are nice to have on hand this time of year.

Did we miss someone?

It would be an overwhelmingly long list if we mentioned every single awesome option….Regardless, if you have a favourite establishment that you think should have been mentioned, we want to know about it! Please comment below or send your suggestion to michelle [at] scoutmagazine.ca.