The Resy Guide to Splurge-Worthy Takeout in Washington

Gravitas

Ivy City

Modern American cuisine rules at Matt Baker’s airy and much lauded restaurant, but you can set the tone at home with a decadent three-course dinner from Baker, with choices like foie gras parfait, roasted sablefish and chocolate budino. Bonus: spring for the “baller package” to score paired cocktails with cheeky names. Think The Birds and the Bees and Matcha Made in Heaven. Order here for takeout.

Sababa

Cleveland Park

Got a taste for modern Israeli cuisine? Lovebirds hitting up Sababa can expect to gorge themselves on a six-course, wine-paired feast — at home. We’re craving the main course, which is saddle of lamb al Ha’lesh served with golden soubise, buttered braised cabbage dressed in sesame pepper sauce and roasted maitake mushrooms. As for the wine, expect Flowers Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast. Order here for takeout and delivery.

Mélange

Mount Vernon Square

Mélange is known for its juicy burgers and fried chicken sandwiches, but chef-owner Elias Taddesse levels up with a five course, luxe dinner for two, pulling from his Ethiopian heritage and the years he spent working in and managing Michelin-starred restaurants in France and New York. That said, don’t cheat yourself out of his kibbeh poached lobster (kibbeh is a flavored clarified butter). It comes with kabocha squash, egg yolk and black garlic emulsion. Order here for takeout.

Fight Club at Beuchert's

Capitol Hill

Fight Club has no shortage of sandwiches, but for Valentine’s Day, chef Andrew Markert is shelving the sandwiches and rolling out a romantic three-course menu for two. He amplifies his Wagyu bistro steak with a vanilla-parsnip purée, wild mushrooms, salt-roasted pears, parsnip chips and truffle jus. Even better, each order comes with a link to a Spotify playlist with old-school slow jams that Fight Club’s staff put together. Think “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal, and “Endless Love” by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross.  Order takeout here.

Le Diplomate

This ever-popular French restaurant has mastered the art of taking the holidays to go. This time, the five-course box for two has all sorts of things to savor, including braised short rib served with glazed root vegetable and horseradish spaetzle and a half bottle of sparkling selected by its sommeliers. Can’t get enough shellfish? Try the shellfish plateau box, which includes shrimp cocktail, jumbo lump king crab, snow crab, salmon tartare and caviar service. Order takeout here.

Little Serow

Dupont Circle

Known for his northern and northeastern Thai cuisine, chef-owner Johnny Monis has rolled out the Golden Mermaid dinner for two — an all seafood, seven-dish feast. You’ll get the VIP treatment with the 1.5-pound crispy whole fish & lon (spiced dip), squid-mushroom nam tok, and much more. For dessert, indulge in the extra luxury of sweet warm coconut milk and rice dumplings. Order takeout here.

Xiquet by Danny Lledó

Glover Park

The tiny, upscale 18-seat restaurant draws diners with its Valencian cuisine, and Lledó has curated an extravagant paella package for two that spares no expense. Among other things, expect a dozen roses, an ounce of Russian golden Osetra caviar, a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Champagne and his paella de la Duquessa. That, in turn, is packed with lobster, carabinero prawns, scallops, cuttlefish and more. See the menu here, and call 202-913-4671 to order.

Blue Duck Tavern

West End

This sensual restaurant nestled inside the Park Hyatt hotel churns out finessed American cuisine that always exceeds your expectations. We’re most excited about Chef Jean-Claude Plihon’s whole Rohan duck with pomegranate gastrique from its three-course, Valentine’s Day menu. But we’re also feeling the Petrossian Ossetra caviar with crème fraiche and corn. Call 202-419-6755 to order.