With schools starting and families looking to establish new routines, finding simple solutions to getting dinner on the table is essential. Several area restaurants that began serving family meals at the start of the pandemic have continued or reinstated these deals to provide convenient, cost-effective meals that can be served at home. There are also several locally owned markets that specialize in take-and-bake family meals. Here’s a list of some area offerings:

Aromas of Peru, 417 S. College Road
Aromas of Peru offers a whole rotisserie chicken and three sides for $24.99, with no advance order time required. Sides include a choice of plantains, fried yucca, French fries, tostones, rice, black beans, Peruvian beans and salad. Call 769-1939 to place an order.

Zocalo, 1474 Barclay Point Blvd., Suite 206
Zocalo’s family-style menu includes a choice of five options: fajitas, enchiladas, flautas, tacos and chimichangas, ranging in price from $27.95 to $29.95. All meals are designed to feed four and come with sides, chips and salsa. Orders can be placed by phone at 833-5142 or online at https://zocalostreetfood.com/home.

Sweet n Savory Cafe, 1611 Pavilion Place
Sweet n Savory Cafe is offering three-course meals designed to feed four for $30. Course one includes a choice of soup or salad, course two includes a choice of nearly a dozen entrees, and course three includes six cookies or bread pudding du jour. Call 256-0155 for pickup between 4 and 7 p.m. daily.

Pizzeria Il Forno, 1474 Barclay Pointe Blvd., Suite 201
Pizzeria Il Forno offers family-style meals for the majority of its pasta dishes, including spaghetti and meatballs, shrimp scampi, chicken and eggplant parmesan, rigatoni Bolognese and fettucine carbonara. The meals feed four and range in price from $24 to $28. Call 765-1226 to order.

Taste of Italy, 1101 S. College Road
Taste of Italy is a full-scale deli, caterer and Italian specialty market with fresh take and bake entrees and salads available daily. Choose from eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan, stuffed shells or baked ziti, as well as any of TOI’s subs or daily specials. Don’t forget to grab some fresh baked bread. See the full menu at: https://www.atasteofitalydeli.com/

Pine Valley Market, 3520 S. College Road
In addition to its full menu of soups, salads and sandwiches, Pine Valley Market offers over a dozen frozen prepared meals, as well as a rotating daily selection of ready-to-heat items from its deli case. With items like baked mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, lasagna, chicken and rice casserole and spicy chicken enchiladas, there’s plenty to choose from each week. Each dish is designed to feed two to three adults. See https://pinevalleymarket.com/ for details or to place an order.
 
NOMA Restaurant and Wine Market, 8207 Market St., Suite F
Now serving takeout only, NOMA offers its full menu of soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees, plus weekly specials as well as several grab-and-go cases loaded with gourmet specialty items. Classic take-and-bake dishes like shepherd’s pie, tomato pie and wild rice casserole are available in three sizes, and everything is packaged with instructions for reheating. NOMA also offers a wide range of dessert options as well as French baguettes. For the full menu, as well as gourmet foods to go, see: https://noma8207.com/

The Veggie Wagon, 608 S. Lake Park Blvd. in Carolina Beach and 3315 Masonboro Loop Road
Not only does the Veggie Wagon offer hundreds of specialty items as well as produce, beer, wine and baked goods, it also offers grab-and-go coolers stocked with family-sized meals ranging from mac and cheese to flatbread pizzas. Looking to take dinner on the road to a game or picnic? The Veggie Wagon also offers individually portioned salads and sandwiches as well as dips and snacks.

Have a tip for Restaurant Roundup? Email us at: [email protected].