Mmmm, pasta. Oooh, Pad Thai. You can still grab your favorites in these hard times.
No, you’re not going to be dining out for quite some time. But you can dine in on food picked up from the abundant South Sound restaurants still serving.
Though Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered Washingtonians to stay home, takeout food is — luckily for both restaurants trying to find their way through a challenging time and those who loathe cooking — considered among the essential businesses allowed to remain open
Among the options open to you are two takeout staples: Pellegrino’s Italian Kitchen & Catering in Tumwater and Lemon Grass in Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater.
Pellegrino’s Italian Kitchen & Catering
- Where: 205 Cleveland Ave. SE, Tumwater
- Current hours: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. daily
- Want some? Call to order takeout. Curbside pickup is an option.
- More information: 360-709-9020, pellegrinositaliankitchen.com
Pellegrino’s, beloved by many for its homestyle Italian food, has long done a booming takeout business, and the current restrictions haven’t changed that. The only thing that’s changed, other than a slight reduction in open hours, is that weekend breakfast is on hold for now.
Its full menu is available for takeout, and its family meals — $45 for enough to feed a family of four — are more popular than ever, said server and part-time manager Hannah Cugno.
“We have seen a huge increase in family meals to go,” she said. The special, which is available with gluten-free options, offers an appetizer, a choice of salad or soup, bread and pasta-centric main dish options including spaghetti and meatballs and chicken fettucine.
If that’s not enough carbs to soothe your angst, the restaurant will throw in dessert — tiramisu, gelato or angel-food cake with strawberries — for an additional charge.
Lemon Grass Restaurant
- Where: 212 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia; 5801 Capitol Blvd SW, Tumwater; 8101 Quinault Dr NE, Lacey.
Current hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays in Olympia; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and noon-8 p.m. Saturdays in Tumwater; noon to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays in Lacey.
- Want some? Call to order takeout or delivery (available for $3 for an order of $30 or more). Delivery on Postmates for the Olympia location; directly available for the Tumwater location; via Door Dash, Post Mates and Grub Hub in Lacey.
- More information: 360-705-1832 (Olympia), 360-705-0055 (Tumwater), 360-459-9511 (Lacey), thelemongrassrestaurants.com
Lemon Grass, Olympia’s best-known Thai restaurant thanks to its long history and three locations, has always attracted plenty of takeout orders.
The restaurant, which is offering its full menu and is closing just a bit earlier than usual, is still attracting lots of takeout orders, mostly at dinner, said James Burkett, who manages the Olympia location. “We’ve taken more of a hit at lunchtime,” he told The Olympian. “There aren’t many businesses open downtown, and people are working at home.”
Dinner orders are steady, he said, though the particular dishes customers are ordering have changed a bit. These days, most seem to be craving comfort food, favoring curries and noodle dishes over stir-fries and salads.
This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 5:45 AM.