Life isn’t always accurately reflected in movies. How many times have you watched a movie where dinner gets botched and then is quickly saved by a run to a local restaurant for beautifully presented takeout? In real life, pizza delivery is a more likely solution, but even then you’ll have to wait 40-plus minutes for the pizza.

While you can’t always predict when dinner will go up in flames, you can still have that fancy takeout dinner from a local restaurant. Operating without an oven and stovetop for over a month, I’ve been on the hunt for takeout options that feel like home cooking without breaking the bank and I think I found “the place:” Lucia’s To Go.

Lucia’s To Go is the quick stop version of Lucia’s restaurant offering sandwiches, deli salads, and soups, but it also has a whole section of entrees like organic salmon, seared polenta, and rotisserie chicken. What really caught my eye was the 4-person rotisserie chicken dinner. Order in advance, pick up after 3pm and for $26.95 you’ll get a free-range Callister Farms rotisserie chicken, creamy and decadent mashed potatoes, a bag of fresh mixed salad greens, a choice of three sauces (we went with the cilantro chutney), and maple-mustard vinaigrette salad dressing.

This was one of the most satisfying meals I’ve had in the last month. The chicken was flavorful and juicy, the potatoes almost sinful, and I couldn’t get enough of the maple mustard vinaigrette (yes, it was better than the one I make). We dug in a little too quickly to take a picture, but let me assure you that it looked as great as it tasted.

What’s your go-to takeout meal near home? Find mine here:

Lucia’s To Go
1432 W 31st St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-825-1572
info@lucias.com