Home for the holidays: Where to get decadent Christmas takeout

Aba, 1011 S. Congress Ave.

Music Lane’s Mediterranean restaurant, Aba, is including some of its menu favorites for its carryout feast: wild mushroom hummus, whipped feta with persimmon, thyme roasted carrots with labneh, braised short rib, grilled chicken kebab, brussels sprouts and honey pie to finish. For vino lovers, you can add on a specialty sommelier-selected bottle of wine to pair with the feast.

Place your order for two, four or six people by Dec. 21 at 9 a.m., at $56.95 per person. Pickup will be available on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The dinner will be picked up cold with reheating instructions.

​Aviary Wine & Kitchen, 2110 S. Lamar Blvd.

There’s no reason to pace the grocery store’s spirits aisle picking out the perfect wine when you could have it curated for you. This holiday season, Aviary is offering a six-pack of wine bottles for $156 so you’ll never show up to a party empty-handed again. Each pack will contain two of the following bottles: Redolent Wine Co. ‘Brother from Another Mother’ Pinot Noir & Nebbiolo Blend, Cave des Vignerons de Mancey Crémant de Bourgogne Brut, and Rouge-Bleu 'Méditerranée Dentelle' Blanc Magnum. If wine is a year-round indulgence for you, Aviary also offers its “Steady Sippers” subscription program.

Buenos Aires Cafe, 1201 E. 6th St.

Beef wellington, mashed potatoes and empanadas, oh my! Grab an Argentinian Christmas treat this year from Buenos Aires Cafe, which is offering some bougie options. Grab your choice of prime beef wellington with sides of organic spinach salad and maple panna cotta for dessert from $150-270; lamb and butternut squash empanadas from $28-55, pan dulce for $25, a holiday mesa dulce with a variety of sweets for $52 or the holiday wine box for $145, with your choice of six wines to keep the party going all night long.

Place your orders by Dec. 21.

Chicken Salad Shoppe, 12901 N. Interstate Hwy 35 Building 3

Though chicken salad is the primary focus of the aptly-named shop, this holiday season the restaurant is offering The Sixer: six of its half-pound stuffed cookies fit for Saint Nick for $43. Choose any six cookies for the bundle, from the limited edition “Almond Joy” with cranberry sauce filling to “The Nutty Professor” with Nutella filling to “The Tortoise,” which is filled with salted caramel. The cookies come in a clear box with twinkle lights and a bow for gifting. You can also order the whole menu for delivery or takeout!

Dai Due, 2406 Manor Road

Bringing the native foods of our region to the table since 2006, Dai Due’s holiday menu is guaranteed to be fresh. Choose from a variety of proteins: smoked wild boar ham starting at $95, brined cotechino sausage-stuffed quail starting at $14, and charcuterie boards starting from $5-15. As far as sides and desserts, you can grab some mashed potatoes with wild game dirty rice, breakfast casseroles, basque cakes and pie dough to make your own treats.

Pick up your dinners, which come with at-home heating instructions, between Dec. 22-23 from noon to 4:20 p.m.

Intero, 2612 E. Cesar Chavez Street

The holidays are here in the form of a lavish gluten-free banquet at Intero. Starting with the main course, customers have a choice of the whole roasted cauliflower feast with pine nut relish for $150.00, the braised pork osso buco feast with marinated fennel for $200, or the smoked wagyu beef shoulder feast with horseradish gremolata for $200. Each meal serves four-to-six people and comes with sides of scalloped potatoes, kale salad and mushroom soup.

As the sweetest time of year, Intero is commemorating the holidays with chocolates and truffles. Pick your favorite from the salted toffee bark, winter box with warm flavors or the Texas choco boots.

Intero will be open for dinner and order pickup from Dec. 22- Dec. 24. Intero will be closed from Christmas Day until Dec. 28.

Lou’s, 1900 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Local watering hole Lou’s is dealing Christmas dinner for pickup this year. Pick your choice of porchetta for $60, rotisserie prime rib for $90 or chicken for $22 for protein; for sides, which range from $21-28, try the cheesy cauliflower gratin, rotisserie potatoes, brown butter roasted carrots, brussels sprouts or a crunchy kale salad. Desserts are classic: pumpkin pie or chocolate bourbon pecan pie for $40-45 for a 10-inch pie. For a little extra spice, add on Lou’s special spiced sangria for an extra $34.

Place your orders by Dec. 21 at the latest.

Old Thousand, 4805 Burnet Rd. and 1000 E. 11th St.

Open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Old Thousand is here to make sure everyone is well-fed during the holiday season. The 11th Street location will be open for dine-in on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, you can pick up a holiday-inspired Ho-Ho-Hotpot Old Thousand’s Burnet location. Made with your choice of Mala beef tallow broth or smoked veggie umami broth, the hotpot comes with noodles, meats, veggies, sides and a dessert to top it off.

Reserve your Christmas Eve dinner and hotpot by calling 737-222-6637. Each hotpot will cost $110, with the option to add a hotpot kit for $40, and will be ready to pick up between 4-8 p.m. on Christmas Day. The restaurant is holding different specials at each location, so double check before you head out!

Sala & Betty, 5201 Airport Blvd.

Not the biggest fan of the traditional American Christmas dinner? Sala & Betty has you covered with the classics and the not-so-classics on the holiday takeout menu this year. Try the Mexican meal, which will get you tamales, chicken pozole, braised pork shoulder, cilantro rice and hot chocolate mix for $225. Or you can get a turkey, small or full-size, with garlic green beans, roasted brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and rice from $240-$340. If you’re spending the holidays alone this year, the restaurant has individual plates so you can still eat well.

Place your orders by Dec. 21 and pick them up on Dec. 24 from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

TLC Austin, 1100 S. Lamar Blvd.

Feeding the entire family this holiday season, seafood restaurant TLC Austin’s Christmas dinner will have you covered from supper to dessert to cookies with Santa. For dinner, the package includes a 6-7 lb Nueske’s applewood smoked bone-in ham, rosemary fingerling potatoes, green beans and honey glazed carrots. For dessert, nosh on some chocolate pecan pie and whtie chocolate peppermint bark. When it is time to gather around the tree, the package includes a hot cocoa kit, a cookie decorating kit and carrots for Santa’s reindeer.

You can preorder the holiday kit online for $299. Pickup is on Dec. 23 at noon.

Walton's Fancy and Staple, 609 W. 6th St.

Enjoy the classic holiday smorgasbord courtesy of Walton’s Fancy and Staple, starting the holiday menu with maple bourbon-glazed ham for $90, balsamic brussel sprouts and prosciutto, white cheddar and gruyere mac and cheese, brown butter rosemary carrots and brown gravy to top it all off. Sides range from $18-48. The dessert options, $25-30, are vast with apple streusel, pecan pie, buttermilk pie and vanilla cherry cheesecake. Each item is available in individual and family-sized portions.