If you’re someone who typically loves to eat out, this past year has likely been a struggle. The best restaurants have faced closures that have been crippling if not fatal, and we’ve all had to make do with dingy home dinners while we dream about the shining lights of a downtown restaurant. 

Luckily, many favorite haunts have now reopened, meaning that for some, the no-eating out woes have come to an end. But, if you’re vulnerable or simply living in an area that hasn’t yet opened its hospitality doors, you may still be struggling to get by without a much-needed restaurant fix. 

With these restrictions in place untold amounts of time, many keen restaurant-goers are reaching the stage where simply waiting it out isn’t an option. That’s why we think that in 2021, you should make an effort to bring the restaurant to you, rather than going to the restaurant.

By this, we don’t mean getting takeout (though this is now an option in some areas.) Rather, we're talking about creating home-based meals that give you the same thrill as good food cooked by someone else. Keep reading to find out the best ways to make that possible this winter and beyond. 

Put time into your place settings

Aesthetics play a huge part in restaurant appeal. Why else would our Insta accounts be jam-packed with pics of restaurant tables? By comparison, your poorly planned and sometimes work-cluttered kitchen table doesn’t stand a chance. 

With that in mind, our first pointer is to take a little more care than normal over place settings. You don’t even need to sprinkle your tablecloth with rose petals or get overly elaborate. Simply making sure that you have a tablecloth in place is going to make the difference. Equally, decent placemats with well-laid cutlery can really bring the ‘eat out’ vibe you’re after. 

Make drinks a part of your meal

When we’re at home, we tend to drink when we’re eating or even after the event. Either way, hydration is an afterthought, which simply isn’t the case when you’re eating out. At a restaurant, your drinks are almost a more significant part of the night than your food itself. They certainly take the longest!

To make eating in feel more special, we therefore suggest making the most of drinks. Whether you prep cocktails or simply sip water, put in real effort here. Prepare the cocktails in advance and make them pretty so that you can sip while your food cooks. Even with water, a pretty glass bottle on the table before you’re ready to dish up could really make this feel like more of an event.

Find simple ways to make restaurant standard food

The idea of a home restaurant can often seem most daunting because good food isn’t always easy to make. With remote work coming to the fore and longer hours as a result of that, we simply don’t have any spare time. Luckily, creating good quality food needn’t be complicated.

Being at home all day has one significant benefit in that it provides you with a more prep time to save on cooking later. Most notably, taking the time to prep instant pot meals before you head to your home office in the morning could save you on cooking time altogether. There are a whole host of fantastic instant pot recipes anyone can make because they’re so easy, and they’re guaranteed to produce good quality options. Whether you fancy coconut lentil curry or a butternut risotto, your instant pot has you, and your time, covered. In fact, this could see you sitting down to enjoy something tasty as fast as you would if you really were going out!

Have someone else take care of cleaning up

Atmosphere, aesthetics, and good looks aside, not having to clean up is a definite restaurant plus point for most. Life’s just too short for dishwashing, right? This is especially the case if you’re going all out with place settings and meal prep, and it could put you off trying to make a meal special altogether.

That’s why our last and perhaps most important pointer is to ensure that someone else does the cleaning. Making an arrangement with your guest, friend, or partner certainly ensures that you don’t need to worry. With that out the way, eating at home can be even easier than eating out. After all, you needn’t stress about the drive home when you can just sink straight into the couch with another cocktail!