Courtesy of carryout, delivery, Zoom and FaceTime, families and friends can celebrate the holidays together, despite the pandemic. Restaurants throughout the Chicago area are offering delicious meals, minus the fuss and most of the clean-up. Better yet, guests can order their meal of choice. In 2020, that’s as good as it gets.

The following are just a few of the options. Remember-restaurants that do special menus for one holiday almost always do them for others, so spend some time checking the various websites. Another caveat: Make sure you order well in advance of the holiday.

Hanukkah

Prairie Grass Cafe, 601 Skokie Blvd. Northbrook 847.205.4433.

Chef Partners Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris are doing a Hanukkah dinner, complete with brisket, potato latkes, and a tzimmes made with beets, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and leeks.

Aba, 302 N. Green Street, 3rd floor 773.645.1400

Complete with matzo ball soup, hummus, brisket and rugelach, Aba’s Hanukkah menu is available throughout the holiday.

Christmas Eve:

Piccolo Sogno, 464 N. Halsted  312.421.0077.

At Piccolo Sogno, guests can enjoy a traditional Feast of the Seven  Fishes, either in the restaurant’s heated tent or at home, if you opt for carryout. The set menu includes clams, oysters, risotto with Maine lobster and Branzino.

Osteria Via Stato, 620 N. State Street 312.642.8450

The restaurant’s Feast of the Seven Fishes menu, complete with clams, grilled octopus, ricotta cheesecake with caramel sauce, and a seafood stew is available for carryout.

Osteria Via Stato, 620 N. State Street 312.642.8450

Christmas

The Duck Inn, 2701 S. Eleanor 312.724.8811

Think “duck for dinner,” and then call The Duck Inn to reserve one of their signature whole rotisserie ducks, complete with duck fat potatoes, seasonal fruits, and a duck jus reduction.

Virtual Cooking Classes

A lot of people are cooking more than they’ve done in past years, and many of the area’s top toques are doing virtual cooking classes via Zoom. Ingredient kits are typically available for pick-up prior to the lesson.

Chef Gene Kato (Momotaro): Temaki Wednesday, December 16, Ramen Thursday, December 17 

Chef Leigh Omilinsky (Swift & Sons): Holiday Sticky Buns Wednesday, December 9