Bites

Meals to your door by which we mean more than a minicab from the nearest takeaway

Meals to your door by which we mean more than a minicab from the nearest takeaway

b.right.on food co (01273 705606). A Brighton couple cook meals which can be delivered frozen within the city the same evening. Ingredients are organic; dishes are vegetarian, vegan or fish and come from all over the globe, be it Goan caldine, a fruity vegetable curry; Moroccan kdra with chickpeas, almonds and butternut squash; Brazilian moqueca; Cajun corncakes; roast vegetable lasagne. Enough to feed two, they come in tin foil trays and cost from £2.99 for mole poblano. They'll also cater on a larger scale, make bottled organic sauces such as zoog from the Yemen of coriander, parsley, garlic and chilli and sell chillis by mail order.

The Real Food House (020-7924 2224). Only in south west London, this has been delivering decent, no- frills "home-cooked" meals - pies a speciality - for more than two years. The likes of Caesar salad or potted shrimps for starters; beef and beer, cottage, fish or steak and kidney pies, kedgeree, fish cakes or lamb casserole from £5; veg, salads; and chocolate mousse (lovely and fluffy) or a great crÿme brulée from £1.95 for afters are dropped off in pottery dishes which you get to keep. It arrives within an hour. Booze can be included from a short wine list.

Lewis & Grant (020-8877 0679). The caterers and party organisers will stick around and serve the food they've cooked especially for you, but also operate a "dump and run" service within London, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Give them a few days' notice and they'll turn up with dinner for a minimum of 10 people (£35 a head) and leave you to serve (and take credit for) their lobster salad, roast guinea fowl and vanilla bavarois. The dump and run buffet is £22.50 a head.

Deliverance Central (0800 019 22 22), Deliverance South West (0800 019 11 11). Efficient and appetising dinner to your door service, Deliverance provides pizzas, Thai, Indian, Chinese and Japanese dishes, each prepared by a specialist chef in its two kitchens in Battersea and east central London for neighbouring areas. Just because you don't have to move a muscle, it's not a threat to your health. Recommended: orange, banana and melon juice (£2.50), smoked duck, green bean and beetroot salad (£7.20) and tarte tatin (£3.50). Delivery within 40 minutes is free on orders over £12.

Lobster.co.uk (0800 1691612). Sleek website for those who simply must have fresh lobster delivered to their door. It comes in the £85 a head lobster and caviar dinner, or as part of a seafood picnic for £30. There are also hampers, gift boxes, store cupboard staples (of a somewhat rarified nature, mostly) and a few ready meals such as beef goulash or lamb navarin for £10.50 each. Delivery is £4.95 for the same day in London if you order before 1pm, the next day nationwide.

Room Service (020 644 6666). Picks up meals from designated restaurants representing the upper end of top of the pops cuisines and delivers them. Represents respected names such as Ken Lo's Memories of China, the Blue Elephant for Thai, Café Lazeez for Indian, and prices are what you'd pay if you ate in the restaurants. Operates in north; Central including Fulham, Notting Hill and the West End; and the City of London. Minimum order for food is £10, delivery £4 and beer and wine can be included.