Restaurants have been trying their best to get creative as they pivot from sit-down establishments to ones offering only takeout and delivery during the coronavirus crisis. 

For some, that has meant selling pantry items like milk, eggs and bulk meats that would otherwise go to waste or coming up with new menu items and special deals. Still others have upped the ante on social media with food porn and how-to videos.

Now, a month into the pandemic, restaurants are going one step further. They are offering meal kits with ingredients that allow customers to create restaurant-quality meals in their own kitchens.

The kits range from make-your-own cookies to casual breakfasts to fancy dinners and brunch boxes that come with local brews and wines. Some of the meals can be grilled or oven-cooked; others are geared to a slow cooker or stove top.

“We’re trying to find creative ways so that people can help each other,” says Don Mahaney, who owns Scratch Food & Beverage in Troy Hill, which earlier this month launched slow cooker kits. 

Here’s a sampling of what’s being offered:

Square Cafe. Love the casual cafe’s breakfast or brunch? Now you can try making it at home as it is offering five different pancake kits. Each makes about 16 pancakes and comes with 12 ounces of whipped butter and 4 ounces of powdered sugar. They range in price from $29 for a buttermilk kit to $33 for lemon ricotta to $43 for vegan. You also can add 8 ounces ($8.50) or 16.9 ounces ($12) of Yeany’s maple syrup to an order. Info: square-cafe.com or 412-244-8002.

Spirits & Tales. The restaurant inside the Oaklander Hotel in Oakland has three dinner kits: Burger Night for Two ($30), Horseradish Gnocci for Two ($30) and Truffle Chicken for Two ($62). You can complete the meal with a whole almond cake with honey caramel for $28. Half-off bottles of wine and bubbles are available, too. Info: spiritsandtales.com or 412-297-4080.

Scratch Food & Beverage. The Troy Hill eatery sold out its first slow cooker kit — for Mississippi pot roast — within two hours after the news got out a few weeks ago. It has now expanded its offerings to a vegan and a beef-and-vegetable  kit each week. The kits are $57, and are designed to feed four people. Each order comes with flowers for the table and a present or two from Mr. Mahaney. To spread the wealth, a portion of the purchase price buys a fully prepared meal to a family in need. The restaurant plans on adding vegetarian options along with grill kits when the weather improves. Sales start on Fridays until they sell out. Info: scratchfoodbev.com.

Chip & Kale. This isn’t a restaurant so much as a local version of Purple Carrot. All meals are plant-based and frozen, and five meals have to be purchased at a time. Each meal feeds two or three adults with four servings, and range in price from $110 for a standard package to $209 for a gluten-free family package serving six to eight. Optional desserts include cinnamon buns and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Info: chipandkale.com.

American Natural Eatery: The Cheswick-based eatery and marketplace with six area locations is offering family-sized breakfast, lunch and dinner boxes. The Rise & Shine box ($32.99) includes a dozen eggs, milk, OJ, a half-dozen bagels and cream cheese; the DIY Lunch box ($43.50) features a  loaf of sliced Mancini’s bread, one pound each of deli ham, turkey and cheddar cheese, a bag of Lays Potato Chips, two beefsteak tomatoes, a head of lettuce and Turner’s iced tea. For dinner, there’s the $59.99 Backyard BBQ box with four beef hamburger patties, four chicken breasts, buns, lettuce, tomato, onion, half pound cheddar cheese, four potatoes, one pint pasta salad and one gallon of Turner’s tea. Info: www.americannaturaleats.com/fresh-eats-shop.

Burgh’ers Brewing: Craving to sink your teeth into a really good burger? Burgh’ers $15 burger kit  for two includes your choice of protein (beef, Impossible blend or chicken), two buns, locally sourced cheese, sauce and four toppings. Info: burgherspgh.com or 412-904-2622. Mediterra Cafe. The Sewickley bread shop is offering pizza kits that come with two balls of fresh dough, cheese and sauce. They cost $20, or $23 with pepperoni. Info: 412-740-7064.

Aiello’s Pizza. The famed Squirrel Hill pizzeria is selling pizza kits that allow customers to build a pie with their favorite ingredients. They include dough balls ($4.50 for small; $5.50 for large), sauce ($3 per pint; $6 per quart), pizza cheese (half pound for $3.50; 1 pound for $7) and a choice of more than two dozen toppings. Depending on size and variety, prices range from around $11 to $15 for a medium pie. Info: 412-521-9973.

DiAnoia’s Eatery. Known for its pasta and pizza, the Strip District restaurant is offering kits for both. A single-serving of “Make Your Own Cacio e Pepe” kit features 8 ounces of fresh spaghetti and is $16. A gluten-free version is $20.

Its sister restaurant, Pizzeria Davide, is selling an Old World Style Pizza Kit that includes two 12-ounce dough balls, a pint of sauce and 8 ounces of provolone cheese. It costs $20 or $24 with pepperoni. It also features a $60 Single Pasta Dinner box that is filled with 1 pound of fresh pasta, two sauces, a loaf of bread, a bottle of Italian wine and cookies. Beer and wine are available to go with any order. Info: dianoiaseatery.com or 412-918-1875.

Iron Born Pizza. The shop that specializes in Detroit-style pizza and homemade pastas is offering a bake-at-home Mac ‘n Cheese kit for $10. It comes with cooked noodles, cream sauce and a panko herb crust and is available at both the Millvale and Strip District stores.  Info: ironbornpizza.com.

Hidden Harbor. It’s five o’clock somewhere, right, especially during the coronavirus. To quench that thirst, the Squirrel Hill tiki bar has a variety of  cocktail mixes to which alcohol can be added or it can be consumed as is. The mixes cost $7. Info: hiddenharborpgh.com or 412-422-5040.

Morton’s the Steakhouse. Looking to go upscale? Just in time for Mother’s Day, the national steak restaurant is offering "Chef's Table" kits. Customers can grill and cook the ingredients in their home kitchens. The kits range in price from $39 for a Home Cookout, which has four beef patties, all the fixings and hand-cut potato chips, to $299 for the Morton’s Fanatic featuring four filet mignons, two New York strip steaks, two ribeyes, two 16-ounce pork chops, six beef patties and various sides. They also have a selection of seafood and prepared butters and sauces. Info: mortons.com.

Sugar and Spice. Need something to keep the kids or an anxious spouse occupied? The Baldwin ice cream shop is offering various DIY dessert kits. A sugar cookie kit ($20) comes with cookie mix, ready-to-use icing, sprinkles and a pair of cookie cutters and yields three dozen cookies. A ice cream sundae ($20) includes four scoops of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, confetti and colored sprinkles, chocolate crunchies, six gummy worms and a pack of candy eyeballs. A $15 chocolate kit consists of 2 pounds of milk chocolate, two chocolate molds and one pack of sucker sticks. Info: 412-882-7326. 

Dunkin’. The national doughnut chain is offering DIY Donut Kits in select Western Pennsylvania stores. They cost $6.49 and include four plain yeast doughnuts,  three different icings, three sprinkle varieties and all the utensils you need to create your favorite treat. Info: dunkindonuts.com.

Gretchen McKay: gmckay@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1419 or on Twitter @gtmckay.

First Published: April 30, 2020, 1:22 p.m.