Like many of us in lockdown, restaurants have had to change the way they do business as usual.
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And while restaurant owners are missing the usual ambience of dining on their Shoalhaven regulars, their spirits are high as their takeaway offerings have been "flying out the door".
Many restaurants have also switched up their usual menus to provide meals that "travel well in the car", with some owners reporting they feel more prepared this year, having had to adapt to takeaway during last year's lockdown.
However for Culburra's Mexican cantina and cocktail bar Loco Lane, which opened in March this year, this is their first rodeo.
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Owners Mark and Emma Peterson shifted up their tapas-style menu to provide takeaway options so locals can still enjoy their Mexican eats - and cocktails too, of course.
"We were never really set up to do takeaway. Everything about our place is about the experience of going there as well as the food and the atmosphere," said Mark.
"Usually we do our tacos, but they don't exactly travel well in the car.
"So we've pivoted to takeaway to keep our name out there to stay connected with the locals."
Loco Lane offers takeaway options for Friday and Saturday nights, which can be pre-ordered by calling 0459 236 990 and picked up from their bar on Edward Avenue at Culburra Beach.
On Friday, they offer fajita packs which comes with sides and on Saturday, they offer burrito bowls and quesadillas.
Loco Lane's range of craft beers and cocktails are also available for pick up, with new selecitons announced on their social media weekly.
"We get some of our regulars saying picking up their takeaway is their Friday or Saturday night ritual," said Mark
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Being a new business, the lockdowns have come as a blow for Loco Lane.
"We were basically 100 per cent booked out for the (June) school holidays before lockdowns across the state started happening," said Mark.
"We lost 95 per cent of the bookings through the holidays as people couldn't make it down, which was obviously the right thing to do for everyone. But it really hurt us."
While Mark and Emma have enjoyed briefly catching up with their regulars - COVID-safe, of course - they are itching to welcome people back to the bar.
Missing the ambience of their restaurant too, Ponte Bar and Dining owners Sharon and Thiago Menezes share the same sentiment.
The restaurant on the Shoalhaven riverfront is offering two meal deals a week which they have labelled 'The Ponte Pick Up'.
Customers are notified in advance of the new set meals via email or on social media, which can be ordered and paid for online.
This week, Ponte are offering a gourmet pie and dessert option for Friday and a premium BBQ lunch deal for Saturday.
"The BBQ lunch deal is a three course meal which includes three meats, two salads, beans and rice and also a desset - freshly cooked straight off the barbeque," said Sharon.
Sharon said she feels more prepared with organising takeaway menu's for this lockdown than last year's.
"In a way, we had a bit of time to get some ideas for takeaway in our heads as we were one of the last regions to go into lockdown," said Sharon.
"But it's still a lot of work, it takes us a week to organise the prep for the takeaway menus and we have to order packaging to get the food out the door on the weekend."
On top of their takeaway offerings, Sharon and Thiago also work through the week to prepare meals for local charities to give food to those in need.
"Thiago and the team have been cooking up to 200 meals to charity every week. We give those to Salt Care and the Nowra Community Food Store to help out the community," said Sharon.
Also prepared for this year's lockdown, having shifted to takeaway last year, is The Butter Factory in Pyree.
"We were ready to go and had systems in place from last year," said Courtney Lennan, the Marketting and Social Media Manager for The Butter Factory.
"We just did a refresh of some new dishes and we were able to photograph them quickly."
With all dishes listed on their website, meals and beverages can be ordered online and picked up from the estate on Greenwell Point Road from Thursday to Sunday.
Keep an eye on updates from the restaurants online:
Loco Lane, 179 Prince Edward Ave, Culburra Beach NSW 2540
Ponte Bar and Dining, 10 Wharf Rd, Nowra NSW 2541
The Butter Factory, 739 Greenwell Point Rd, Pyree NSW 2540
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
