Forget plastic containers, Styrofoam trays or aluminum tins — one Manhattan business has turned to enamel pots to keep its food nice and hot by the time it gets to your door.
Husband-and-wife Michael and Maria Maroni first started using the red metal pots at their Long Island Italian restaurant, Maroni Cuisine, for to-go customers 15 years ago.
Their new spinoff, Maroni Hot Pots (307 E. 77th St., 212-535-2866, maronihotpots.com), which opened earlier this month on the Upper East Side, primarily focuses on takeout and delivery of its spaghetti and meatballs, penne a la vodka, ricotta ravioli and more.
The pots — the manufacturer of which is top secret — keep food hot for up to an hour and warm for up to four, says Maria, and are delivered in custom-made thermal cooler bags to further keep the food hot.
“The heat in the pot is triple what it would be in any takeout vessel,” Maria says.
The hot pots come in three sizes — small ($30 for 1-2 people), medium ($45 for 3-4 people) and large ($65 for 6-8 people) — and are yours to keep. They can also be returned for a $4 credit toward your next order.
The restaurant currently offers free delivery between 66th and 86th streets and from the East River to Central Park via phone orders, with online ordering in the works.
Among its six hot pots, Grandma Maroni’s meatballs (with or without spaghetti) is a clear favorite so far.
“There’s something about eating something like it’s made at home rather than eating out of an aluminum container,” Maria says. “This is like home-cooked, Grandma’s meals right to your door.”
