The Easter break is synonymous with good eats.

And just because the traditional family get-togethers and Easter egg hunts are cancelled (again) this year, doesn’t mean you can’t kick back and enjoy the bank holiday with some sensational brunches, lunches and dinners.

From new season lamb buns to sloe gin scones, authentic Indian korma with all the timmings to crab and crayfish cocktail chai bao, Cork’s best chefs have been working overtime to conjure up some magic to take home.

Here are five excellent treats to click and collect: 

1. Surprise the kids with Easter Afternoon Tea 

The Easter Bunny is really spoiling us this year, in fact, rumour has it he’s been working with the Imperial Hotel to create a seriously special Easter Afternoon Tea for kids.

At a reasonable €15 per child, you can collect a surprise lunch of new season spring lamb with roasted garlic and grain mustard on a brioche bun, ham and cheese on sourdough, Kinder Bueno choux, an Easter Garden treat – chocolate brownie and white chocolate with chocolate soil and Easter-themed decorations and a hot cross scone served with Irish clotted cream, jam and butter.

The Imperial Hotel’s Easter Afternoon Tea for Kids is available Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday with collections from 12pm to 4pm. Order online for collection (and check out their grown-up selection too) here.

2. Order a family feast from The Farmgate

Give the chef the day off this Easter and let the experts at The Farmgate in Cork’s English Market do all the dinner prep. The Farmgate’s Easter Weekend Family Feast serves two adults and two kids for €100, including drinks for kids and grown-ups.

To start there’s a Market Fish plate served with Farmgate brown soda bread for the adults before the main course of slow-braised shoulder of lamb, Lyonnaise Potatoes, lamb and Ardrahan Cheese Croquette and buttered spring greens.

The children’s starter is ham and cheese croquettes with house aioli, with Shepherds Pie and glazed carrots for the main event.

The dessert for four is a strawberry trifle, with an extra chocolate surprise for Easter and the deal includes one bottle of red or white wine and a bottle of Tipperary Apple Juice. Gluten-free options are available on request and you can check out the full menus here.

3. Serve sloe Gin scones and dainty sandwiches

The Montenotte’s Easter Afternoon Tea is a feast of sweet and savoury treats for two.

Chefs have put together a selection of Battenberg, pink pepper and white chocolate posset, chocolate and coconut ganache tart, lemon macaroon
and a mini Easter egg basket to satisfy your sugar cravings, with Bertha’s Revenge Sloe Gin scones and yuzu chicken, coronation crab, Blackforest ham and creamy hen’s egg sandwiches to enjoy beforehand.

The Montenotte Hotel’s Easter Afternoon Tea for two is €55 and you can order here.

4. Make it spicy at The Old Bank House

It was wildly popular during its first outing in early March and now the Flavours of Southern India pop-up is back at The Old Bank House in Kinsale for the Easter weekend.

Head Chef Meeran Gani Manzoor will be introducing foodies to the flavours of his home in Southern India with a takeaway menu of authentic Indian dishes cooked with local ingredients.

“You heard it here first, for anyone who liked the korma on our last menu, you will love the coveted family recipe from head chef Meeran Gani Manzoor, tikka like you’ve never tasted before!” the hotel announced on social media.

The menu is available for pre-order only: Friday, April 2nd, Saturday, April 3rd and Sunday, April 4th so reserve your collection time from 4pm – 8pm here.

5. Book a seafood treat for two

The Cork International Hotel has launched a limited edition gourmet Seafood Afternoon Tea, available from Thursday, April 1st to Monday, April 5th.

The menu features crab and crayfish cocktail chai bao, smoked mackerel pate on pressed puff pastry, beetroot salmon gravlax, flaked salmon and tiger prawn sandwiches and  tuna, lettuce and chilli chutney pinwheels

Once you’ve devoured the savoury selection, you can dig into dessert; dark chocolate mousse with raspberries, carrot cake topped in white chocolate, coffee slice and chocolate brownie.

The Seafood Afternoon Tea for two people is €50 and the hotel requires 24 hours’ notice to book so order ahead on 021 4549800.