Dinner In a Pinch

Had great numerous catering experiences, with authentic and tasty Italian fare, IN THE PAST from Dinner in the Pinch. Consumer alert: new owners now. Recently for holiday office parties we ordered
trays of lasagna, meatloaf and eggplant rollatini from THIS Dinner in a Pinch. We ordered from the on line menu, still present from the talented LAST gracious woman chef/​owner. Unfortunately, the lasagna was burnt on the bottom, not 7 layers as advertised, lacking mozzarella, had miniscule amounts of ricotta. The need for sauce and the overdone state of this lasagna rendered it dried up and unpalatable. The meatloaf was also very over done. Simply inedible and unacceptable. We unveiled mounds of heavy, dry and bland meat. The eggplant rollatini was passeble but mushy. Disappointing embarrasment. Feedback to the present owners was not appreciated AT ALL and met with denial and anger not apologies.

Real home cooking.
We were too lazy too cook and found the perfect solution, Dinner in a Pinch. We called in our order were told to be there in 25 minutes to pick it up. We were near by so we walked in and took a seat at the little booth. This place is small, totally for take out only. Good for a cup of coffee and pastry if you’re solo or don’t mind standing. There’s cakes and cookies all over the place since during the day this is a bakery.
As we sat there we watched our food freshly being made. They ran out of the meat loaf since they make about 24/​day and when we called at 7:30pm there was no more left. So I settled for the Faked Baked Chicken which is boneless, skinless breast and thighs covered in breadcrumbs which is total comfort food. This pick comes with two sides I got the cucumber and tomato salad which I personal didn’t like because it was just drowning in mayo and that’s all I could taste. For my second side I got the mac and cheese and that was the best tasting. My husband ordered the Blarney Stones which are breaded potatoes mixed with cheddar cheese and ham. I thought these were ok, the description sounds phenomenal then once you eat them they just taste like potato. What we super loved was the chicken empanadas, they were super perfect with the right amount of meat and bread, fried to perfection. Can’t wait to go back and try the beef and pulled pork ones. My husband got the crab cakes and he thoroughly enjoyed them.
This place is a good replacement for home cooking. However, we did not choose the healthier options. There is salmon and grilled chicken breast available I guess we shall come back and review those at a later time.

I wanted pot roast one day and after searching through Unilocal I ended up here. I’m so glad I did! My husband and I now have this once a week — we have done pick up and delivery. I always get the pot roast with broccoli and mac ‘n cheese and my husband loves their grilled chicken with the lemon garlic rub, mashed potatoes, and corn. Everything is delicious and hot every time! The owners are so nice and cook the food from scratch. It has such a great home-​y and comforting feel to it, like mom cooked it just for you!

This place is phenomenal. Chicken Francese is the best I’ve ever had at a restaurant. Salmon in lemon dill sauce is amazing as well. So is the meatloaf. Heck everything is good. I just don’t get around to trying everything because I can’t get enough of the above meals.
They deliver and the staff is very friendly. I will be ordering from here A LOT.

i have ordered from here a few times. i was looking to get away from my usual take out places like pizza, chinese, and fast food. So far i have had the fake bake chicken and the grilled chicken with the lemon/​garlic rub. both were so good! the chicken was nice and juicy. And my favorite side is the cucumber and tomato salad. happy i found this place so i can get a good home cooked meal when i am too busy to cook for myself

I’m stopping by to write a review for the friendly owner that was just super nice and helpful! Hubby and I were wandering around downtown cranford after looking at a house nearby and we were starving! stumbled upon this place because I thought we can eat in here but nope, turns out its a take out service of home cooked food. So we asked the owner if he can recommend a good eat in place around there and he suggested many places even though they are his competitors! I will definitely order from this place when we finally get to move here to this charming town.

Went there last night for the first time with my boyfriend. We both thought the food was really good and that it was decently priced since you get not only ONE but TWO sides with your dish. I had meatloaf with mac and cheese and roasted sweet potatoes while my bf had the baked chicken, broccoli, and mashed potatoes. I can’t wait to try the other dishes!

Just got my first order from Dinner in a Pinch and it was really good! Made fresh on the spot! Love that about this place!
Would definitely go back again!

Good

I wish it was better. Food took twice as long as the time they quoted me. Dry pot roast, small serving sizes and ribs topped with bottled barbeque sauce. I watched them squeeze the bottle over my ribs, which weren’t stellar in and of themselves. Seemed like nice ladies though.

I work in NYC and have an hour commute to Cranford, so by the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is cook. Consequently, the boyfriend and I end up eating out/​ordering in almost every weeknight which means that our diets consist of mostly pizza, Chinese food, sushi, Italian, Taco Bell, and Jersey Mike’s Subs. It’s depressing, really. For nights when we feel really bad about our crappy eating habits, we order from Dinner In a Pinch, where everything is made fresh from scratch and perfectly portioned (they look small but trust me, they’re filling!)
My boyfriend is a huge fan of the crab cakes and orders it every single time. I only eat chicken/​fish but I usually change it up between the chicken pot pie, grilled chicken, fried chicken, salmon, etc. For sides, we like the mac and cheese, and we’ve never gone wrong with the veggies. I love love love the pierogies but it seems that they have knocked it off their menu :(
Anyway, everything tastes homemade and lovely. If you’re a commuter or if you’re just tired of the fast food options in this area, definitely give Dinner In a Pinch a shot!

portions were smaller than I thought they’d be and the prices were a bit expensive. overall the food was ok but not sure if I’d be back.

We were looking for a place that was serving Corned Beef and Cabbage dinners for St. Pats and happened upon Dinner In a Pinch. We pass it so many times when going around Cranford that we were like lets give it a try. why not? They are open daily 3−8pm from what I remembered and are pick up or delivery
I went to Unilocal (where else would I go before ordering a meal lol) and saw the high grades this place recieved. so we pre ordered 2 Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinners that came with Boiled red potatoes and 2 Dinner Rolls for 11 bucks each. And I am happy to say it was pretty darn good. and it was ready for pick up at the time we pre ordered it for. We recieved two nice pieces of Corned Beef each with a heaping of Cabbage and a nice little serving of boiled red potatoes. the portion size for the price was pretty good too I thought. filling but not gut busting. I lreally ike the concept of this place and definately will have to try here again… The Blarney stone potato and cheese appetizer sounds great and so do alot of their menu items. The owner and staff seem very nice too. All in all a really good eating experience at Dinner in a Pinch.

I was feeling lousy no thanks to a bout with bronchitis and didn’t feel up to cooking a meal. As I’m not one much for fast food, I didn’t think that I had many options for take-​out but, much to my relief, I discovered Dinner in a Pinch!
I ordered the meatloaf and sweet potatoes and was very pleasantly surprised by the quality. Though I would have personally liked a bit more sauce on the meatloaf, everything, including the garlic roll, was de-​li-​cious! Entrees come with two sides and some bread, and though I only ordered food for myself, I had enough left over for another meal. Fresh ingredients, hearty food, great proportions, and all for a fair price — just what I needed to brighten my day!
Very friendly staff, as well! I’ll definitely be coming back and look forward to trying out the other options on the menu.

Great choice when you’re feeling some good homestyle cooking but don’t have the time or energy.

The concept is very different and it took me some time to try it out. I thought it was more suited for families, but turns out it is a great dinner option for couples too. It’s a good value for your money because of the quality, portions and service. Everything seems cooked fresh and nothing is processed. It is so nice to pick up when you are overworked or just too tired/​lazy/​sick to cook.
So far I’ve only tried the weekly special «Menu Crashers» because they sound and taste so delicious! (Coastal Pie, Teriyaki Chicken, Gumbo/​Cassoulet) The Blarney Stone app with Chipotle Ranch was a big hit with my bf, they were cooked perfectly. If you order Mashed Potatoes get them «Loaded», so good and not heavy. You pick the main entrée for 2, 4 or 6 people it comes with your choice of sides, dinner rolls and you can add apps if you want (do it!) Portions are big and come in reusuable take out containers, so you have lunch all ready to go for the next day.
Customer service is awesome! The owner and employees are very friendly, my order is always hot (when traffic is bad and I’m late) and ready (when I made it there at the time I specified), everytime I call in my order they pick up by the 3^rd ring.
Note: find the facebook page and like them for specials, head to the website to see the menu. There are spots to park out front, if they are full you can park in the garage across the street after 6p for free. Take out and delivery only.
EDIT: They now do single portions as well in case you need dinner for 1 or 5, etc.

This place is so impressive– I literally could have slaved away for hours to cook the dinners that owner, Sarah, offers for convenient and delicious take out. How this place is not bursting with people getting take out, I do not know. You get a complete meal including your choice of protein, 2 sides, and rolls. It is a 100% more healthy choice than ordering pizza or Chinese for take out. I am quite a good cook, but after teaching all day, I am sometimes too wiped. Since we’ve discovered this place, we’ve been getting take out at least once, sometimes twice, per week. The chicken cordon blue is phenomenal. Delicious pot roast, mac and cheese, loaded mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and broccoli, etc. Even the rolls are good. Try them out– you will not regret it!

Delicious food. The meals are big enough that they can work for dinner and the next day’s lunch. The selections are mostly comfort food, like meatloaf and awesome awesome mac-​n-​cheese.
It’s set up for take-​out or delivery — there’s no sit-​down area.

I love to bake, but when it comes to cooking dinner I’m at a loss. Long commutes and getting home late sap all of my energy so at least once a week we order out. Our default has always been Chinese food (there aren’t many options in the ‘burbs) but after reading the raves on Unilocal we decided to try out Dinner in a Pinch.
We ordered the crabcakes, green beans and mac and cheese. All of the food is made to order (I actually saw them shaping the crabcakes and cooking them) and the prices are very reasonable for the quality. The crabcakes didn’t have the filler that you too often find and were instead bursting with actual crab. The mac and cheese was cooked very well, not mushy like many places make it. Their menu is focused around comfort food but they recently partnered with Savory Spice Shop on a healthier menu item. I was speaking to a repeat customer when I was there and he raved about everything he’s tried. I’m looking forward to working my way through the rest of their menu.

Wanted to get in here and write a review about Dinner in a Pinch. I saw they had a few very positive reviews which were from one review people which I know keep us fellow Unilocalers beyond skeptical. Dinner in a Pinch is the real deal. Sick of living in a town where your two primary options are take away Chinese or Pizza? Try Dinner in a Pinch. They deserve your business and we need to embrace a local business that’s doing something unique in this stale town.
But lets talk about the food since that’s why we are here right? Tried the Burrito for two my first time, was huge, and tasty. Have had the Blarney Stones and the sausage and biscuit apps and both were very good. Since then have had the chicken cordon bleu and was really tender and the sauce it was in was great. Most recently the Chicken Pot Pie. Huge, not swampy or runny, delicious. Split one with the fiancée and saved the other one for the next day. Have had the pirogi side which was just OK, thought they would be potato and cheese stuffed but they were potato with cheese melted over them. Just used to them a bit more polish style and never had them that way but were still good. The turkey legs are really good too!
Look both my fiancée and I are working professionals. She gets off a train and I can call them and she can swing by and pick up an order at a time where we tell them to have it ready and it is. They are friendly and they make good comfort food. The menu reads that way. It’s all hearty comfort food and they do it good. For us, it’s something we hope sticks around for a long time. Hopefully the rest of Cranford gives them a chance and supports a business that is doing a take away that is delicious and affordable.