A weekly notebook about dining options during the Covid-19 shutdown, with a focus on quality and ease of pickup and delivery. Remember, the people serving up the food are part of the front line; keep it in mind when tipping.

The Village Kitchen’s tuna is dressed in olive oil, not mayonnaise, and comes on Italian bread. (Photo: Tom Meek)

The Village Kitchen, just across from the newly opened Formaggio super store in Huron Village, just notched its 20th anniversary. The pizzeria and sub shop moved in back in 2001 as something of a replacement for Emma’s Pizza, which had departed for Kendall Square. And, yes, The Village Kitchen has great, thin but densely crusted pizza in an area with other great pizza ovens firing, namely Armando’s and Gran Gusto. The Village Kitchen has daily specials,  lasagna to go and soups – call (617) 491-3133, because the website’s not all that helpful and the Toast pickup site is scant on pictures and details – but the thing that really makes a stop worth your lunchtime is the Tonno Sandwich. Tonno is Italian for the tuna in this delicious meal. Long as it is, it’s light: The Mediterranean tuna is marinated and dressed in olive oil (no mayo is used) and garnished with fresh spinach, tomatoes and onion. It’s simple and wildly addictive. The Italian bread used is akin to a French baguette, but less crusty, dense and doughy. It feels robust, like its French neighbor, but is an airier vehicle. This is the perfect lunch if you want to fill up without being bogged down.

The Village Kitchen (359 Huron Ave., Huron Village in West Cambridge) 

Tom Meek is a writer living in Cambridge. His reviews, essays, short stories and articles have appeared in the WBUR ARTery, The Boston Phoenix, The Boston Globe, The Rumpus, The Charleston City Paper and SLAB literary journal. Tom is also a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and rides his bike everywhere.