Whilst cooking Christmas lunch might be a tradition for many, there’s something to be said about donning your finery and heading out to eat after a festive morning at home. For those wishing to do so, there are several restaurants open on Christmas Day that cater to all tastes, whether you fancy turkey with all the trimmings or something a little lighter. Here are our picks around London – act fast, though, because these tables are in high demand.
57 Whitehall, SW1A 2BX
Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO
At The OWO, it’s not just about who you’re sitting at the table with. It’s also about who sat in these halls before you: Sir Winston Churchill and Lord Haldane. The newest big name in town is chef Mauro Colagreco, who has designed an eight-course tasting menu for Christmas Day. Each course spotlights a different British ingredient, before finishing with Champagne, cheese, and chocolate.
Claridge’s Restaurant, Mayfair
Claridge’s and Christmas are practically synonymous – not least because of its designer-led Christmas tree (this year by Louis Vuitton). On Christmas Day, its newly redone restaurant will serve an extravagant seven-course menu, going from truffle-laden crumpets to Claridge’s famous Christmas pudding via foie gras and smoked salmon.
Brook St, W1K 4HR
66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA
The Aubrey, Knightsbridge
It’s an award-winning Japanese izakaya, so – naturally – the Christmas lunch at The Aubrey will feature sashimi by the (small) plateful. However, you’ll also taste a couple of traditional flavours: namely, robata turkey served with Shukopan milk bread sauce. And, being in the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, you’re just a short stroll from Harrods’ all-out window display.
Canton Blue at The Peninsula London
If your ideal Christmas dinner involves Peking duck wraps, hand-carved furniture, and a post-meal stroll around Hyde Park, Canton Blue is the one for you. The showstopping Cantonese restaurant opened earlier this year at the new Peninsula hotel and will serve an eight-course menu on 25th December, including long bao, Wagyu in black bean sauce, and chocolate mille-feuille with five spice crémeux.
The Peninsula, 1 Grosvenor Pl, SW1X 7HJ
15 Beeston Pl, SW1W 0JW
The Goring, Belgravia
A favourite of the late Queen, this Royal Warranted hotel is a treat at Christmas. It’s always beautifully decorated and its Christmas Day menu is a mix of traditional dishes with a couple more creative ones thrown in there as well. Think along the lines of duck liver terrine, Anjou pigeon, and a native lobster omelette served alongside roast turkey and The Goring’s famous Christmas pudding.
The Ritz, Mayfair
There are not one, but two Christmas meals served at The Ritz – meaning it’s possible for you to eat up to ten courses cooked by Executive Chef John Williams. Lunch is a six-course affair, augmented by entertainment from a magician and caricaturist, whilst the evening is taken over by a four-course, black-tie dinner with a live band and dancers.
150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR
110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY
Duck & Waffle, Bishopsgate
Christmas lunch whilst not looking at your wrapping paper-scattered front room already sounds enticing. Then you think about the panoramic view of London from Duck & Waffle, and suddenly you find yourself with a table for six on December 25th… On your table: crispy oysters, duck carpaccio, roast turkey, and sherry trifle (plus lots more options).
Kahani London, Chelsea
If the idea of traditional turkey fills you with horror, you might do better with a booking at Indian fine dining restaurant Kahani. The menu is just about recognisable as Christmas lunch: turkey Chettinad and Kerala-glazed baby sprouts join Peshwari lamb and Hariyali jumbo prawns, but the traditional flaming pud has been swapped for poached cranberry and chilli chocolate mousse.
1 Wilbraham Pl, Sw1X 9AE
16 Carlos Pl, W1K 2AL
The Connaught, Mayfair
All three restaurants at The Connaught will be open on Christmas Day. Tableside-carved turkey is available at The Grill and Jean-Georges (plus truffle-heavy risotto and salmon at the latter), but we’re setting our sights on the lavish six-course Hélène Darroze experience. There’s no turkey in sight here, but there are turbot, scallops, and caviar – plus an optional wine pairing.
Quaglino’s, St James’s
Unsurprisingly for a restaurant known for its live music, it’s set to be a day of dancing at Quaglino’s. Stay in your seat for its impressive Christmas lunch, though; its mix of mains means you can lean as far into – or away from – tradition as you like, with crab tartelettes, turkey with venison sausage rolls, pan-roasted halibut, and traditional Christmas pudding all up for grabs.
16 Bury St, SW1Y 6AJ
Wilton Pl, SW1X 7RL
Marcus at The Berkeley
This dazzling restaurant by Marcus Wareing will close forever on 26th December – so its all-in festive menu is not only an excellent option for Christmas lunch, but is one of the very last occasions you can dine at this restaurant. It’ll be six elevated courses of festive flavours, including roast scallops with lobster bisque, roast turkey with nutmeg cream, and a Bûche de Noël to finish.
Decimo at The Standard, Kings Cross
Spend Christmas Day merrily on high at Decimo, which sits on the 10th floor of The Standard London. Its Mexican-Spanish menu is far from standard: jamon croquetas are followed by wood-grilled black cos or beef fillet with mole, with piles of properly crispy potatoes and garlic aioli. And for dessert? Chocolate pave or lime sorbet – the latter of which goes wonderfully with a house margarita.
10 Argyle St, WC1H 8EG
4 Knightsbridge Grn, SW1X 7QA
Sette, Knightsbridge
We love this New York classic in the fittingly luxe Bvlgari Hotel. And, being an Italian restaurant at heart, the Christmas Day menu is ideal if you’ve ever wanted to precede your roast turkey with lobster pasta and crab cannelloni – and follow it with pistachio panettone and biscotti. Kids and vegetarians are also catered for, and there’ll be live music throughout the day as well.
The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea
A luxury pub (yes, they exist!) on King’s Road, The Cadogan Arms literally goes the whole hog at Christmas with a feasting menu featuring a suckling pig. Set menus also stray from tradition, with set braised deer shoulder, confit goose leg and its take on Christmas pud. Please note that as of November, it is fully booked – but a lunch like this is worth getting on the waiting list for.
298 King's Rd, SW3 5UG
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