For many people, cooking Christmas lunch at home is a long-standing tradition – primarily because the distance between table and sofa is blissfully short. However, there’s something to be said about donning your finery and heading out to eat after a festive morning at home – or even eschewing the typical turkey and trimmings for something a bit more exciting. And that’s where our list of London’s best Christmas Day dining comes in.
There are now many restaurants open on Christmas Day that cater to all tastes, whether you fancy a traditional meal, something not at all Christmassy, or something a bit lighter. So, here are our picks around London – act fast, though, because these tables are in high demand.
Claridge’s Restaurant, Mayfair
Claridge’s and Christmas are practically synonymous – not least because of its annual, designer-led Christmas tree (this year’s is designed by Paul Smith). On Christmas Day, its restaurant will serve an extravagant five-course lunch menu, which goes from smoked salmon and caviar to Claridge’s famous Christmas pudding via lobster raviolo and roasted turkey, as well as a decadent three-course dinner.
Brook St, W1K 4HR
66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA
The Aubrey, Knightsbridge
It’s an award-winning Japanese izakaya, so – naturally – The Aubrey’s Christmas lunch will feature sashimi by the (small) plateful. However, you’ll also taste a couple of traditional flavours with a Japanese twist – like, robata turkey with Shukopan milk bread sauce and wok-tossed baby potatoes with miso garlic butter. 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 barbecued pork, hand-carved furniture, and a post-meal stroll around Hyde Park, Canton Blue is the one for you. The showstopping Cantonese restaurant at the Peninsula London serves an eight-course menu on 25th December, featuring lobster dumplings, steamed halibut, and stir-fried wagyu beef.
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
The Ritz is always a delight at Christmas, and this year is no exception. Its Christmas lunch, served in the glittering Ritz Restaurant, is a four-course, black-tie affair cooked up by Executive Chef John Williams MBE and augmented by entertainment from a five-piece live band.
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… Its menu is more on the fun sides of things, including ‘fancy’ hash browns, foie gras crème brûlée, roast turkey (of course), and marmalade sticky roll – as well as a cocktail inspired by Edmund’s Turkish delight.
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: Andhra chilli turkey and Kerala-glazed baby sprouts join Peshwari lamb and lobster tandoori, and the traditional flaming pud is traded for chocolate and orange mousse.
1 Wilbraham Pl, Sw1X 9AE
16 Carlos Pl, W1K 2AL
The Connaught, Mayfair
All three restaurants at The Connaught are open on Christmas Day. Tableside-carved turkey is available at The Grill and Jean-Georges (plus truffle-crusted 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 is turbot, scallops, and caviar – plus an optional wine pairing.
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 Spanish-Mexican menu is far from standard: think truffle nachos followed by duck with mole and piles of properly crispy potatoes and garlic aioli. And for dessert? Chocolate yule log with burnt orange ice cream – which goes wonderfully with a glass of bubbles.
10 Argyle St, WC1H 8EG
298 King's Rd, SW3 5UG
The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea
A luxury pub (yes, they exist!) on King’s Road, The Cadogan Arms is at the top of its game at Christmas. Quite literally so with the game pie served on its feasting menu. The rest of its festive dishes also stray from tradition, with the likes of Christmas stuffing scotch eggs, confit goose leg, and The Cadogan’s take on Christmas trifle. Reservations for Christmas parties have already gone live, so move fast – a lunch like this is worth booking in advance.
Ekstedt at the Yard, Great Scotland Yard
Forget chestnuts – it's all about scallops roasting on an open fire at Niklas Ekstedt’s flame-licked restaurant. The Michelin-starred chef will cook up a Scandinavian festive feast on 25th December, featuring beef tartare, ember-baked scallops and Flambadou oysters, sirloin beef, and cep mushroom souffle.
3–5 Great Scotland Yard, SW1A 2HN
16–22 Great Russell St, WC1B 3NN
Dalloway Terrace, Bloomsbury
The ever-delightful Dalloway Terrace transforms into a magical winter wonderland every December – and this year’s bows and baubles are suitably on theme. Its Christmas Day menu is a six-course feast that covers both classic dishes (turkey traditionalists, fear not) and alternative options – like roasted halibut, artichoke and truffle pithivier, and chocolate soup.
Royal Lancaster London, Paddington
There are no two words more dangerous than bottomless brunch. But then you tack ‘luxury’ to the front and ‘at the Royal Lancaster’ to the end, and you’ve suddenly got an opulent experience that, from what we’ve gathered, involves eating and drinking practically all day. It kicks off with a hot breakfast buffet and glass of Champagne, before moving onto sushi and salads followed by turkey and all the trimmings, and – if you have room – a cheese buffet. All house wine is also included.
Lancaster Terrace, W2 2TY
22 Hanover Sq, W1S 1JP
Akira Back at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, Mayfair
Pizza? On Christmas Day? It’s possible at chef Akira Back’s eponymous restaurant, which opened its doors earlier this year. He’ll be serving his signature AB tuna pizza as part of a special festive set menu, alongside other Japanese-Korean-inspired dishes like sushi, rock shrimp, and Back’s take on miso black cod. The setting is also properly indulgent, with a triple-height sky roof and sweeping marble staircase.
Ham Yard Hotel, Soho
All eight Firmdale hotel restaurants are open on 25th December, but head to Ham Yard if you fancy chasing your Christmas lunch with a stroll under Oxford Street’s glimmering angels. You’ll begin with Champagne and canapés, followed by a feast that’s as traditional as you make it – you could have smoked salmon, turkey, and Christmas pud; or you could have dressed crab, Dover sole, and trifle, all rounded off with cheese and mince pies. And suddenly, that walk seems all the more appealing...
1 Ham Yd, W1D 7DT
68 Regent St, W1B 4DY
Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal, Piccadilly
If your Christmas isn’t complete without caviar, turn your attention to chef Alex Dilling’s two Michelin-starred restaurant at Hotel Café Royal. You’ll find the black pearls sprinkled across the canapés and buttermilk ice cream dessert, with other indulgences in between like barbecued Brittany lobster, corn-fed chicken, and chocolate with chestnut and pecan praliné. Pair it all with some Champagne or a martini – it is Christmas, after all.
