Christmas Day doesn’t have to be punctuated by rows over who’s peeled the most parsnips or whose turn it is to load the dishwasher. While it’s dubbed as the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be the most stressful. Take the hassle out of hosting and avoid chaos in the kitchen and, instead, be waited on hand and foot at London’s most luxurious restaurants.
Indulge in a gorgeous traditional feast with all the trimmings, joy and conviviality while letting someone else do the hard work. Or better yet, if you’ve never understood the point of turkey in the first place, go off-piste with an Indian-inspired fine dining feast, an Asian take on festive classics, or a European-inspired restaurant boasting panoramic views of the capital. Here’s our guide to the best restaurants in London open on Christmas Day 2022.
Eastway Brasserie, City of London
Christmas Day is the biggest and most anticipated day of the year at the Andaz Hotel’s Eastway Brasserie. Having spent months preparing for the big day, Executive Chef Hamdy Hassan and Head Chef Kristian Kurn have tried and tested this delicious festive four-course menu for guests on the big day. Priced at £75 a head, the menu kicks off with an array of starters to choose from, including a goat’s cheese bouchon with pine nuts and dandelion, or a classic pickled salmon trout paired with heritage turnips and herb salad. Moving onto the main event, tuck into Ballotine Norfolk Turkey with all the trimmings — roasted potatoes, parsnip purée, honeyed carrots, Brussel sprouts, pigs in blankets, gravy and, of course, cranberry sauce. The menu also caters for vegetarians; shunning the traditional nut roast in favour of gnocchi with chestnut-flavoured porcini mushroom, tarragon, and charred leeks. Finally, top the meal off with a nougat chocolate cake with vanilla pear or a rustic Christmas semolina pudding.
Eastway Brasserie, 40 Liverpool St, London EC2M 7QN, eastwaybrasserie.com
Babur, Tower Hill
Celebrate Christmas Day in style at Babur, best known for its innovative modern Indian cuisine, which saw it crowned as London’s Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Restaurant Awards 2022. Spicing up your Christmas Day lunch, Babur’s team have created a divine three-course set menu with a cocktail on arrival for £59.95 per person or £14.95 for children under the age of seven. Kick off the celebrations with a Christmas Bourbon Punch, a festive concoction made with fresh ginger, cinnamon and apple, followed by a feasting platter of garlic and chilli king prawns, spiced rabbit mince wrapped in filo pastry, and lamb shoulder tikka. For mains, choose from dishes including tandoori turkey, creamy fenugreek and tomato gravy with rice or seared black cod with fresh coconut and South Indian spices, served with lemon rice. There’s no shortage of sides, with each main arriving with an all-important naan basket, Brussel sprout fogath, and Himachali dal tempered with whole red chilli and coriander. If this belt-busting menu hasn’t sated your appetite, indulge in a classic Christmas cake with brandy sauce.
Babur, 119 Brockley Rise, London SE23 1JP, babur.info
The Langham, Marylebone
To mark the most important dates in the festive calendar in style, one of London’s most regal hotels, The Langham, has conjured up true festive magic with special menus across the hotel. Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without a dinner with all the trimmings, and even better when it’s cooked by the crack team at Roux by The Landau. The extravagant five-course lunch, priced at £285 per person with a glass of champagne, includes Scottish scallops, globe artichoke, hazelnuts and black truffle or aged Buccleuch beef sirloin and red wine sauce. These five courses are no mean feat, so for something lighter but equally delicious, a relaxed three-course dinner, including Isle of Gigha halibut with kale and raisin dressing or cauliflower steak with woodland mushrooms, sage and glazed chestnuts, is also available. Alternatively head to the Palm Court. Fizzing with festive cheer all day long, enjoy the Champagne Afternoon Tea — perfect if you’re looking for an alternative to the indulgent but traditional dinner.
The Langham, 1C Portland Pl, London W1B 1JA, langhamhotels.com
Straits Kitchen, City of London
Immerse yourself in the land of Hoffman’s iconic Nutcracker ballet at Pan Pacific’s Straits Kitchen, which is decorated with quaint wooden soldiers and sparkling ballet figurines. All year round Straits Kitchen showcases a melting pot of cuisines from Singapore’s many cultures and is headed by Executive Head Chef Fabrice Lasnon. However, the restaurant’s Christmas Day menu puts a unique twist on festive food with its six courses. Pick from small plate starters of crispy Peking duck skin with melon and caviar, pan-seared scallops with rice noodles and chestnut ginger broth with spring onions, chilli oil and coriander. Then, choose a show-stopping main from black peppered beef with capsicum, oyster sauce and Chinese rice wine, or lemongrass-infused wild turbot with brussels sprouts and a crispy rice cake. Ending on a sweet note, guests can choose between traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce or the Guanacoa chocolate yule log with cinnamon sponge, whipped ganache and spicy clementine sorbet. To make the experience truly authentic, opt for a unique Chinese wine pairing, priced at £135 per person. It’s good news for families too, as children 12 and under dine at half price.
Straits Kitchen, 80 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AB, panpacific.com
Benares, Mayfair
It’s a festive lunch with a special Indian twist at Michelin-starred Benares. Enjoy a sensational dining experience and a culinary journey across India as you make your way through Executive Chef Sameer Taneja’s specially crafted Christmas Tasting Menu, priced at £132 per person. Tuck into Indian street food snacks to start, followed by an Italian winter truffle shorba and a show-stopping citrus-marinated Scottish scallop tartlet, before moving onto mains such as mutton momo with winter vegetables and tandoori muntjac with garlic yoghurt and chilli chutney. Round-off the meal with a delicious Rasmalai and delicate petit fours. The in-house sommelier will be on hand to prepare a wine flight with your chosen Christmas menu. Vegetarians needn’t feel left out either, as the team of chefs can create a bespoke menu tailored to your dietary requirements.
Benares, 12a Berkeley Square, London W1J 6BS, benaresrestaurant.com
Bōkan 37, Canary Wharf
Celebrate the festivities high-in-the-sky at Bōkan, where Executive Chef Robert Manea and his team have created a stunning festive menu inspired by rich European cultural cuisines. Located in the heart of Canary Wharf, Bōkan boasts panoramic views across the city — a breathtaking setting fit for a Christmas celebration. The restaurant’s exclusive festive offering, priced at £99 per person, is served at brunch and dinner where you can indulge in four courses including chestnut soup with Alsace bacon, king salmon sushi with dashi broth and venison queen’s pear and ginger spice, with baked Himalaya William pear with sorbet to finish. To make this dinner sparkle, opt for the bottomless prosecco for an additional £35 during brunch.
Bōkan 37, 40 Marsh Wall, London E14 9TP, bokanlondon.co.uk
Dukes London, St James
A St. James’s institution synonymous with prestige and tradition, Dukes London is a country house hotel in the heart of the capital — a boutique Edwardian gem cherished by writers, celebrities and even royalty. The Christmas season has long been the hotel’s favourite time of year and if you pop in during the lead-up to the big day itself, be sure to purchase a pack of the sought-after Christmas puddings to alleviate some pressure from the Christmas lunch preparation ritual. The Christmas Day menu, priced at £130 per person, is perfect for the traditionalist, featuring festive favourites such as seven-day dry-aged duck terrine with comice pear to start followed by a feast of roasted Norfolk Bronze turkey ballotine with all the trimmings. Those dining in-house will also be treated to the aforementioned Christmas puddings for dessert with brandy custard and spiced plums, too.
Dukes London, 35 St James’s Pl, St. James’s, London SW1A 1NY, dukeshotel.com
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