Loosen your belts, it’s that time of year again. If you don’t feel uncomfortably full at least once a day in December you’re doing something wrong. Sure, Christmas is a time for giving, but it’s also a time for feasting. It’s about warming comfort food that makes you feel fuzzy inside, decadent desserts you would ordinarily decline and sparkly cocktails with the richest liquors the bar staff can lay their hands on. Yes, we’re talking about the very best Christmas dinners in London.
Whether it’s for a festive feast with friends, an annual ritual with flatmates, a seasonal celebration with colleagues or even a wintery date with a loved one – December is the month we’ll find any excuse to go for an indulgent dinner or leisurely lunch. It’s also a time for family – catching up with long-lost relatives, treating the kids, or getting better acquainted with the in-laws – a good meal out can really tick all the boxes. Cut out the stress of catering for the thousands by heading to a restaurant instead – nobody needs the extra at this time of year and we reckon we know a professional chef or two that can do a better job anyway.
Here are some of the best Christmas menus London has to offer, which are sure to get you in the festive spirit. Whether your wallet’s feeling the squeeze from all that Christmas shopping or you’re looking to splash out on an all-singing, all-dancing luxe experience, we’ve got a Christmas meal in London to suit you. We’ve also included a few venues that are great for hosting larger family gatherings, particularly with kids in tow.
If you’re tired of the same old roast turkey every year, fear not! Hop across the globe with our list of the best alternative Christmas dinners, which includes Indian, Spanish, Sri Lankan and barbecue festive feasts. We know you’re spoilt for choice, but be sure to book soon to avoid disappointment. Click on the links below to be taken straight to the section you’re most interested in.
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Cheap Christmas dinners in London
There’s no denying that it’s an expensive time of year – what with all the Christmas drinks and presents you’ve still got to buy. If you don’t want to break the bank but still want to feel like you’re treating yourself then here are some great value choices.
Hoppers, Various locations
What: This Sri Lankan sensation has three restaurants across London now, so there’s really no reason not to be tucking into Karan Gokani’s fantastic food. The festive menu is great value at £49 a head (or £45 for the veggie option) and includes dishes like venison rolls with cranberry hot sauce, hoppers, dosas, rice, curry and a festive pudding to finish.
Where: Various locations
How much: £49 per person
Book now: Hoppers Soho, Hoppers Marylebone, Hoppers King’s Cross
The Garrison, Bermondsey
What: Beloved Bermondsey gastropub The Garrison is serving up a cracking Christmas dinner once again. This is no ordinary turkey and soggy sprouts situation though – feast on a three course menu that includes foie gras and chicken liver parfait, turkey with parsnip puree, sprout tops and chestnuts, and sticky toffee pudding with drunken dates and clotted cream. All for a very reasonable £43.50, or £37.50 for two courses.
Where: 99-101 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XB
How much: £43.50 for three courses, or £37.50 for two courses
Book now: The Garrison
The Duke’s Head, Putney
What: This popular boozer on the banks of the River Thames gathers the crowds no matter the time of year, but Christmas is a particularly special time to pay a visit. Be it a family dinner or a celebratory event, it offers menus and spaces to suit. There are set and sharing menus available, and you can opt to add a festive wine package to your meal if you fancy. Look out for dishes like curried parsnip soup with chestnut gremolata, roast West Country beef rump with goose fat potatoes and crushed root vegetables, and apple, fig and chestnut crumble with lemon thyme custard.
Where: 8 Lower Richmond Road, SW15 1JN
How much: £44 per person
Book now: The Duke’s Head
Luxury Christmas dinner in London
If you’ve been virtuous all year and have confidence in that Christmas bonus then why not indulge in a luxury feast that will make a mark on your memory as much as it does on your tastebuds.
Galvin at Windows, Mayfair
What: Home to some of the best views in London, Galvin at Windows is forever busy with diners admiring the beautiful plates and vistas. Incredibly, you can get in for a festive three-course lunch at Galvin at Windows for just £55 a head, which is a steal for this level of cooking and experience. Dinner is more expensive at £90, but Galvin at Windows’ views alone are likely to make this an extremely popular choice.
Where: London Hilton, 22 Park Lane, W1K 1BE
How much: From £55 per person
Book now: Galvin at Windows
La Terrazza Kensington
What: La Terrazza offers Italian fine dining in the heart of glamorous Kensington, so if you fancy Xmas dinner in London with a hint of Mediterranean class, this is the spot for you. £55 gets you three delicious courses, from marinated wild salmon with star anise, dill and crunchy fennel, to roast turkey with chestnuts, brussels sprouts, roasted potatoes and bitter roots. For dessert, we suggest you opt for the pandoro with tiramisu cream.
Where: 160 Cromwell Road, SW5 0TL
How much: £55 per person
Book now: La Terrazza Kensington
Piazza Italiana, City of London
What: There are few settings more special than at Piazza Italiana, a Grade-II listed restaurant styled to look like a Venetian palace. Whether it’s for a Christmas party or a festive dinner with family, its Christmas menus are guaranteed to impress. There are three to choose from, at either £70, £90 or £110 per person, and each includes three courses, plus an optional cheese course. Start with the likes of a baked ox-cheek pot with creamy potatoes, mozzarella and parmesan, followed by roasted corn-fed chicken breast with parsnip-cinnamon puree and blueberry sauce. To finish, think panettone fruitcake with Amaretto custard, rum and raisin ice cream.
Where: 38 Threadneedle Street, EC2R 8AY
How much: From £70 per person
Book now: Piazza Italiana
Ganymede, Belgravia
What: Ganymede is right up there with the capital’s best gastropubs, for our money – it sits nicely between cosy, comforting and sophisticated, with elevated pub grub that really shows up some other well known gastropubs in the city. This is the place to go if you want really solid traditional cooking, from Scottish salmon with beetroot tartare, roast turkey with parsnip puree and traditional trimmings, roast monkfish with cep puree and Christmas pudding ice cream with warm madeleines.
Where: 139 Ebury Street, SW1W 9QU
How much: £60 for three courses, or £50 for two courses
Book now: Ganymede
The English Grill, Victoria
What: Plump yourself in one of the studded teal armchairs at the boldly British English Grill to experience its multi-course feast. There’s a choice of festive menus available, with dishes including smoked chicken and ham hock terrine with apple chutney, turkey roast with all the trimmings, and a homemade Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. If you want something a bit different, you have plenty of options there too – the English Grill even offers a festive curry menu throughout the season.
Where: 39 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0PS
How much: From £139 per person
Book now: The English Grill
The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea
What: Luxe British pub The Cadogan Arms is inviting guests to choose from a selection of Christmas menus this year. Its festive a la carte includes a wealth of seasonal specials, from Christmas stuffing Scotch eggs to a turkey and cheese toastie, and there’s also a festive set menu bursting with traditional treats – think crispy lamb ribs with anchovy and sorrel yoghurt, Cumbrian beef Wellington, and a winter fruit crumble. Everything about this Chelsea boozer screams sumptuousness, from the gutsy food to the ornate, expertly-restored interiors.
Where: 298 King’s Road, SW3 5UG
How much: From £90 per person
Book now: The Cadogan Arms
The Princess of Shoreditch, Shoreditch
What: If you’re after a quality festive dinner in cosy surroundings, where better than one of the capital’s very best gastropubs? The Princess of Shoreditch has a fine reputation for brilliant British cooking, and the festive menu is just £60 a head – a very reasonable price to us for the likes of confit duck leg salad with beetroot pear and chicory, a magnificent Christmas dinner, and a dainty lemon meringue tart with creme fraiche.
Where: 76-78 Paul Street, EC2A 4NE
How much: £60 per person
Book now: The Princess of Shoreditch
Alternative Christmas dinners in London
While we will always feel an enduring love for a classic Christmas roast dinner, sometimes, change is a good thing. Take a break from turkey and roasties this year with one of these Christmas dinners in London that offer an alternative to turkey, from tapas feasts to an Indian-inspired spread.
Fiume, Battersea
What: Celebrate Christmas day Italian style at this relaxed riverside restaurant in Battersea Power Station. On Christmas Day, it’s serving a set four-course menu full of elegant dishes from Sicily and Italy. Kick off with yellowfin tuna tartare with avocado cream and cucumber, followed by burrata tortelli with duck ragout, and a butter and sage veal chop with truffle mash and wild mushrooms. For pudding, indulge in grilled panettone with a boozy Zabaione cream.
Where: Circus West, Battersea Power Station, SW8 5BN
How much: £80 per person
Book now: Fiume
Norma, Fitzrovia
What: Since opening its doors in 2019, this fashionable Italian has proved a popular hit with diners and critics alike. Inspired by the cuisine of Sicily, it’s offering a festive feasting menu for groups who book its private dining room. Priced at £80 per person (with more luxurious options on offer too), the sharing-style menu featured the likes of wild boar ragu arancini, pumpkin and ricotta ravioli, winter caponata with focaccia crostini, and artisan panettone with pistachio mascarpone cream.
Where: 8 Charlotte Street, W1T 2LS
How much: £80 per person
Book now: Norma
Smokestak, Shoreditch
What: Gorge yourself on smoked meats this Christmas courtesy of Smokestak. The smokehouse offers a wealth of sharing menus starting from just £50 per person, with highlights including mushrooms on toast with beef fat gravy, pulled pork with pickled cucumber, and beef brisket with mustard barbecue. There’s also a good festive vegetarian menu on offer for the same price, which features lots of clever, slow-smoked vegetable dishes. Warning: you may need a lie down after this one.
Where: 35 Sclater Street, E1 6LB
How much: From £50 per person
Book now: Smokestak
St John, Farringdon
What: For a family feast like no other St John usually offers up a choice of menu options that are sure to keep every friend and relative happy. Guests must simply choose between game, pie or goose for a special three course spread in celebration of that ingredient. For something extra special, order a suckling pig for 15 or 22 people to start, and apple and calvados trifle to finish. Little ones will love the baked-to-order madeleine that come out smelling of butter, warm from the oven.
Where: 26 St. John Street, EC1M 4AY
How much: From £63 per person. Suckling pig from £500
Book now: St John
Dishoom, Various locations
What: Christmas at Dishoom is always a convivial affair, brimming with warmth, merriment and delicious platters of food and drink. Its feasting menu includes lots of Dishoom favourites, plus twists on Christmas classics, such as turkey raan with all the trimmings, its famous house black daal and mince pie kulfi to finish. Vegans aren’t left out of the festive fun either, with a vegan set that includes jackfruit biryani and paneer tikka.
Where: Various London locations
How much: £45 per person
Book now: Dishoom Carnaby; Dishoom Covent Garden; Dishoom Kensington
Christmas dinner in London with kids
Worried about lack of space or child-friendly menus? Eating out with the kids can sometimes seem like more hassle than it’s worth but we’re confident that these spots will set you up for a stress-free festive meal that will have you wishing you ate out with the family more often.
Roast, Borough Market
What: As you would expect from this Borough Market institution, the festive a la carte menu at Roast comprises many a British Christmas classic. The menu begins with a series of snacks for the table, from smoked salmon rosettes to poached oysters with Champagne foam and caviar. Continue the indulgence with a classic turkey roast, or opt for its famous roast beef Wellington, which is served with Madeira sauce and Yorkshire pudding. There are sides aplenty too, from smoked bone marrow sauce to extra roasties. You certainly won’t go hungry here.
Where: The Floral Hall, Stoney Street, SE1 1TL
How much: Prices are on an a la carte basis
Book now: Roast
Riding House, Various London locations
What: If you’re after a restaurant with a more relaxed atmosphere, you’ll be pleased to know that all three of Riding House’s restaurants are serving up plenty of festive cheer (Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury and Victoria). Menus start at £50 per person for its three-course group menu, but there are plenty more options to choose from if you fancy something more extravagant. There’s a dedicated vegan offering too!
Where: Various London locations
How much: From £50 per person
Book now: Riding House Fitzrovia, Riding House Bloomsbury, Rail House Victoria
Restaurants open on Christmas Day in London
Hang up your oven gloves and forget all that endless washing up. Stats show that an increasing number of Londoners now choose to eat out on Christmas Day and when the options are this tempting we can understand why. Here are some of our favourite restaurants open on Christmas day.
JOIA, Battersea
What: JOIA is always a good choice, thanks to its charming art deco flair, stunning highrise views and a menu packed with modern Portuguese comfort food. The restaurant stays open for Christmas Day too, offering Iberian classics like pan con tomate, grilled leeks with romesco, a rack of lamb with patatas bravas, and a rich Portuguese creme caramel to finish things off.
Where: 1 Electric Boulevard, SW11 8BJ
How much: £150 per person
Book now: JOIA
The Ritz, Mayfair
What: This is hands down the most expensive Christmas dinner on our list but if you’re looking for all-out luxury, The Ritz is pretty much top of the tree in London. Coming in just shy of £600 per head, Christmas at The Ritz is an all singing, all dancing affair filled with live entertainment from the Ellingtons Quartet, an award-winning jazz singer, a magician, caricaturist and a visit from Father Christmas. This all comes in addition to its six-course festive feast, of course, which dare we say… makes this splurge worth the spend.
Where: 150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR
How much: £600 per person
Book now: The Ritz
Booking Office 1869, King’s Cross
What: An easy nomination for one of London’s most spellbinding dining rooms, you’ll find the cavernous Booking Office 1869 inside the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. There’s festive private dining on offer for groups of nine plus, but this also makes a stunning spot for Christmas lunch, with Devonshire crab with saffron and citrus fennel, roast turbot with celeriac puree, and Christmas pudding all on the cards.
Where: Euston Road, NW1 2AR
How much: £145 per person
Book now: Booking Office 1869
Sycamore Vino Cucina, Covent Garden
What: Found at the plush and welcoming Middle Eight hotel in Covent Garden, Sycamore Vino Cucina leans into accessible Mediterranean flavours. The beautiful, beachy yellow and blue dining room makes a lovely place to hang out on Christmas day, and you can tuck into the likes of sweetcorn chowder with spiced crab rarebit, roast turkey with Tropea onion and fig stuffing, and a Kahlua tiramisu.
Where: 66 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5BX
How much: £125 per person
Book now: Sycamore Vino Cucina
Beaufort House, Chelsea
What: Home-from-home brasserie and cocktail bar Beaufort House invites guests to experience its cosy interiors and fine dining festive menu on Christmas day this year. The three-course menu keeps things simple with just a couple of options for each course. To start, choose between home-cured salmon or roasted cauliflower with chickpeas and pickled onions, while for main it’s all about the turkey roast (there’s a veggie option, too). Finally, the sweet course includes a choice between Christmas pudding, apple crumble or a fruit salad. These guys are keeping it classic for 2023.
Where: 354 King’s Road, SW3 5UZ
How much: £80 per person
Book now: Beaufort House
Wild Honey St James, Mayfair
What: Looking to go all out on the big day? Michelin-starred Wild Honey is just the place for extravagance and excellent cooking courtesy of esteemed chef Anthony Demetre. Its Christmas Day menu kicks off with a glass of Champagne and a selection of snacks, before launching into six courses of indulgent French fare. Think halibut with Champagne and caviar veloute, terrine of duck, chicken and pork with hazelnuts and winter fruit, and Christmas pudding with brandy butter.
Where: 8 Pall Mall, SW1Y 5NG
How Much: £230 per person
Book now: Wild Honey St James
Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond
What: There are two dining options available on Christmas day at Bingham Riverhouse: a fine dining affair at its Steven Edwards restaurant, consisting of a seven-course menu and optional wine pairing, or a more casual meal in its Garden Rooms where a classic turkey roast dinner takes centre stage. Whichever you choose, it’s sure to be steeped in style.
Where: 61-63 Petersham Road, TW10 6UT
How much: £175 per person for Steven Edwards menu, £125 per person for Garden Rooms menu
Book now: Bingham Riverhouse
Looking for a place to ring in 2023 at? Our guide to the best restaurants to celebrate the New Year might help.
