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The best London restaurants open on Christmas Day
By Tempus | 26 November 2022 | Food & Drink
Don’t want to do your own cooking this Christmas? These hangouts have you covered
If the prospect of laying the table, inviting friends and family into your home and trying not to burn any combination of Yorkshire Puddings, chicken and roast potatoes sounds like too much hassle this Christmas, you're in luck; London happens to be home to dozens of first-class restaurants that will remain open on Christmas Day.
So, once you've unwrapped your presents and treated yourself to a glass of morning champagne, why not try one of these fantastic eateries in the capital?
Bōkan
Celebrate the festivities high-in-the-sky at Bōkan, where Executive Chef Robert Manea and his team have created a stunning festive menu for dining on Christmas Day with a difference.
Inspired by rich European cultural cuisines, the Christmas menu – which is served at brunch and dinner – features four show-stopping courses of chestnut soup with Alsace bacon, ora king salmon sushi with dashi broth and venison queen’s pear and ginger spice, and baked Himalaya William pear with sorbet. Bottomless prosecco for an additional £35 is also available during brunch.
Benares Mayfair
It’s a festive lunch with a special Indian twist at Michelin-starred Benares in Mayfair. 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 (£132 per person).
Tuck into Indian street food snacks to start, followed by an Italian winter truffle shorba and a showstopping citrus marinated Scottish scallop tartlet, before moving onto mains such as mutton momo with winter vegetables and tandoori muntjac with garlic yoghurt & chilli chutney. Round-off the meal with a delicious Rasmalai and delicate petit fours.
Cinnamon Kitchen City & Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea
Located in Devonshire Square, Cinnamon Kitchen City invites diners to break away from the traditional and enjoy a five-course feast that showcases the best of modern-Indian flavours. Start with appetisers such as chilli paneer, followed by delicious starters of grilled partridge breast and Kolkata-style grilled king prawns. Showstopping mains come in the form of tandoori spiced venison or seared Kentish saddle of lamb, whilst desserts are no afterthought with a Punjabi malai kulfi or lemon brûlée tart.
Gaucho, Hampstead, Richmond and Tower Bridge
Take the stress out of the ‘big day’ and head to Gaucho for a truly unforgettable Christmas. Available at Gaucho in Hampstead, Richmond and Tower Bridge for lunch only, tuck into a delicious four-course festive feast, priced from £125 per person. Begin with a glass of Domaine Chandon Brut NV, before tucking into an amuse bouche of roasted corn velouté with sourdough croutons.
Take your pick from a selection of seriously good starters – think cinnamon cured salmon; chicken liver pate with toasted brioche; or a Christmas Empanada with pumpkin, provolone and truffle. For a unique twist on a classic Christmas Day main, enjoy a chimichurri butter roasted turkey, or opt for a showstopping beef wellington. Finish on a sweet note with Christmas Pudding and brandy butter, or indulge in a plate of fine British cheese with chutneys and crackers.
Straits Kitchen at Pan Pacific London
On Christmas Eve and Day, Straits Kitchen is serving up six delicious courses with 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.
Show-stopping mains include 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. A unique Chinese wine pairing is available with the menu.
The Guinea – Mayfair
Eat, drink and be merry with loved ones in the cosy surrounds of this Mayfair institution. London’s first steakhouse and named London’s best pub for food on the 2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list, is offering a stunning five-course Christmas Day menu. Expect dishes including guinea fowl and black truffle ballotine with green apple salad and buttermilk, mains of roast ballotine of turkey or carved dry-aged rump beef and a lamb cutlet, served with all the trimmings including pigs in blankets, cauliflower cheese and gravy. End with the traditional Christmas pudding followed by a sharing cheese board, coffee and mince pies.
Spread Eagle – Wandsworth
Marking its first Christmas since opening, Young’s new flagship pub, The Spread Eagle in Wandsworth, will be serving a traditional six-course lunch.
Bursting with British produce and seasonal ingredients, starters include smoked goose breast with chicory or wild mushrooms with goat’s cheese and truffle honey whilst mains feature English turkey with all the trimmings including Yorkshire puddings, pigs in blankets, truffled cauliflower cheese and ox croquettes as well as vegetarian choices. Post-lunch, relax in front of the open fire or retire for the evening to one of the pub’s 21 boutique bedrooms.
Brook Green Hotel – Hammersmith
Rock around the Christmas tree at The Brook Green in Hammersmith with its roaring fireplaces, hearty festive menus and gorgeous bedrooms. Kick things off with canapés followed by starters of smoked venison carpaccio or Jerusalem artichoke with winter truffle.
Mains include a choice of turkey, pan roast duck breast, halibut, West Country fillet steak or a vegan heritage beetroot & celeriac Wellington with parsnip purée, cavolo nero and red onion gravy whilst desserts feature a classic Christmas pudding or Bramley apple, fig and chestnut crumble. Post-lunch, settle down for a festive tipple in the new Smith’s cocktail bar or retire to one of the pub’s boutique bedrooms.