When it comes to a good Christmas dinner, London has more than its fair share of offerings. Discover the best with this festive guide.
London’s Christmas restaurant scene is buzzing. Whether you’re looking to celebrate the jolly season with family and friends or just want to sample some of the best Christmas dinner London has to offer, we’ve got you covered.
Get ready to tuck into London’s best restaurants for Christmas lunch or dinner.
London Christmas Restaurant Guide: Best Lunches and Dinners
Gaucho
London-wide
If you’re a Gaucho fan, restaurants across London are joining in the Christmas cheer with no less than six different festive menus for groups to share, to be enjoyed in a more traditional three course manner, and to see out the big day in style.
At their Hampstead, Richmond, and Tower Bridge locations they’ll be offering a traditional three-course spread with nice touches like chimichurri butter on the turkey and Christmas empanadas.
It comes with a welcome glass of champagne, amuse bouche, and a post-dessert cheese board to finish.
Roketsu
Nothing screams Christmas lunch like a slap up Japanese dinner… Just kidding. But if you’re into fine dining, this deal is really too enticing to pass up on.
Roketsu is one of the first authentic kaiseki restaurants in the UK – kaiseki is a type of Japanese cooking that comes in a more formal course, a bit like in western cooking.
Head chef Daisuke Hayashi trained at the three Michelin starred restaurant Kikunoi in Kyoto, and is bringing his skills to bear on a ten-course spread guided by the seasons. If that wasn’t fancy enough, his head sommelier is doing a prestige wine and sake pairing to go along with it.
Serving just 16 people per night, this is one of the most exclusive seasonal dinners in London. Book and check out more here.
Bill’s Soho
From the 15th of November Bill’s is running a festive menu with all the nosh you’d want for a good Christmas meal: pancetta-wrapped turkey, salmon steaks, prawn cocktails, honeyed hams. You name it, there’s a high chance they’ll have it.
Their regular all day menu also gets a face lift with the inclusion of a santa burger loaded with streaky bacon, stilton, and red onion relish, and a Boxing Day red Thai turkey curry.
All this and an assurance that Bill’s is probably one of the more reasonably priced places to go for a Christmas Lunch in this guide.
Covent Garden Christmas Village
Covent Garden
Christmas in Covent Garden is always a spectacular sight to behold. Unsurprisingly, it’s also home to some of the most festive restaurants in London throughout winter.
Popping up in the Christmas Village this year is a brand new and highly ‘grammable sleigh, but you’re here to find out what to eat. Covent Garden has two things you should take note of.
From the 8th – 20th of November they’ve got a Winter Warmer festival on. That’s where restaurants and bars in the area all offer deals on winter warming drinks, and not just mulled wine. Expect warm cider, twists on the classics and even glasses of mulled rosé.
Then from the 3rd – 11th of December they’ve got a Christmas sandwich festival where a bunch of Covent Garden restaurants will be offering special Christmas sandwiches on their menus. We’ve got our eyes on the ham and black truffle number at Frenchie.
Lilly’s Cafe
Covent Garden
The winter terrace at Lilly’s in Covent Garden might make the perfect spot to treat yourself to festive four courses.
The menu is live already and includes a warming chestnut soup and market salad, slow-roasted chicken breast (turkey is always too dry anyway), orecchiette pasta and flatbreads, plus mince pies or carrot cake to finish.
The menu is £45 and best of all, you can throw in a bottomless booze option and drink so much you forget what you ate for lunch – a truly authentic Christmas experience.
Heritage Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
Soho
Ready to take a trip to the Alps at Christmas with a visit to Heritage Restaurant & Cocktail Bar?
Everyone knows the Alps do the best Christmases – luckily Heritage brings all the festive vibes right into the heart of Soho.
Step foot into the wooden chalet – we mean restaurant – and it really does feel like you’ve been transported to Switzerland. Warm wood and dim lighting alongside an eclectic mix of art effortlessly balances classy and cool.
What’s more festive than indulging in the salty, cheesy goodness of Raclette, which is poured over slow-cooked pork, potatoes, and roasted vegetables. Or get dipping into some truffle fondue. It’s all delicious.
St Pancras by Searcys
All aboard Europe’s longest Champagne Bar, located under the glazed arched roof of King’s Cross station.
For the full works, the brasserie is offering a christmas menu (£39.50pp for 3 courses). It’s got multiple options for vegetarians, vegans and carnivores and as well as hitting all the traditional notes, includes a few delicious sounding wild cards like roast monkfish and chorizo with a white bean cassoulet.
All of that should be washed down with bottles of the finest champagne money can buy. Christmas at Searcys knows no half measures.
Cinnamon Kitchen
Battersea and City
If you’ve just had it with turkey and stuffing, this is one of our favourite alternative Christmas dinner ideas in London. There are limited edition menus at all restaurants from the Cinnamon Collection this Christmas with bookings also available for Christmas Day.
The Christmas Day 5-course menu at Cinnamon Kitchen includes a choice of modern Indian dishes such as kempu-style stir fry of turkey breast, tandoori saddle of lamb or garam masala Christmas pudding with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream.
The Battersea branch is right on the Thames – perfect for walking off your Christmas lunch. Alternatively, head for The City on Christmas Day and you’ll experience London’s busy metropolis at its quietest.
Brook Green Hotel
Hammersmith
Christmas food by a roaring fire, a pint of bitter or a glass of red to accompany, that’s the scene you’ll find at the Brook Green Hotel.
Their traditional dinner is a hearty feast that kicks off with canapes and a tantalising array of starters like a smoked venison carpaccio that’s got our mouths watering. For mains you’ll have a tough choice between turkey, pan roast duck breast, halibut, and West Country steaks.
All that at a very reasonable £85pp, with veggie options available too. Check the full menu and make bookings here.
Mere by Monica Galetti
Fitzrovia
For an ultra-special fine dining experience this winter, Mere’s intimate and exclusive feel ticks all the boxes.
Mere is owned by husband and wife team – renowned chef and MasterChef judge Monica Galetti and her husband David who was sommelier at the restaurant where they met – Michel Roux’s two Michelin star Le Gavroche.
The private dining room accommodates 10 guests and offers a menu that blends classical French with South Pacific influences. Their 6-course tasting menu includes beautifully presented signature and seasonal dishes and expertly chosen wine pairings.
N.B. Mere is closed between 24th December – 4th Jan.
Frenchie
Covent Garden
Right by the twinkling lights of Covent Garden’s Christmas tree you’ll find Frenchie, the place to enjoy Christmas cuisine French style (and one of our favourite restaurants in central London).
The chicken stuffed with brioche, rosemary and lemon comes with cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts, chestnuts and sage, duck fat roasted potatoes and horseradish creme fraiche. We’re also very much eyeing up the Banoffee pie.
If you’re just swinging by the area, pick up some mulled wine with spiced Madeleines for £12 or boxes of Frenchie’s signature (and très délicieux) bacon scones.
An extra special 7-course menu is available on New Year’s Eve (£170pp) plus a veggie menu (£150pp).
N.B. Frenchie is open Weds-Sunday
The Grill at the Dorchester
Plenty of festivities will take place at The Grill at The Dorchester this season. Head chef Tom Booton has come up with special menus for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s, which will all be enjoyed alongside a programme of live music.
The Dorchester’s other restaurant – three Michelin star Allain Ducasse at The Dorchester – is also laying down dinner on Christmas eve, lunch on the big day and a NYE menu set to live music to bring in the new year in style.
Festive afternoon tea sittings will happen throughout the season, some accompanied by a whole choir singing Christmas carols. That’s definitely one of the best ways to do London at Christmas time.
The Guinea
Mayfair
Nothing says hearty British fare like a good gastropub… So you should definitely have The Guinea on your mind when thinking about Christmas dinner. They’re pretty well renowned on the scene for doing top pub grub.
Their Christmas dinner is a five-course affair (£150pp) with all the classics tarted up to match the mood of the place.
Expect dishes like guinea fowl and black truffle ballotine with green apple salad and buttermilk, alongside mains of roast ballotine of turkey or carved dry-aged rump beef and a lamb cutlet. All served with all the trimmings of course.
Norma
Fitzrovia
Norma is a restaurant for Sicilian-inspired feasting. Groups of 6 or more can gather at ‘Etna’, the private dining room, for a choice of three different feasting menus.
They are priced between £65 – £100 per person and have plenty to whet the appetite for festive feasting. That slow-cooked spiced lamb shoulder has our names all over it – we just hope we’ll still have room for a festive tiramisu.
You might be tempted to come back for the 5-course New Year’s Eve dinner menu too (£90pp).
Ronnie Scotts
Soho
The iconic jazz club Ronnie Scotts are once again putting on their Christmas lunches, a tradition now in its twelfth year. Throughout December lunches are held from 12pm for selected dates between the 2nd of December and the 23rd.
You can of course expect some first class music from Ronnie Scott’s All Stars. Listen to all the legendary festive songs of Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles as you enjoy a 3-course Christmas lunch and glass of prosecco (£90-£100pp).
Le Pont de la Tour
Shad Thames
Until the 31st of December, admire views of Tower Bridge, whilst snuggled up with blankets on Le Pont de la Tour’s terrace.
On Christmas Day, the five-course menu includes roast tornadoes of bronze turkey, mirabelle-cured salmon with plum jelly and of course those delightful mince pies with truffles (£130pp).
And how about a NYE knees up on the river? Bien sûr… It’s a magnifique 5-course tasting menu (£150pp).
The Petersham Nurseries
Richmond
If ambience is what you want to define your festive dinners, look no further than The Petersham Nurseries.
Plants hang from the ceiling, adorn walls, and create cosy dining spaces perfect for a romantic christmas dinner, or a big family affair.
They’ve got festive lunches and Sunday roasts from the 1st – 24th of December plus a big spread of dinners for the days around Christmas, with vegan and vegetarian options to boot (seems they don’t just decorate with plants)
We wonder if they’ll need to put up a Christmas tree…
Madera at Treehouse
Marylebone
Overlooking the London skyline, The Treehouse Hotel is one of our favourite Christmas restaurants in central London. With its proximity to the Christmas lights of Oxford Street and Regent’s Street, you couldn’t get a more festive view from both the Madera restaurant and rooftop terrace – The Nest.
Madera is a beautiful Californian-Mexican restaurant, plant bedecked with huge windows and epic views. An ideal spot for a special festive celebration.
If you fancy a Mexican twist on your traditional turkey, Madera is open for Christmas Day dinner and lunch (£140pp and a children’s menu for £50pp).
Skylon
If you’re spending Crimbo in London, then South Bank is a lovely spot for a bracing Christmas Day walk along the river. Consider then, Christmas Day lunch at Skylon with its spectacular views of the Thames.
For Christmas Day, the 5-course tasting menu (£155pp / £77.50 for kids) has all the festive favourites – salmon, turkey and Christmas pudding.
You’ll also be treated to tantalising dishes such as ‘native butter lobster poached, Tokyo turnip and lobster bisque’, ‘Jerusalem artichoke barigoule’ and ‘spiced butternut squash wellington.’ You best arrive hungry.
Swingers
City + Oxford Circus
There are fun times ahead at Swingers crazy golf venues which have a smashing selection of street foods to get you fuelled up for the big game.
They follow that up with a selection of festive desserts and Christmas cocktails to smash alongside a cheeky nine holes on the course.
Remember you don’t have to play crazy golf to enter, so come as a spectator and make the most of the tasty food and drink.
Practical Tips for Booking Christmas Restaurants in London
- Hurry! Book your Christmas dinner in London ASAP because spaces will book up fast.
- If you had your heart set on a restaurant for a specific date but they’re fully booked, ask to be put on a waiting list as they may have some cancellations.
- Talking of cancellations… Always check a restaurant’s cancellation policy before you book. These vary but often require a deposit (redeemed off the final bill) and particularly for Christmas bookings, you may be charged if cancelling at short notice.
Practical Tips for Booking Christmas Restaurants in London
- Hurry! Book your Christmas dinner in London ASAP because spaces will book up fast.
- If you had your heart set on a restaurant for a specific date but they’re fully booked, ask to be put on a waiting list as they may have some cancellations.
- Talking of cancellations, we’re staying optimistic that Christmas will not be cancelled this year, but… always check a restaurant’s cancellation policy before you book. These vary but often require a deposit (redeemed off the final bill) and particularly for Christmas bookings, you may be charged if cancelling at short notice.
