Whether you’re craving traditional turkey Christmas dinners in London or a fusion of flavours from across the world, explore the many Christmas dinner restaurants open on Christmas Day in London for that extra special meal.
Once you’ve decided on the best Christmas dinner in London, make sure to book in advance, as most spots at the top places fill up quickly.
The Cinnamon Kitchen
Spice up your Christmas celebrations with modern-Indian dining at the Cinnamon Kitchen in the iconic Battersea Power Station.
With plenty of vegetarian options, savour fragrant dishes including grilled king prawns with curried yoghurt, achari cauliflower with a hot garlic chutney, lamb keema saag, aromatic root vegetable biryani and paneer dumplings. Top off this unique festive dinner with a garam masala Christmas pudding served with cinnamon ice cream. Or enjoy an Indian fine dining experience on Christmas Day at sister restaurant the Cinnamon Club.
Where: 4 Arches Lane, SW11 8AB
The English Grill
Spend a magical Christmas Day in the heart of royal London at The English Grill. Set in the luxurious hotel, The Rubens at the Palace, this elegant restaurant boasts two AA Rosettes and embraces British flavours with premium seasonal produce.
Tuck into a seven-course festive feast, from venison croquettes to black leg turkey with a pork and apricot stuffing and the grill’s famous dover sole. End your meal on a sweet or savoury note with a salted caramel and hukambi chocolate millefeuille, a traditional Christmas pudding or a delicious British cheese board. Opt for a vegetarian or vegan Christmas dinner to enjoy a delectable smoked nut roast wellington and an amatika chocolate panna cotta.
Where: 39 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0PS
Ekstedt at The Yard
Transport to Scandinavia at Ekstedt at The Yard in Westminster for a four-course Swedish feast. With a focus on Scandinavian cooking techniques, such as using an open fire, Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt has curated an exceptional menu using only the best seasonal British ingredients.
The four-course dinner features the restaurant’s signature Flambadou oyster, birch-fired trout, juniper-smoked sirloin beef, cep mushroom souffle and Swedish candy.
Where: 3-5 Great Scotland Yard, SW1A 2HN
Straits Kitchen at Pan Pacific London
Discover vibrant southeast-Asian flavours fused with western techniques at Straits Kitchen at Pan Pacific London, just a two minute walk from Liverpool Street.
Raise a glass of Taittinger Brut champagne to the festive season with this Christmas dinner buffet like no other. Head to the carving station for traditional options as well as curried monkfish, dry-aged duck and mushroom wellington. Pair with all your favourite festive vegetables and pigs in blankets before trying the apple Biscoff mousse or mandarin burnt orange choux.
As if the day couldn’t get more magical, enjoy a special visit from Father Christmas himself and see London’s tallest Christmas tree, at a spectacular 67ft (20m) with 65,000 lights and more than 800 red and gold baubles.
Where: 80 Houndsditch, EC3A 7AB
Riding House Cafe
Head to London’s West End for an indulgent five-course festive dinner at Riding House Cafe in Fitzrovia.
Kick start the celebrations with its famous artichoke dip topped with a caramelised layer of parmesan on flame-grilled sourdough. Tuck into a trio of rich starters including roast pumpkin with saffron labneh, pomegranates and sumac before a classic Christmas roast dinner, a whole grilled miso bass or a truffled portobello and sweet potato wellington. The cherry on top is the black forest pavlova and a decadent slice of yule log.
Where: 43-51 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7PQ
Theo Randall at the InterContinental
Skip traditions and feast on a five-course Italian Christmas dinner menu in London’s Park Lane at Theo Randall at the InterContinental.
Sip on a complimentary negroni or glass of champagne before indulging in an array of flavourful dishes. Start with burrata or beef tartare before delighting in fresh pasta filled with Dorset blue lobster and sea bass with porcini mushrooms and violet artichokes. Enjoy a selection of Italian cheeses before cleansing the palette with a zesty Amalfi lemon tart or Panettone bread pudding with vin santo ice cream.
Where: One Hamilton Place, W1J 7QY
The Guinea Grill
For 600 years, the Guinea Grill was an old-fashioned pub in glamourous Mayfair. But, since opening the doors to its restaurant in 1952, this historic institution has become renowned for its dry-aged grass-fed British beef.
This Christmas, enjoy a carved dry-aged rib of beef with lamb cutlet, roast potatoes, honey glazed carrots, pigs in blankets, bacon and chestnut brussel sprouts and a fluffy Yorkshire pudding. There’s also butter poached ballotine of Norfolk turkey and a sweet potato, roquefort and walnut gratin, all served with stunning sides. A Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without a traditional Christmas pudding and mince pies.
Where: 30 Bruton Place, W1J 6NL
Le Vacherin
Le Vacherin is a French bistro in the leafy west London neighbourhood of Chiswick. This popular local restaurant serves the best of Parisian gastronomy in a traditional setting with vintage pictures and part-mirrored walls.
The three-course Christmas Day lunch harmonises classic British cuisine with French flavours. Begin with hors d’oeuvres such as white onion velouté, Cornish scallops with apple julienne or a red wine poached pear salad. Follow with duck magret, braised pork cheek or a roasted Norfolk turkey. Round-off your meal with a rum and raisin creme brulee, bitter chocolate torte or a selection of French cheeses.
Where: 76-77 South Parade, W4 5LF
The Duke of Sussex
Just a short walk from London Waterloo Station, the Duke of Sussex is a gastropub serving quality-sourced ingredients and carefully curated drinks.
Celebrate the festivities with a complimentary glass of Prosecco before a divine six-course dinner featuring a selection of canapes, flavourful starters and a fruity palate cleanser. Enjoy a hearty main, from a traditional turkey with all the trimmings to pan-fried halibut, pan-roasted beef and a vegetable bourguignon pie. Indulge in a delicious dessert before warming up with a hot drink and a mince pie.
Where: 23 Baylis Road, SE1 7AY
Babur
Celebrate Christmas with a touch of spice with a three-course feast at another Indian favourite and award-winning restaurant: Babur, in south-east London. Babur’s chefs have reimagined classic holiday flavours, giving them an exotic makeover that promises to make your Christmas Day extra special.
Sip on a Christmas bourbon punch as you share a platter of starters including Scottish salmon dill cake, venison sheikh kebab and pickling spice organic chicken breast. Or choose the vegetarian platter with treats like kale and leek onion bhajis and stuffed paneer tikka.
Then delight in festive favourites with an Indian twist, such as sage and onion-stuffed turkey breast with tikka masala sauce, Punjabi rump of lamb or the halibut coconut mango curry. Festive sides include masala Brussels sprouts, desi tarka lentils and naan. End your meal on a sweet note with Royal Punjabi kulfi, Garam masala Christmas pudding or a delicate red wine-poached pear.
Where: 119 Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, SE23 1JP
Ayllu
Nestled in bustling Paddington, Ayllu is a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant centred around the coming together of family and friends. With dark green and gold décor, it’s a fitting Christmas dinner venue in London.
Choose from three tasting menus and savour fresh and zesty flavours such as salmon and tuna tacos, ceviche and black cod. There’s more traditional Christmas dishes too with brussel sprouts and turkey. All tasting menus come with a Christmas dessert to round off a unique and delicious dinner.
Where: 25 Sheldon Square, W2 6EY
Bluebird Chelsea
Spend Christmas Day in an iconic Grade II-listed Art Deco building on London’s lavish King’s Road. Once a historic 1920s garage, Bluebird Chelsea is an iconic restaurant offering a marvellous four-course Christmas dining experience.
Nibble on some truffle, parmesan and smoked mozzarella before savouring starters such as Devon crab doughnuts and fettuccini cacio e pepe. The star of the show is of course the Norfolk turkey crown, served with turkey leg stuffing, pigs in blankets, root vegetable puree and turkey gravy. Vegetarians can delight in hand rolled potato gnocchi with wild broccoli, fried brussels sprouts and a flavourful garlic, chilli and lemon butter sauce, all topped off with parmesan and truffle.
End your Christmas lunch on a sweet note with the Bluebird Guinness and chocolate steamed Christmas pudding, vanilla crème brulée or black forest Christmas mousse.
Where: 350 King’s Road, SW3 5UU
German Gymnasium
Explore the festive flavours of Germany at German Gymnasium, a restaurant and cafe set in vibrant King’s Cross. With stunning architecture and an iconic 20ft Christmas tree, tuck into a warming four-course menu this Christmas day.
For starters, indulge in slow roast sirloin with potato rosti or a German bacon and emmental quiche, before following with a traditional German goose, German-style cooked kale, red cabbage and gravy. There’s of course a classic turkey dinner with a lingonberry compote or a lemon crusted seabass and a vegetarian wellington. For that something sweet, enjoy a quince and almond strudel, plum tart, chocolate cake with raspberry sorbet or a selection of alpine cheeses with grapes and fruit bread.
Where: 1 King’s Boulevard, N1C 4BU
Quaglino’s
For a Christmas dinner and dance in London, embrace the festive spirit at Quaglino’s, a brasserie-style restaurant in London’s St. James’s offering incredible live music alongside a festive three-course meal.
Kick off the celebrations with a scallop, lobster bisque and Devon crab beignet, chicken liver parfait or wild mushroom and winter truffle tartelette. For the mains, choose from pan roasted wild halibut, a wild mushroom pithivier or a traditional turkey breast drizzled in a cranberry and red wine jus. Desserts include a rich Christmas pudding, chocolate truffle mousse torte or a selection of French artisan cheeses served with a fruit and cognac compote and poached pear.
Where: 16 Bury Street, SW1Y 6AJ
Benares
Named after India’s sacred city, Benares is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair fusing rich Indian flavours with quality British ingredients.
Savour the vibrant Christmas day tasting menu offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. For starters, vegetarians can delight in black truffle and white chocolate galouti kebabs and a samosa ragda tartlet before tucking into a goat’s milk paneer tikka and courgette kofta pulao (rice). Non-veg options include baked Malabar Scottish scallops, tawa masala wild halibut, bronze turkey momos and lamp chop pulao. All menus come with street snacks, traditional Indian ice cream, sparkling chai and a selection of petit fours.
Where: 12A Berkeley Square House, W1J 6BS
Cut at 45 Park Lane
Set in London’s exclusive Park Lane is Cut 45 at Park Lane, a modern take on the classic American steak restaurant. With plush interiors and an elegant atmosphere, Cut’s menu features an extensive selection of finest beef in London.
Start the Christmas celebrations off with a selection of seafood canapes before savouring starters from pumpkin chestnut agnolotti to seared Orkney scallops and celeriac, hazelnut and truffle soup. Delight in a traditional roast Norfolk turkey with a sage and onion stuffing or enjoy filet mignon, dover sole or champagne and truffle risotto. Round off your meal with a Christmas pudding souffle, layered chocolate mousse or Granny Smith apple crumble.
Where: 45 Park Lane, W1K 1PN
Discover more things to do on Christmas Day in London, including visiting the best Christmas markets and admiring the Christmas lights. Or celebrate the festivities in London for less with free and budget friendly Christmas activities.
For a theatrical and immersive Christmas dinner experience in London, book a table for The Great Christmas Feast at Lost Estate.