Which restaurants are open in London on Christmas Day 2022? Whether you're visiting London over the festive period, or are a Londoner wanting to dodge the cooking (or washing up), we've put together a guide to eating out in the capital on 25 December.
Most restaurants won't be open, and it tends to be the high-end (read: pricey) ones which do, with set menus to choose from. So if you want to treat yourself to Christmas lunch at a fancy restaurant or hotel in the capital this year, these are some of your options. You'll need to book in advance for 25 December, as many of these places are popular.
Just remember that there's no public transport in London on Christmas Day (other than cycle hire), so you'll have to find an alternative way there.
Christmas Day at Bōkan London, Canary Wharf
Celebrate Christmas with a view, 37 floors up at Bōkan. The Christmas menu —which is served at brunch and dinner — consists of four courses including chestnut soup with Alsace bacon, ora king salmon sushi with dashi broth and venison queen pear and ginger spice, and baked Himalaya William pear with sorbet. Splash out extra for bottomless prosecco — well, it is Christmas.
Christmas Day at Bōkan. From £99 per person.
Christmas Day at Gaucho, Hampstead, Richmond or Tower Bridge
A glass of champagne kicks off Christmas Day lunch at Gaucho, which then puts its own twist on the rest of the proceedings. The Christmas Day main is a chimichurri butter roasted turkey, or you can opt for beef wellington instead. Precede it with amuse bouche, and starter of either salmon, chicken liver pate, or a Christmas empanada. Dessert is Christmas pudding with brandy butter, or a cheese plate served with chutney and crackers.
Christmas Day at Gaucho, £125 per person.
Christmas Day at The Guinea, Mayfair
Part gastropub, part steakhouse, The Guinea on Bruton Place offers a high-end, five-course Christmas Day menu — think guinea fowl and black truffle ballotine to start, followed by 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.
Christmas Day at The Guinea. £150 per person.
Christmas Day at The Spread Eagle, Wandsworth
Young’s flagship pub, The Spread Eagle in Wandsworth, offers a traditional six-course lunch on Christmas Day, with a children's version available for younger diners. Start with smoked goose breast, or wild mushrooms with goat's cheese, followed by the traditional turkey with all the trimmings (vegetarian option available) — with the option to relax in front of a roaring open fire after lunch. Oh, and the pub doubles up as a hotel if you really want to make a night of it.
Christmas Day at The Spread Eagle. £100 adult/£45 child.
Christmas Day at Benares, Mayfair
Tuck into a festive lunch with an Indian twist at Michelin-starred Benares in Mayfair. The Christmas tasting menu consists of Indian street food snacks to start, followed by an Italian winter truffle shorba and a 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 Rasmalai and delicate petit fours.
Christmas Day at Benares. £132 per person.
Christmas Day at Cinnamon Kitchen, City and Battersea
Another option for an Indian take on Christmas dinner is Cinnamon Kitchen. Both the Devonshire Square and Battersea branches open on 25 December, serving up a five-course feast of modern Indian flavours. Dishes include chilli paneer, followed by grilled partridge breast, Kolkata-style grilled king prawns, tandoori spiced venison, or seared Kentish saddle of lamb, followed up by a lemon brûlée tart.
Christmas Day at Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea or City. £65 per person.
Other Indian restaurants open on Christmas Day include Yaatra at Old Westminster Fire Station, and Babur in Forest Hill.
Christmas Day at The Brook Green Hotel, Hammersmith
Spending Christmas in west London? Boutique hotel and pub The Brook Green Hotel offers a four-course Christmas Day meal consisting of canapes, starters, a main and dessert. It's a choice of turkey, duck, halibut, steak, or a vegan beetroot and celeriac wellington for the main event.
Christmas Day at The Brook Green Hotel. £85 adult/£45 child.
Christmas Day at Skylon, South Bank
Christmas dinner in a sleek, modern restaurant overlooking the Thames? Don't mind if we do. The Christmas Day menu at Skylon comprises five courses plus coffee and mince pies (mains choices are turkey, halibut or butternut squash wellington), and we'd put money on the food being both classy and delicious.
Christmas Day at Skylon, Royal Festival Hall. £155 per person.
Christmas Day at Holborn Dining Room
The Christmas Day menu at Holborn Dining Room sounds very luxurious, and has plenty of options — anyone for cinnamon & orange cured salmon or Cornish crab bisque, followed by traditional roast turkey or salmon en croûte? For dessert, we're eyeing up the dark chocolate delice but other options include traditional Christmas pudding, or raspberry and sherry trifle.
Christmas Day at Holborn Dining Room. £195 per person.
Christmas Day at Ham Yard Hotel, Piccadilly Circus
Start your meal at Ham Yard Hotel (built on the site of the "greatest Christmas dinner ever served") with a selection of appetisers and a glass of champagne, followed by seasonal special starters, mains and desserts — think parsnip and honey soup, beef wellington, poached chicken terrine, and pan roasted halibut. Or, opt for the traditional turkey followed by Christmas pud. Alas, their famous gingerbread cheesecake isn't making a return this year, but console yourself with an eggnog creme brûlée instead. Good, wholesome, festive nosh, very close to Piccadilly Circus.
Christmas Day at Ham Yard Hotel. £160 per person.
Christmas Day at Sea Containers Restaurant
Sea Containers, by the Thames, serves a rather fancy menu on 25 December. Begin with a glass of champagne and venison carpaccio amuse bouche, followed by a starter (cured salmon is one of the options), a main (traditional turkey, sirloin, stonebass or cauliflower and artichoke tart) and dessert. Tea, coffee and mince pies will follow, if you've still got room. Walk it all off on a stroll along the river.
Christmas Day at Sea Containers London. £115 per person.
Christmas dinner at Nicholson's pubs
Most Nicholson's pubs open on Christmas Day, and many of them serve a five-course traditional Christmas dinner, with a separate kids' menu available.
Nicholson's pubs, various locations. Prices vary between locations, deposit of £30 per person required on booking.
