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  • London restaurants open on Christmas Day 2008

  • Compiled by Caomhan Keane

  • One of the great London luxuries is Christmas dinner in a restaurant. Here are our picks of the capital's best places to get your turkey and Christmas pudding dished up for you - restaurants, gastropubs, even a boat


  • Central | North | South | East | West

    Central
    Artisan
    Artisan’s four-course menu promises to delight the senses. Priced at £70 per adult (£45 for the under-14s), it includes smoked salmon, foie gras, turkey, plus bûche de noël and traditional Christmas pudding to finish.
    Artisan, Westbury Hotel, 37 Conduit St, W1S 2YF(7629 7755/www.westburymayfair.com).

    Christmas Lunch Cruise
    What better way to spice up Christmas than sailing down the Thames with City Cruises? During the four-hour cruise you’ll be served a four-course meal featuring turkey or, for vegetarians, slow-roasted butternut squash filled with a black truffle and asparagus risotto. Dress is smart-casual with a cash bar throughout. Sailing from Westminster Pier at 12.30pm, it costs £92.50 per head.
    City Cruises, Cherry Garden Pier, Cherry Garden St, SE16 4TU (7740 0400/www.citycruises.com). Feature continues

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    The Landmark
    Best for festive atmosphere
    This grand old railway hotel will host both lunch and dinner in its beautiful Winter Garden restaurant, located within its eight-storey, glass-roofed central atrium. Five-course Christmas lunch costs £165 (£80 for pre-teens, free for children under five), with a visit from Santa Claus and a glass of Taittinger Champagne included.
    The Landmark, 222 Marylebone Rd, NW1 6JQ (7631 8000/www.landmarklondon.co.uk).

    Langtry’s
    The Cadogan Hotel’s regal dining room will be serving a five-course menu with mulled wine and Champagne for £125 per person.
    Langtry’s, Cadogan Hotel, 21 Pont St, SW1X 9SG (72016619/www.langtrysrestaurant.com).

    Marcus Wareing
    Lunch or dinner at Marcus Wareing will cost £185 per head. Expect white onion velouté with chilled nutmeg foam followed by a roasted and glazed fillet of Aberdeen Angus beef, then Christmas pudding with custard and ice-cream to finish.
    Marcus Wareing, The Berkeley Hotel, Wilton Place, SW1X 7RL (7235 1200/www.the-berkeley.co.uk).

    Rhodes W1 Brasserie
    Christmas pud with syruped kumquats and Drambuie custard? Where do we sign? Rhodes W1 Brasserie’s three-course Christmas dinners is £75 per head. A vegetarian menu has artichoke and goat’s cheese Wellington.
    Rhodes W1 Brasserie, Great Cumberland Place, W1A 4RF (7479 3737/www.rhodesw1.com).

    Veeraswamy
    Christmas curry!
    London’s oldest Indian restaurant will be serving a decadent four-course meal costing £65 from 12.30-3pm.
    Veeraswamy, Mezzanine Floor, Victory House, 99 Regent St (entrance Swallow St), W1B 4RS (7734 1401/www.realindianfood.com).

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    North
    Nauroz
    Stuff the turkey!
    Open noon to midnight, you’ll have a tough time finding a cheaper, or less traditional dinner than at this authentic family-run Pakistani restaurant. It’s licensed but you can BYO for no extra charge.
    Nauroz, 219 Field End Rd, Middlesex, HA5 1QZ (8868 0900).

    Paradise by Way of Kensal Green
    The decor’s stone angels make this a suitable backdrop to a Christmas meal. Vegetarians can enjoy butternut squash, wild mushroom, spinach and goat’s cheese Wellington while traditionalists can opt for Goosnargh turkey or Highland venison. Meals are £65 per head (£35 for kids).
    Paradise by Way of Kensal Green, 19 Kilburn La, W10 4AE (8969 0098/ www.theparadise.co.uk).

    The Vine
    This delightfully laid-back pub is laying on a three-course lunch featuring English grub and fine Italian nosh for £45 a head. A £10 deposit is required per person and you are asked to pre-order meals by emailing info@thevinelondon.co.uk.
    The Vine, 86 Highgate Rd, NW5 1PB (7209 0038/www.thevinelondon.co.uk).

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    South
    Butlers Wharf Chop House
    For a traditional British celebration, head to this riverside spot to feast on roast Norfolk Bronze turkey with all the trimmings, or rib of beef with Yorkies. Several other restaurants in the D&D London group are also open on Christmas Day – check their website for full details.
    Butlers Wharf Chop House, Butlers Wharf Building, 36E Shad Thames, SE1 2YE (7403 3403/www.danddlondon.co.uk).


    Little Bay
    Best cheap Christmas meal
    Little Bay’s branches (Battersea, Kilburn, Croydon and Farringdon) each have a different Christmas menu, ranging from £24-£29. In Battersea they’ll be serving turkey, sea bass, rib-eye steak and, for the vegetarians, oyster mushroom risotto. Only Santa knows how they do it for the price.
    Little Bay, 228 York Rd, SW11 3SJ (7223 4080/www.little-bay.co.uk).

    Windmill
    Various Young’s gastropubs, including Vauxhall’s Riverside, are open on Christmas Day but this Clapham stalwart impressed us with its wide choice of main course options including Norfolk turkey, roast pheasant, loin of pork, Dover sole and vegetarian cutlets with tempura vegetables. Great British puds provide a flag-waving finale.
    The Windmill, Clapham Common South Side, SW4 9DE (8673 4578/www.windmillclapham.co.uk).

    Central | North | South | East | West

    East
    Browns Bar & Brasserie
    Best for solo diners
    Enjoy an affordable four-course lunch in the company of new friends at Browns’ special communal table for people who would like to make single bookings but do not want to dine alone. The Islington Green branch will also be open for Christmas lunch. Browns Bar & Brasserie, West India Quay, Hertsmere Rd, E14 8JJ (7987 9777/www.browns-restaurants.com).

    Hoxton Grille
    The Hoxton Grille’s three-course Christmas menu has a choice of roast turkey, halibut, or potato, leek and wild mushroom tart for £60.
    Hoxton Grille, The Hoxton, 81 Great Eastern St, EC2A 3HU (7739 9111/www.hoxtonhotels.com).

    Simplicity
    Three courses and a glass of bubbly at this charming local in the heart of Rotherhithe will cost £70. The menu includes plenty of tradition but also some more exotic treats.
    Simplicity, The Hoxton, 1 Tunnel Rd, SE16 4JJ (7232 5174/www.simplicityrestaurants.com).

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    West
    The Bingham
    Sip on a Champagne cocktail before tucking in to a six-course lunch (seared scallops, roast organic turkey, duck and foie gras ballotine) for £95 a head, or £135 with matching wines (and £50 for pre-teens).
    The Bingham Hotel, 61-63 Petersham Rd, Richmond, Surrey TW10 6UT (8940 0902/ www.thebingham.co.uk).

    The Devonshire
    Chiswick’s Ramsay-owned gastropub will be serving Christmas dinner from 6pm and three courses will set you back £65.
    The Devonshire, 126 Devonshire Rd, W4 2JJ (7592 7962/www.gordonramsay.com).

    The Park Terrace
    Best buffet feast
    The buffet at this Kensington Gardens hotel will mix Crimbo favourites with new ideas. The £100 a head (£55 for pre-teens), includes a glass of Champagne, coffee and mince pies.
    The Park Terrace, Royal Garden Hotel, 2-24 Kensington High St, W8 4PT (7937 8000/www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk).

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  • Add your comment to this feature

5 comments

  1. Posted by Carol Gould on 24 Dec 2008 18:54

    I live near Edgware Road in the Marylebone-Paddington area and everything is open because it is a predominatly Middle Eastern enclave. If you don;t fancy traditional trukey dinner there are Iranian, Palestinian, Iraq and Lebanese restaurants galore from Frampton Street all the way to Marble Arch.

  2. Posted by Greg on 22 Dec 2008 11:19

    This isn't a very extensive list for a city like London.......

  3. Posted by Sammy on 21 Dec 2008 20:53

    Last year our oven died and we went to Yas Restaurant on Hammersmith Road (opp Olympia) which is like a charcoal grill place that does amazing chicken, lamb etc. I think they are listed on this site. It's not a christmas menu but the food is very good and reasonable.

  4. Posted by michael on 19 Dec 2008 18:37

    Anything for under 50 quid a head? - Anything for under 20 quid a head? Anything that isn't a Xmas dinner?

  5. Posted by Eleanor Chiari on 19 Dec 2008 05:05

    I had a wonderful Christmas with my family one year at Sarastro on Drury Lane. The exaggerated decor full of gold and feathers combined with Christmas music and the small little balconies was just what the doctor ordered on Christmas day. I recommend it. (Also, don't forget to notice the risquee frescoes in the bathrooms!)

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