Where to dine out on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Miami

Seven different types of fish feel like an overload? Available for Christmas dinner only from 5:30PM-10PM, Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli’s Luca Osteria will be offering a "Feast of the Seven Dishes" featuring some of the restaurant’s coveted specialties, like includes Luca's signature patate fritte, pasta al limone, and short rib bolognese. And at $65 per person, this is a hot and delicious ticket. 

Is there a more sophisticated way to celebrate Christmas Eve than listening to a jazz band as you indluge in a four-course dining experience prepared by a former Chopped champion? Chef Pawan Pinisetti's menu includes a range of options, from the restaurant's signature Sweet P Cappuccino (it's not what you think it is) to Ora King salmon to a rosemary-imbued rack of lamb. Wine pairings will be available and as a proverbial stocking stuffer, fresh truffle can be sprinkled on your dish tableside. Dec 23-25 6–10:30pm; $98

At the ritzy St. Regis Bal Harbour, Atlantikós will serve a unique Mediterranean-inspired Christmas Eve feast for 2023. The three-course menu features items like truffled carpaccio and slow-cooked lamb shank. Dec 24 5–10pm; $95

On Christmas Day, retreat to the Ocean View Ballroom to indulge in a decadent brunch spread complete with seafood and carving stations plus live music overlooking the Atlantic. Dec 25 11:30am–4:30pm; $135, children $65

Boia De and El Bagel join kitchens again for their 5th annual Boia Bagel Christmas Day Brunch. The much anticipated party overflows Boia De, with guests sprinkling out into the parking lot sipping wine and such. Reservations go live on December 5th and so far, we know the menu includes bagel benedicts, latkes, matza balls in brodo and massive bottles of Champagne. 

Loaded brunches are great and all, but when better to kick start a healthy year than on January 1st? The Strand, Carillon Miami's beachfront café is hosting a brunch from 11:30am to 3:30pm. Seriously, you can't beat the view here – nor the brunch spread. We're talking pistachio waffles with whipped Greek yogurt, lobster benedict and griddled chocolate bread pudding. A $28 bottomless mimosa package seals the deal. Dec 25 11:30am – 3:30pm; A la carte

Celebrate Noche Buena at one of Miami's best Cuban restaurants – and one of the World's 50 Best Bars. Little Havana's La Trova serves up a modernized, family-style Cuban feast on Christmas Eve. The three-course, pre-fixe menu includes highlights like seafood paella croquettes with saffron aioli, endive and pear salad, hamachi crudo and halibut in white clam and chorizo sauce, among others. For dessert, tuck into arroz con leche de coco and flan de la flaca. Dec 24 5–10:30pm; $95, children $30. 

If you're looking to catch Santa flying on Christmas eve, Area 31 might be your best chance. This upper floor restaurant at the Epic Hotel boasts a stunning view of Downtown and Brickell, and they're offering a special holiday menu on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – in addition to their regular brunch and dinner menus. We're talking a fresh kale and avocado salad with strawberry-vanilla vinaigrette, pork belly and kimchee-glazed brussel sprouts, braised lamb shank and sticky toffee for dessert. 

The upscale Korean steakhouse invites diners in for a pre-Christmas feast dubbed the Feast of Seven Steaks, featuring seven cuts of Cote's top USDA Prime and American Wagyu beef as well as lamb. An assortment of Korean sides accompanies the dishes, including pickled vegetables and salads and Gogi Cha “Butcher’s Tea,” a consomme from American wagyu brisket. Soft-serve ice cream with soy sauce caramel rounds out the meal. Dec 24; $225.

This upscale Italian restaurant is getting so into the holiday spirit this year, they're doing a "12 Days of Christmas" feast. From December 14 through December 25, indulge in spirited dishes like Prime Delmonico Steak Wellington paired with boozy mulled wine. The restaurant’s signature a la carte will also be available. Dec 14–25

Have you caught Feast of the Seven Fishes on Netflix yet? If the movie has you all in your feels, celebrate the Italian-American tradition at La Fuga at the Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach. The menu is available à la carte or as a prix-fixe (starting at $115) that includes a spritz and a glass of wine, too. 

Address: 2900 Riomar St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Savor a Peruvian spread on Christmas Eve. The Brickell Key restaurant is pulling out all the stops with a lavish family-style pork feast and buffet stacked with La Mar classics—from live seafood rice station to an array of anticuchos. Plus, you could also get a la carte dishes like La Mar’s signature Whole Fish Nikkeior the Ají de Gallina Empanadas. La Mar's pricing structure makes it an accomodating choice for families with teens. Dec 24; $240 (21+), $145 (ages 7-20)

You want something that feels warm and familiar like a home cooked meal – except by a chef. Head to The Drexel for a table filled with holiday classics by the team behind Mandolin Aegean Bistro. Think wood-roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, haricot vert (read, delicious green beans) and a skillet crumble – in a setting that feels as close to Europe as you're going to get in Miami. Dec 24–25 5-10pm; $82

Broken Shaker's Chinese Take Out returns for another Christmas Day! Chef Jimmy Lebron will create a menu of to-go classics like krab rangoons, pork dumplings, shrimp shumai, mongolian beef, dan dan noodles and more. Dec 24

Like to feast, but don't like to pre fixe? Toro Toro is hosting an a la carte Pan-Latin spread for both Noche Buena and Christmas Day at the InterContinental Miami with a range of creatively prepared dishes, from zucchini salsa-drenched cassava to chili-oil tinged scallop crudo. Entrée highlights include bone-in beef short rib with grilled calabaza-maple purée and the crispy maitaki and tempura squash blossom. Saturday, Dec 24 6pm; December 25 12–11pm; A La Carte

A mainstay for diners looking for a spectacular view and solid seafood offerings, Rusty Pelican is the exact restaurant one expects in Miami. Celebrate Christmas at this iconic and historic spot, where guests can indulge in a four-course brunch or à la carte dinner specials like 5lb Caribbean Snapper while taking in panoramic views of the sparkling Miami skyline. Diners can also add on bottomless mimosas for $30. Dec 25 11am–6pm, 5–11pm

Perched on the sophisticated and always bustling Brickell Avenue, Truluck’s owns its own fisheries in Naples, where crabbers get fresh catches daily and deliver them within 24 hours. On Christmas Eve, diners can enjoy their favorite seafood dishes from the regular menu, as well as seasonal items like the Holiday Nog ($15.50) and Peppermint Chocolate Cake ($14).
Dec 24 5-9:30pm; à la carte

It doesn't get more extravagantly classy than a Christmas meal at Contessa. They'll have all their classics on offer – lobster capellini, branzino, squash carpaccio, premium truffle toppings – plus some holiday-only delights like pecan pie and lemon.