Boston restaurants open on Christmas

Since 1975, this refined Harvard Square stalwart has led the local farm-to-table charge, celebrating regional ingredients with an elegant, seasonal menu. The kitchen personifies a sophisticated approach to New England dining. Locally-sourced seafood and meats, plus homemade pastas, are all meticulously and imaginatively prepared. It’s certainly that typical cozy, comfort food you’d expect on Christmas Day, just without you having to do all the prep.

Nestled inside The Charles Hotel, this farm-to-table dining experience offers a uniquely fresh approach to your Christmas day eats. Stop in for breakfast from 7am to 11am or for an a la carte meal from noon until 6pm. Expect warming dishes that feature local, seasonal ingredients, lots of fresh vegetables and seafood.

Open for Christmas Day Dinner, this chic bistro from Sandrine Rossi offers a colorful space to toast the holidays at the Porter Square Hotel. Diners select from a range of small plates, both hot and cold, offering fresh spins on French classics such as steak tartare, mussels and steak frites. Their French wine list is phenomenal, but nothing quite embodies a celebration like a glass (or bottle) of champagne—joyeux Noël!

Located within the longstanding Fairmont Copley Plaza, on the border of Boston’s Back Bay and South End neighborhoods, is a central bar-lounge outfitted in cozy leather bar stools and red furnishings. It's the perfect place for a festive Christmas Day martini (they’re renowned for their tableside martini service) or casual dinner fare in an elegant setting.

Alcove is the first restaurant from local hospitality veteran Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli (Island Creek Oyster Bar, Eastern Standard) and the kitchen merges New England-sourced ingredients with Mediterranean techniques and flavors. If you’re seeking warmer weather amidst our harsh winters, Alcove’s menu will take you on a culinary trip with coastal dishes that temporarily transport you to the Med. Check the site for their holiday hours and offerings, which will be released in the coming weeks.

Located at Encore Boston Harbor, Rare Steakhouse offers one of New England’s most uniquely curated steak selections, offering classic filets and bone-in ribeyes, as well as domestic Wagyu and Japanese Wagyu cuts, including an A5 Kobe striploin or tenderloin (Encore Boston Harbor is the only Kobe Beef Federation user registered in Massachusetts). Treat yourself to turf or opt for surf this Christmas Dinner, during the restaurant’s opening hours, from 3pm until 10pm. There’s a special three-course holiday menu, which is priced at $85 per person that will be released before Thanksgiving.

As one of the Back Bay’s most popular special occasion restaurants, Abe and Louie’s understands the allure of the classic chophouse and delivers on every level: red banquette booths, dark wood paneling, and prime Midwestern steaks aged at least 30 days on the bone. It’s no wonder then that this restaurant is open on Christmas Day as it provides the ultimate atmosphere for a swanky holiday lunch or dinner. Choose from their collection of corn-fed, Midwestern, USDA Prime Grade cuts of beef or go all in with a seafood tower.

At this iconic waterfront hotel, diners have options. Choose from Christmas Day brunch at the Atlantic Room, breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea at Sea Grille, or a casual meal at the Rowes Wharf Bar. Brunch seating starts at 11am, with the last seating at 3pm (dining room closes at 4pm) where guests can expect live jazz and a visit from Santa. The venues are also open on Christmas Eve, in case you’re seeking out a staycation situation for the holiday.

Part of North End restaurateur Frank DePasquale’s local empire, Mare’s calling card is its crudo menu, best enjoyed on the sleek patio with fire pits and a retractable roof that makes year-round al fresco dining possible—even on Christmas Day. The kitchen preps a variety of Italian-accented seafood dishes, as well as a handful of plates whose ingredients don't hail from the ocean.

Just outside downtown Boston, Baramor is a newcomer to Newton Center. The restaurant and bar specializes in scratch kitchen dishes and craft cocktails—all while giving back to the community. Their permanent fundraiser is entitled “Pull for Charity” and donates $3 for every pint pour of rotating beers from Ipswich Ale Brewery to partnered charities, including Newton Food Pantry, New England Hemophilia Association and Dream Big!. Stop by on Christmas Day between 3pm and 1am to celebrate the holidays with the Baramor team and have a glass of cheer—namely, a pint of beer to play your part in giving back this holiday season (their December charity is Project Citizenship).

Tucked inside the Liberty Hotel, on the cusp of Boston’s charming Beacon Hill neighborhood, Clink is open from 7am until 8pm on Christmas Day. Stop by for breakfast or lunch, when a special Christmas Brunch Menu will also be available (from 7am until 3pm). For dinner, Clink is offering a special holiday menu that showcases the restaurant’s signature seafood and Italian fare. Raise a glass and do as the restaurant name implies—clink.

For many families, a steakhouse and Christmas dinner go hand in hand. Whether or not this is your typical tradition, you can’t deny that a classy night out in the Seaport makes for a festive affair. Mastro’s offers luxurious surf and turf with stunning views of Boston Harbor from floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can watch the city lights twinkle as you indulge in sizzling steaks, decadent seafood towers and a range of appetizers and entrees, from oysters and crab cakes to sushi and lamb.

This North End hotspot is famed for its martinis and homemade pasta dishes, served in its moody-lit, suave dining room. This year, it’s open on Christmas Day from noon until 8pm and will be serving a special menu featuring Italian favorites, seafood and premium steak cuts. Check their website for the soon-to-be released menu, in case you’re seeking a specific dish.