The best Christmas Day lunches in Melbourne

Botswana Butchery isn't your average butchery; the opulent venue houses up to 300 diners across its three grand levels that are fitted out with dining rooms, bars and private function areas. This Christmas, it'll be keeping its doors open and hosting a lavish four-course festive lunch with a separate kids' menu so the whole family can enjoy. You can check out the full array of what's on offer via the 'View Menu' link on this page.

$165 per adult, $75 per child. Book here.

Have you ever dreamt of experiencing the grandeur described in The Great Gatsby? If so, that’s entirely possible by booking in for a dinner within the Art Deco-inspired halls of Luci. You’ll enter via the ground floor of the Hilton Little Queen Street and immediately be greeted by a double-height coffered ceiling, ornate plasterwork and decorated columns. The marbled tables, brass light fixtures and plush seating ensure your eyes will be feasting as well. 

The menu is curated by executive chef Sam Moore and features seasonal contemporary Australian fare with some European influences. A five-course chef's selection menu will be available from January 27, but if you're not a fan of a set menu, you can order each item individually. That means you can have as many entrees, mains and desserts as your heart desires.

Start off with an order of the salty and buttery house-baked tomato and oregano focaccia, followed by the fregola made with lobster emulsion and barbequed scallops. It’s reminiscent of lobster bisque combined with creamy tomato risotto, and it’s incredibly comforting. 

If you ask the hotel and restaurant staff what their favourite dish is, the answer will be unanimous: the Macedon duck breast that is dry-aged in house for seven days. Served with duck jus, fennel and slices of apricot, it’s very tender and has all the beautiful qualities of duck without tasting too gamey. Other mains on offer include Kurobuta pork (which is essentially the Wagyu of the pork world), Goldband snapper, O’Conner’s striploin and lamb saddle. 

Doughnut fans should try the bombolone, a deep-fried ring of dough filled with housemade mascarpone and peaches from local farms and served with white chocolate ice cream. The peach cuts through the heaviness of the fried dough, and it feels like a grown-up and sophisticated version of carnival fare. 

The beer and cocktail offerings are quite sparse, but Luci makes up for it with an extensive selection of Australian and French wines served by the glass and by the bottle. And if you’d like a nightcap after your meal, you can also head over to Luci’s sister bar, the Douglas Club. 

To book in for dinner or breakfast, head to the Luci website. 

Can’t decide what to cook this Christmas? Leave it in the good hands of chef Scott Pickett and his team at Chancery Lane. The CBD bistro is serving an upscale spin on your classic Christmas lunch with festive oysters, prawn cocktails, Wagyu beef, pommes frites and more. There's also a kids' menu so the whole family can join in the indulgence. 

$195 per adult, $60 per child. Book here.

Snugly situated in the basement of the new Le Méridien Melbourne, Dolly is an immersive restaurant and cocktail bar that transports its guests back in time to the glamour and mystique of 1930s cinema. Take the stress out of Christmas this year with Dolly's indulgent Christmas lunch, an extravagant seafood buffet with all-you-can-eat holiday roasts, decadent desserts, and free-flowing drinks throughout the celebration. A booking costs $299 per adult and $149 per child (aged 4-12) – view the full menu and secure a table at the website.

The Windsor Hotel’s Grand Ballroom on Spring Street is a magical place to spend Christmas Day. It’s one of just two times a year that patrons can dine in the historic dining room under a canopy of stunning moulded ceilings, skylights and chandeliers. Though tickets don’t come cheap, entry secures you access to a feast of fresh seafood, roasts and two type of desserts , plus free-flowing wine, beer and soft drinks. 

$468 per person, including drinks. Book here. 

Located a stone’s throw from Flinders Street, the Duke is the perfect gathering place for your friends or family this Christmas Day. Hosted on the newly renovated first level, a three-course share style feast will allow you to sit back, relax and spend quality time with the family without worrying about any kitchen disasters. Start with oysters, Queensland prawns and local cold cuts before moving onto the stars of the show – bourbon and apricot-glazed turkey, slow-cooked turkey with cranberry sauce and pan juices and currant, fig, whiskey and chetsnut stuffing. Two hours sittings will be available at 11am and 2pm, with more info available at the website.

$145 per adult, $45 per child. Book here.

This gorgeous boutique hotel's restaurant, Langlands, has promised a "naughty but nice" twist on its Christmas lunch – ideal for those seeking a festive dining experience that's a little bit different and breaks away from tradition. Instead of stuffy stuffing, gloopy gravy, and dry roast turkeys, dig into a generous array of bottomless starters, including freshly shucked Tasmanian oysters, chilled tiger prawns, premium cold cuts, and sophisticated summer salads. Share-style mains feature Southern Ranges beef, Western Plains pork, New Zealand snapper, and pavlova for dessert. There'll also be free-flowing bubbles, cocktails, house wine, beer, mocktails and soft drinks, making this feast one of the better value ones around Melbourne this year. Get more info at the website.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to dine at Nobu, this is it. The Christmas lunch menu is a chance to sample the Japanese restaurant's show-stopping sushi and sashimi, plus Mayura Signature 9+ Wagyu striploin and Glacier 51 toothfish. You’ll finish with a yuzu and vanilla chocolate mousse with exotic summer fruit cream and pineapple compote. A glass of Veuve Cliquot Champagne is included in the package. 

$250 per adult, $125 per child. Book here. 

The Conservatory at Crown Casino is renowned for its all-inclusive buffet and there’s absolutely no better time to experience it than on Christmas. Offering both a lunch and dinner seafood buffet, the venue is also putting on a program of live entertainment to add to the merriment. Curious about what'll be on the menu? Take a look here.

$295 to $475 per adult (includes a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne), $147.50 to $237 per child. Price variation depends on your choice of a lunch or dinner reservation. Book here. 

Say Joyeux Noël this Christmas with Bistro Guillaume’s five-course lunch. Dishes include smoked salmon and caviar-topped blini, Abrolhos Island scallop crudo, Wagyu beef tenderloin with truffle jus, spinach and Parisian fried potatoes, salads, French cheese and a chocolate praline choux pastry for dessert. 

$250 per adult (includes a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne), $125 per child. Book here.

Crown Casino’s Cantonese fine diner, Silks, will offer its own take on Christmas lunch this year with a five-course spread for $250 a head. The menu is playful yet highbrow, with dishes like marinated baby abalone, pumpkin crab soup, seared scallop, stir-fried Wagyu, Singapore chilli lobster, crispy garlic chicken and black truffle fried rice. Dessert is a gingerbread-spiced milk chocolate mousse with Chinese plum jelly and green tea crumble. Yum.

$250 per adult (including a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne), $125 per child. Book here. 

This bar and pub is turning off the sports and diverting its attention to a specially curated three-course lunch menu this Christmas, with a complimentary drink on arrival. Celebrate in two-hour sittings and enjoy festive takes on Aussie classics like prawn cocktails with brandy-spiked sauce, fresh Queensland prawns, the obligatory mince pies and everyone's favourite, the pav. 

$140 per adult, (including drink on arrival), $45 per child. Book via the website.

The iconic Esplanade Hotel is hosting a spectacular Christmas lunch in the main bar with honey-glazed ham, a sprawling seafood banquet and three hours of flowing tap beer or wine. Or if that’s not your speed, head upstairs for a Cantonese meal at the stunning eatery, Mya Tiger. If you’re keeping things casual, the Main Bar will also be serving up a select menu of Espy faves like stone-baked pizzas, seaside-inspired snacks, punchy cocktails and more. Just bring yourself and your festive cheer! Doors open from midday until 5pm.

$175 per adult including drinks, $65 per child. Book here.

Get down to the Prahran Hotel this Christmas Day for a rip-roaring shared banquet of seafood, roasts and decadent desserts, plus a free-flowing tap beer, cider, wine and soft drinks. Though a juicy bourbon and apricot glazed ham with mustard steals the show, there are also plenty of veg-friendly options. Click here to see the full menu.

$140 per adult including drinks, $45 per child. Book here. 

Heading to Geelong for the Christmas break? Keen on a festive road trip? Make sure you stop in for lunch at Tempo Kitchen and Bar. Located in the heart of the waterfront city, this vibrant new eatery is offering an epic shared-style feast complete with tasty platters, a seafood tower (loaded with oysters, prawns, lobster, mussels and smoked salmon), roast with all the trimmings and a dessert buffet. If that's not going to put you in a Christmas food coma, we don't know what will.

$289 per person (plus booking fee). Book here.

Indulge in a Christmas buffet overlooking the shores of Albert Park Lake at the Pullman and Mercure. The lunch offering includes all of the traditional trimmings, including fresh seafood (sushi, oysters, prawns and more), a honey mustard glazed ham on the bone, wide selection of salads and a turkey breast filled with cranberries and roasted pistachios. You can also feast on an incredible line-up of desserts including a gingerbread trifle,  Ferrero Rocher dome and classic French croquembouche. Okay, we're feeling hungry now.

$340 per adult. $75 to $150 per child. Book here.

Vegans rejoice, because the Local in Port Melbourne is hosting a plant-based Christmas lunch of epic proportions (as well as a carnivorous one for the meat-eaters in your life). From a mushroom and chestnut roast to a dark chocolate delice, lunch at the Local will ensure you don’t miss out on any of the holiday cheer. 

$125 per adult, $35 per child. Book here. 

If you can’t decide between turkey and ham on Christmas, fear not because the Auburn Hotel in Hawthorn East is offering both this year. And make sure you save some space for the end-of-meal cheese selection, featuring blue cheese, brie, smoked cheddar, quince paste, lavosh and muscatels. Click here to view the full Christmas Day menu.

$150 per adult, $55 per child. Book here. 

The Hawthorn Hotel is offering a three-course Christmas lunch complete with a drink on arrival and all your favourite fixings. For the little ones in the group, there’s also kids’ charcuterie and even a chipolata mini-roast. Click here to see the menu.

$130 per adult (including a glass of sparkling wine), $45 per child. Book here.

Located just off the banks of the Yarra, the Prince Alfred is a lovely destination for your holiday meal. It's offering a three-course Christmas lunch that’s sure to satisfy your whole crew, with oysters, roasts, cheese platters and dessert. There's also a vegan menu for the plant-based eaters in your family. Click here to see the menu.

$130 per adult (including a glass of sparkling wine), $45 per child. Book here.

Ensure your Christmas is the best in the west by booking a spot at the Station Hotel. The Christmas lunch includes a three-course shared meal of holiday favourites like turkey with sage and onion stuffing and chipolata or king prawn cocktail. Click here to see the Christmas Day menu.

$160 per adult, $20 to $45 per child. Price variation depends on age. Book here.