With the nights getting crisper and festive lights twinkling in restaurant windows, it’s time to dose up
on Christmas spirit in the capital. Whether you opt for carols in the City, mulled wine and spice-laden cocktails, a celebratory Champagne breakfast, or a trip back in time on the Orient Express,
get festive in style with Square Meal’s guide to Christmas menus and events in London.
Christmas in the City
Tuck into sugar, spice and all things nice, either in the restaurant’s dining room or on the heated, marquee-covered terrace. Anise bar is serving Christmas cinnamon bellinis, while the restaurant
is matching the merriment with its contemporary brand of warming Indian dishes.
Special menu deals at Boundary
Up to and including Christmas Eve, Boundary is extending its opening hours to serve midweek and weekend lunches to Christmas revellers. The full à-la-carte menu is available as usual, plus a two-
or three- course prix-fixe Christmas menu (£19.50/£24.50).
Carols by the river at The Gun
On Saturday 10 December at 5pm, The Gun will host a riverside carol service. Pop in, grab a song sheet, a glass of mulled wine and a maybe hog-roast roll, and join in with The Blossom Street
Singers, a dynamic vocal ensemble who sang to Prince Charles on his 60th birthday and who will lead the singing.
Four-course festive menus at Refettorio
Under the auspices of superstar chef Giorgio Locatelli, Refettorio is serving pre-Christmas guests with special four-course lunch and dinner menus, available until 23 December. The menu, which
costs £49/£59 for lunch/dinner, includes a glass of Prosecco, coffee, petit fours, and a Christmas surprise or two.
Start the day with a bubbly breakfast at Roast
This Borough Market restaurant is hosting Champagne breakfasts in the run-up to Christmas – a great way to begin a day of food shopping. After breakfast, wander round the market (which is operating extended opening hours), sipping mulled wine and indulging in more festive treats.
Enjoy the après-ski experience at The Well
The Well’s basement has been turned into a Scandinavian ski lodge for the Christmas season. Enjoy festive set menus, including pheasant, partridge and pigeon terrine with quince-and-rosemary toast,
and Bramble Farm turkey with Périgord-truffle stuffing and goose-fat roast potatoes. Three courses including coffee/tea and petits fours costs £37 (add British cheeses and a glass of Taylor’s Fine
Tawny Port NV for an extra £12.50.)
Get festive in central London
Treat yourself to Christmas afternoon tea at Betty Blythe
Indulge in a Christmas afternoon-tea experience at this temple to good food and vintage style. Savoury options will include finger sandwiches such as Brie and cranberry, turkey and stuffing, or
smoked salmon on rye with dill, while homemade mince pies, mini cupcakes, fruitcake, and chocolate brownies will satiate sweet tooths. The afternoon tea costs £28, including spiced Christmas tea
and festive crackers. What’s more, there’s a wallet-friendly bring-your-own drinks policy.
French Bubbles, a boutique purveyor of grower Champagnes, has launched a Champagne-and-cheese pop-up in Covent Garden. Sample more than 20 Champagnes, paired with French cheese and charcuterie from
Une Normande à Londres – and buy some to give to family and friends. The pop-up ends on 31 January.
Warming Christmas cocktails at Dishoom
Sup warm winter Pimm’s and Christmas chais spiked with Baileys to get yourself into the Christmas spirit this December. The restaurant is also serving ‘festive feasting’ menus to soak up the
alcohol – including a turkey raan roll.
Festive feasts at Fifteen
The chefs at Fifteen have put together seasonal menus showcasing the best ingredients winter has to offer. Dishes include slow-roast ‘porchetta’ with celeriac, cavolo nero and salsa verde, and
spiced pannacotta with red-wine mulled pear and ginger biscotti. Three courses cost £35; a sharing menu is also available for £50 per person.
For the ultimate luxury lunch this Christmas, hop aboard The Orient Express. Settle down in a cosy armchair in one of the Pullman’s luxurious carriages and enjoy a five-course lunch with Champagne,
all served by liveried stewards. The Orient Express will depart from London Victoria on set days until 21 December. Lunch
costs £300, including a glass of Champagne and half a bottle of wine per person.
Choose from six bespoke menus at Red Fort
Indian restaurant Red Fort is offering diners a choice of six bespoke set menus at lunch and dinner. Choose from salmon tikka, corn-fed chicken with spicy onion and red-chilli sauce, or grilled
paneer with roasted fennel and tomato chutney. Lunch menus cost from £25; dinner from £40.
Christmas classics at Zilli Fish
Aldo Zilli is treating diners to a selection of his signature dishes and traditional Christmas classics, including lobster spaghetti, roast pork belly with rosemary potatoes and apple sauce, and
vegetarian nut roast with mushroom dressing. Three courses cost £35.
Santa comes to neighbourhood restaurants
This quirky south London restaurant is serving an Italian alternative to the traditional Brit Christmas. Guests can tuck into warm aperitivos or sharing cocktails served in (fully decorated) hollow
plastic Christmas trees, plus sweet treats such as panettone stuffed with zabaglione. Carry on the celebrations on the venue’s karaoke floor.
Throughout December, Odette’s is offering a three-course Christmas menu alongside its usual menus. The main course, of course, is roast turkey with all the trimmings. The three-course set menu
costs £30 at lunch and £50 at dinner.
Local Irish folk and blues musician Emmet Scanlan and guitarist and soul singer Huw Price will perform in the restaurant from 6.30pm on Wednesday 14 and 21 December. Diners can enjoy delicacies
such as seafood platters, foie gras, thick-cut steaks and desserts from chocolate brownies to Neal's Yard cheeses. In the spirit of giving, the restaurant will be collecting donations to the
Trinity Hospice, which provides specialist end-of-life care.
Find restaurants that are opening on Christmas Day 2011.