Christmas Eve London: 20 things to eat, drink and do

Let’s face it, Christmas Eve can sometimes be a bit of a strange sort of day. Everyone has mentally clocked off for Christmas, but in reality there’s still a day to go before you can start ripping into presents and getting tipsy on Bucks Fizz. Trust us - it’ll fly by a lot quicker if you keep yourself good and busy.

Christmas Eve in London can be pretty quiet, because most of us have disappeared to our parents/in-laws/family/cats, and decided to stay at home to wait for the big day to arrive. You’ve been to countless Christmas parties, worn all your festive knits, eaten your bodyweight in mince pies, finished your advent calendar, but now what? If you don’t have a turkey to stuff, a stocking to fill or any last minute Christmas shopping to do (no judgement), then Christmas Eve can actually be – dare we say it - a bit of an anti-climax.

This doesn’t have to be the case. It’s a bit of a myth that everything has already started to close up for Christmas by the 24th, when, in fact, there are still plenty of things to do in London on Xmas Eve. So, if you search around a little bit for things to keep you entertained and don’t resign yourself to the day disappearing in anticipation of what’s to come, Christmas Eve can be a day to look forward to in itself.

With so much going on in London on Christmas Eve, why not decide that this is going to be the year you’re going to change things up a bit? Save the Christmas films for another day, get out of the house and continue festive frolicking across the capital. Below, we’ve put together a guide to all of the great things you can do to keep yourself busy this year, including where to head for a cracking Christmas Eve dinner in London, and most importantly, where to be merry on 24 December.

Where to eat on Christmas Eve 2025

Ok, so a big meal the day before Christmas might not seem like an obvious plan, but we like to think of it as good practice. Enjoy your last moment of pre-Christmas freedom before the big day arrives at one of these delightful spots.

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Mayfair

What: If you’re pushing the boat out for Christmas Eve, is there anywhere more glamorous to do it than Alain Ducasse’s three Michelin-starred gastro-temple at The Dorchester? The Christmas Eve menu is a cavalcade of stunning, luxurious cooking, from a dish of Dorset crab with celeriac, apple and Kristal caviar, to seared foie gras, and roasted Challandais duck with turnip and orange. There’s also a wine pairing that unveils some wonderful recent vintages of Puligny-Montrachet and Sauternes.
What's on offer? A six course menu with wine pairings
Where: The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, W1K 1QA
Book now: Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

Arepa & Co, Haggerston, Bethnal Green, and Elephant & Castle

What: Fancy something a bit different? Arepa & Co is the place to go to discover what Venezuelan Christmas is all about. Two sharing menus are on offer, each delving deep into seasonal South American food, like Pastelitos - beef turnovers with apple sauce, sweetcorn pancakes with shredded beef and fried plantains, tres leches cake, and cassava chips with paprika salt. All that for a very reasonable £32.50!
What's on offer? Three or five course set menu
Where: 58A De Beauvoir Crescent, N1 5SB; 254 Paradise Row, E2 9LE; 8 Ash Avenue, Elephant Park, SE17 1GQ
Book now: Arepa & Co Haggerston; Arepa & Co Bethnal Green; Arepa & Co Elephant Park

Theo Randall at the InterContinental, Mayfair

What: Still one of London’s great ambassadors for Italian food, Theo Randall’s festive menus at the InterContinental take you on a tour of the whole country. A special Christmas Eve dinner includes vitello tonnato with pickled tuna, capers and green beans, as well as seafood risotto, pan roasted sea bass in a white wine sauce, and Randall’s famous Amalfi lemon tart with creme fraiche. Plus, you get a glass of Champagne or Negroni into the bargain, all for £99 per person.
What's on offer? A four-course tasting menu
Where: 1 Hamilton Place, W1J 7QY
Book now: Theo Randall at the InterContinental

Duck & Waffle, City of London

What: The view from Heron Tower is always a big part of the attraction of Duck & Waffle, but the festive menus are delicious too. If you’re looking for a festive way to start your Christmas Eve, then Duck & Waffle has just the thing, boasting a spread of cheesy polenta croquetas, grand pigs in blankets and caviar and sourdough blinis, followed by some of its classic brunch mains. All enjoyed from 40 storeys up - what could be more magical?
What's on offer? A festive brunch
Where: 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY
Book now: Duck & Waffle

1 Lombard Street, City of London

What: This City of London veteran has been hosting business lunches, celebratory dinners and drinks parties for a quarter of a century now, and the Christmas menu at 1 Lombard Street is always worth checking out. Grab a table in the restaurant for some classic British cooking - dishes include an excellent ham hock terrine with celeriac remoulade or roasted Torbay cod with creamed leeks - or head up to the beautiful Dome Bar for one of 1 Lombard Street’s signature sips.
What's on offer? A three-course set menu
Where: 1 Lombard Street, EC3V 9AA
Book now: 1 Lombard Street

The English Grill at The Rubens at the Palace, Victoria

What: Christmas Eve deserves to be celebrated with all the pomp and circumstance of one of London’s finest hotels. If you’re not already visiting to try the festive afternoon tea or iconic Christmas sandwich, then a Christmas Eve celebration may be on the cards. Head to the hotel’s English Grill restaurant on 24 December and enjoy a carefully curated a la carte full of signature mains such as beef wellington with lobster sauce, cherry smoked sea trout with Cornish crab stuffed courgette flowers and plenty of steaks straight from the grill.
What's on offer? A festive a la carte menu
Where: 39 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0PS
Book now: The English Grill at The Rubens at the Palace Hotel

Charlie’s at Browns, Mayfair

What: This five-star hotel goes all out each Christmas transforming into a Winter Wonderland with its sprawling decor, festive garlands and plenty of twinkling Christmas trees. For those visiting on the 24th, you can enjoy an indulgent celebration with menus offering prawn and lobster cocktails, and duck liver terrine with toasted brioche to start, followed by grilled halibut with creamed potatoes, or Charlie’s beloved beer wellington with a truffled bordelaise. Still need convincing? The evening finishes with Charlie’s yule log served straight from the trolley.
What's on offer? A three-course set menu
Where: 33 Albemarle Street, W1S 4BP
Book now: Charlie's at Browns

Bokan London, Canary Wharf

What: Located on the 37th floor of the Novotel Hotel, Bokan is a showstopping option for your Christmas Eve celebration. Throughout December, guests can enjoy a variety of festive offerings, with a special six-course tasting menu available on the 24th. Start with pumpkin soup with goat's cheese croissant, followed by hand-dived scallop with carrot, parsnip and mango, and hunter’s capon with truffle and wild mushrooms. There’s one sitting at 7.30pm - so don’t be late!
What's on offer? A six-course tasting menu
Where: 40 Marsh Wall, E14 9TP
Book now: Bokan London

Where to drink on Christmas Eve 2025

 For many people the Christmas Day hangover is just part and parcel (excuse the pun) of the big day. But even if you can’t face a sore head in the morning, a tipple at any of these bars could be just the ticket for getting you in the festive spirit before facing the onslaught of relatives.

The George, Fitzrovia

What: The George is a proper pub in every way, from the gorgeous dark timber panelling and bar to the quality festive menu and drinks selection. On Christmas Eve we suspect it'll be packed with Guinness drinkers - this is one of the best pints of Guinness in the city after all - but bartenders here also know how to mix up a great cocktail, and they make perhaps the best Irish coffee we've had in London. Pair that up with top class bar snacks and festive favourites and The George is the ideal place to settle in for some Christmas Eve drinking. 
Where: 55 Great Portland Street, W1W 7LQ
Book now: The George

Dover Yard Bar at 1 Hotel Mayfair, Green Park

What: What more can we say about 1 Hotel Mayfair? With a restaurant overseen by two Michelin-starred Tom Sellers, and an annual festive pop-up, there aren’t many better places to spend the run up to Christmas. Festive group dining is available right up until 24 December, so you can head for dinner before sitting back with a tipple at the Dover Yard Bar. Expect bespoke cocktails, made with repurposed ingredients, whilst surrounded by its cosy, nature-inspired backdrop.
Where: 3 Berkeley Street, W1J 8DL
Book now: Dovetale at 1 Hotel Mayfair

Le Magritte at The Beaumont, Mayfair

What: One of our favourite bars in London for any time of year, Le Magritte exudes old-school charm and class, from the cherrywood wall panelling to the alabaster columns and granite-topped-leather-edged ebony bar. The staff here are exceptional, mixing some of the best classic cocktails in London as well as serving rare bourbons and special whisky cocktails - plenty to tempt you into one of the cosy red tub chairs by the open fireplace.
Where: 8 Balderton Street, Brown Hart Gardens, W1K 6TF
Book now: Le Magritte at The Beaumont

Nessa, Soho

What: We love Nessa’s slick art deco charms, and would feel thoroughly pleased to find ourselves here in the restaurant or in the bar. The restaurant is serving a fantastic Christmas menu this year (including a gorgeous crispy roast chicken with truffle and potatoes) but we love the Nessa bar too, which serves some lovely warming seasonal cocktails over the winter.
Where: 86 Brewer Street, W1F 9UB
Book now: Nessa

St Pancras Brasserie & Champagne Bar by Searcys, King's Cross

What: We never feel more classy than sipping on bubbles at the St Pancras Brasserie & Champagne Bar, where Searcys curates a superb collection of Champagne, as well as some delicious bar snacks. Who knows, you might find yourself caught in the moment and jumping on a last minute Eurostar to Paris.
Where: Grand Terrace, St Pancras International Station, N1C 4QL
Book now: St Pancras Brasserie & Champagne Bar by Searcys

Things to do in London on Christmas Eve 2025

Be the proactive friend for once and make a plan that will make this less a day of limbo and more a day of revelry. These activities are sure to turn even the most cynical of scrooges into celebratory Santas with mulled wine and mince pies aplenty.

Visit Hogwarts in the Snow, Hertfordshire

What: It’s no secret now that Potter-heads can grab a train from Euston to Watford Junction to visit Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, where all the sets from the film have been preserved for you to explore. Over Christmas, Hogwarts gets a festive makeover, with the Great Hall bedecked in holly, tinsel and Christmas trees, Diagon Alley covered in a blanket of snow, and all the other sets dressed up to resemble Christmas scenes from the films.
Where: Studio Tour Drive, WD25 7LR
Book now: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Ice Skating at Somerset House, Strand

What: Undoubtedly the prettiest and most iconic of London’s ice skating venues, the rink at Somerset House is large enough to spread your bambi limbs without knocking down a neighbour. Situated in the stunning 18th century courtyard the venue also hosts live DJs, a pop-up alpine restaurant - The Chalet by Jimmy Garcia - and a pop up store in collaboration with Shelter, where you can buy re-loved items to support local charities.
Where: Somerset House, WC2R 1LA

Karaoke at Lucky Voice, Various locations

What: Belt out some Christmas bangers at Lucky Voice, which now has numerous sites spread all over London (so you really have no excuse). Gather your mates for a wholesome Christmas carolling session, or just use it as an excuse to explore Lucky Voice’s 13,000-strong song catalogue. Room service is all included in the price for two hours, with lots of food and drink options to choose from.
Where: Various locations
Book now: Lucky Voice Liverpool Street; Lucky Voice Soho; Lucky Voice Waterloo; Lucky Voice Islington; Lucky Voice Holborn

Christmas at Kew Gardens, Richmond

What: Kew Gardens gets lit up for Christmas, as this huge botanical garden turns into a winter wonderland with neon-lit tunnels and trees, dancing reflections, flickering flames and light shows. Kew always brings in a host of street food vendors too so you’ll never be short of a bite to eat, a hot chocolate or a mulled wine.
Where: Kew Gardens, TW9 3AE

Visit a Christmas market

What: If you didn’t visit a couple of Christmas markets and drink your weight in mulled cider, did Christmas even happen? We’re not sure, but we’ll certainly never find out, thanks to the abundance of cheery festive markets that pop up all over the capital in the winter. Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is by far the biggest, but there are lots of markets worth a visit - take a look at our round-up for more.
Where: Various locations
Read more: The best Christmas markets in London

Visit a cosy pub with an open fire

What: Nothing blasts away the wintery chill and makes us feel festive like the crackle of an open fire, and if you’re not fortunate to have one at home, don’t fret - there are lots of pubs in London that get their fires going for Christmas. We’ve rounded up our favourites, so pick your favourite, go early and grab yourself an armchair by the fire.
Where: Various locations
Read more: The cosiest pubs with real fires in London

Fire & Fromage, South Bank

What: For three months a year, Jimmy Garcia opens his South Bank raclette bar and douses us in an abundance of melted cheese and toasted marshmallows. It’s right up there with our favourite winter dining experiences, and every year we scoop melted cheese, new potatoes and mini chocolate doughnuts into our mouths, it makes us feel very Christmassy indeed.
Where: The Queen's Walk, SE1 8XX
Book now: Fire & Fromage

For more inspo check out our guide to the best Christmas dinners in London. Or, if you love a deal, try one of the capital's best Christmas set menus, for festive feasting all throughout December.