15 of the best Christmas dinners in London 2025

Loosen your belts, it’s that time of year again. If you don’t feel uncomfortably full at least once a day in December you’re doing something wrong. Sure, Christmas is a time for giving, but it's also a time for feasting. It’s about warming comfort food that makes you feel fuzzy inside, decadent desserts you would ordinarily decline and sparkly cocktails with the richest liquors the bar staff can lay their hands on. Yes, we're talking about the very best Christmas dinners in London. 

Whether it’s for a festive feast with friends, an annual ritual with flatmates, a seasonal celebration with colleagues or even a wintery date with a loved one – December is the month we’ll find any excuse to go for an indulgent dinner or leisurely lunch. It’s also a time for family – catching up with long-lost relatives, treating the kids, or getting better acquainted with the in-laws – a good meal out can really tick all the boxes. Cut out the stress of catering for the thousands by heading to a restaurant instead – nobody needs the extra at this time of year and we reckon we know a professional chef or two that can do a better job anyway. 

Here are some of the best Christmas menus London has to offer, which are sure to get you in the festive spirit. Whether your wallet's feeling the squeeze from all that Christmas shopping or you’re looking to splash out on an all-singing, all-dancing luxe experience, we've got a Christmas meal in London to suit you. We've also included a few venues that are great for hosting larger family gatherings, particularly with kids in tow.

This is the place to find gastropubs, hotels and London restaurant institutions that all celebrate the Christmas classics - a fabulous roast turkey, duck fat roasties, pigs in blankets, and all the steamed veg you can find room for. Don't forge the much maligned Christmas pudding - an essential part of a proper Christmas dinner. That said, we'll allow a sticky toffee. Scroll down for our top traditional Christmas dinners in London.

Cheap Christmas dinners in London

There’s no denying that it’s an expensive time of year – what with all the Christmas drinks and presents you’ve still got to buy. If you don’t want to break the bank but still want to feel like you’re treating yourself then here are some great value choices.

Art Yard Bar & Kitchen, South Bank

What: Art Yard’s playful, artsy design, flattering lighting and cosy manner makes it a rather delightful spot for a relaxed Christmas lunch or dinner. The cooking here is excellent too, so we’ve no doubt that a menu of beetroot-cured gravadlax, roast turkey and caramel sticky toffee pudding will hit the spot. Save a bit of room for a coffee mince pie and petit fours at the end.
Where: 2 Blackfriars Road, SE1 9JU
How much: £45 per person
Book now: Art Yard Bar & Kitchen

The Broadcaster, White City

What: This multi-storey pub and restaurant caters for all sorts, from west Londoners to Westfield Shepherd's Bush visitors to Queen's Park Rangers football fans drowning their sorrows post-match. It has all sorts of great events going on throughout the year, so Christmas is typically excellent here too with a range of very affordable menus offering lots of comforting Christmas cooking. The two course menu is especially good, offering dishes like cured salmon with crushed avocado, potted Cornish crab and blackberry parfait with vanilla creme patissiere alongside a proper turkey roast. 
Where: 89 Wood Lane, W12 7FX
How much: £39 for two courses
Book now: The Broadcaster

Luxury Christmas dinner in London

If you’ve been virtuous all year and have confidence in that Christmas bonus then why not indulge in a luxury feast that will make a mark on your memory as much as it does on your tastebuds.

Quo Vadis, Soho

What: If you’re after a proper festive celebration with maximum yuletide jubilance, you can’t look past a Christmas dinner at Quo Vadis, led by London’s merriest chef, Jeremy Lee. You can expect Christmas at Quo Vadis to start with excellent festive aperitivos and plenty of Champagne, before descending into heaps of pre-dinner canapes (duck liver pate crostinis, anyone?) and then festive feasts at various price points, including everything from the famous Quo Vadis chicken pie, to a magnificent roast turkey, and whole steamed marmalade and ginger pudding.
Where: 26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL
How much: From £55 per person
Book now: Quo Vadis

Bokan London, Canary Wharf

What: We love to celebrate Christmas with a nice view, and Bokan certainly does the business on that front, with gorgeous panoramic vistas over London from the 37th floor of the Novotel London Canary Wharf. The menu has plenty of good choices on offer, from classics like ox cheek in red wine sauce, to more inventive ideas like a grilled Alaska butterfish with yuzu and daikon. We’d recommend keeping the dessert belly on standby for the Amalfi lemon baked alaska.
Where: 40 Marsh Wall, E14 9TP
How much: From £55 for two courses
Book now: Bokan London

Hawksmoor, Various locations

What: Good old reliable Hawksmoor is always here for us when we’re planning a big celebration dinner. Christmas is no exception: Hawksmoor’s festive menus are stuffed to bursting with delicious things, from every cut of steak you can imagine to maple-glazed cows in blankets, beef dripping chips, smoked mackerel salad, and the famous Hawksmoor sticky toffee pudding.
Where: 5a Air Street, W1J 0AD; 16 Winchester Walk, SE1 9AQ; 10 Basinghall Street, EC2V 5BQ; 3 Yeoman's Row, SW3 2AL; 11 Langley Street, WC2H 9JG; 157a Commercial Street, E1 6BJ; 1 Water Street, E14 5GX
How much: From £62 per person
Book now: Hawksmoor Air Street; Hawksmoor Borough; Hawksmoor Guildhall; Hawksmoor Knightsbridge; Hawksmoor Seven Dials; Hawksmoor Spitalfields; Hawksmoor Wood Wharf

The English Grill, Victoria

What: Plump yourself in one of the studded teal armchairs at the boldly British English Grill to experience its multi-course feast. There's a choice of festive menus available, with dishes including smoked chicken and ham hock terrine with apple chutney, turkey roast with all the trimmings, and a homemade Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. If you want something a bit different, you have plenty of options there too - the English Grill even offers a festive curry menu throughout the season. 
Where: 39 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0PS
How much: From £139 per person
Book now: The English Grill

Arthur Hooper’s, London Bridge

What: An iconic, old-school restaurant just off Borough Market, Arthur Hooper’s keeps Christmas classic with dishes like mackerel, beetroot and horseradish, lemon and thyme roast chicken and a hefty cheese selection. Bring a bit of extra cash to dive into some celebratory magnums whilst you’re here.
Where: 8 Stoney Street, SE1 9AA
How much: £55 per person
Book now: Arthur Hooper’s

Pub Christmas dinner in London

Nothing says Christmas cheer like a lovely roast in a lovely old pub. These days London is awash with brilliant boozers serving quality Christmas grub, so we've rounded up a few of our favourites here. 

The Holland, Kensington

What: Chef owner Max de Nahlik has turned The Holland into one of Kensington’s most talked-about gastropubs, blending shabby-chic British boozer bones with his classy British cooking. Christmas dinners are becoming something of a legend in West London - expect chicken liver parfait with tangerine jelly, hulking roast venison haunch in glossy red wine sauce, sharing ribs of beef and a miso triple chocolate brownie.
Where: 25 Earls Court Road, W8 6EB
How much: £55 per person
Book now: The Holland

The Garrison, Bermondsey

What: Beloved Bermondsey gastropub The Garrison is serving up a cracking Christmas dinner once again. This is no ordinary turkey and soggy sprouts situation though - feast on a three course menu that includes game terrine with quince and ale chutney, a chestnut-stuffed turkey with all the trimmings, and a chai pannacotta with spiced plums. Don't worry though, the iconic Garrison Christmas pud is still on the menu for traditionalists. 
Where: 99-101 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XB
How much: £65 for three courses
Book now: The Garrison

The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea

What: Luxe British pub The Cadogan Arms really gets into the Christmas spirit each year with a festive feasting menu on offer. Available from 17 November all the way through to the New Year, the three-course affair starts with seasonal specials such as a Christmas Scotch egg with port and cranberry chutney, followed by either roast turkey or stuffed lamb with all the trimmings. For pudding, what better way to finish than with a blackberry and apple crumble, absolutely covered in vanilla custard? There's also a vegetarian alternative on offer, as well as a brilliant beef Wellington menu with snacks and dessert. 
Where: 298 King’s Road, SW3 5UG
How much: Festive feast menu for £80 per person
Book now: The Cadogan Arms

The Princess of Shoreditch, Shoreditch

What: If you’re after a quality festive dinner in cosy surroundings, where better than one of the capital’s very best gastropubs? The Princess of Shoreditch has a fine reputation for brilliant British cooking, and the festive menu is just £65 a head - a very reasonable price to us for the likes of chicken liver parfait with sherry vinegar gel, a magnificent Christmas dinner, and a punchy Valrhona chocolate torte with Christmas pudding ice cream.
Where: 76-78 Paul Street, EC2A 4NE
How much: TBC
Book now: The Princess of Shoreditch

Christmas dinner in London with kids

Worried about lack of space or child-friendly menus? Eating out with the kids can sometimes seem like more hassle than it’s worth but we’re confident that these spots will set you up for a stress-free festive meal that will have you wishing you ate out with the family more often.

Riding House, Various London locations

What: If you’re after a restaurant with a more relaxed atmosphere, you’ll be pleased to know that all three of Riding House’s restaurants are serving up plenty of festive cheer (Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury and Victoria). Menus start at £50 per person for its three-course group menu, with smart riffs on classic dishes like smaked barbary duck with pickled dates, bone-in chicken schnitzel with mushrooms, and sticky toffee brioche doughnuts for pudding. There's a dedicated vegan offering too! 
Where: Various London locations
How much: From £50 per person
Book now: Riding House Fitzrovia; Riding House Bloomsbury; Rail House Victoria

Jamie Oliver Catherine St, Covent Garden

What: We’ve seen enough Jamie Oliver Christmas specials over the years to know that our Jamie knows his way around a Christmas roast. If homely, reliable cooking sounds like what you’re after, nab a table at his beautiful Jamie Oliver Catherine St restaurant in Covent Garden. The festive menu includes a delightful turkey Wellington, as well as a pork belly porchetta, and a choice of fantastic starters, nibbles, and a figgy pudding for dessert.
Where: 6 Catherine Street, WC2B 5JY
How much: £59 per person
Book now: Jamie Oliver Catherine St

Restaurants open on Christmas Day in London

Hang up your oven gloves and forget all that endless washing up. Stats show that an increasing number of Londoners now choose to eat out on Christmas Day and when the options are this tempting we can understand why. Here are some of our favourite restaurants open on Christmas day.

JOIA, Battersea

What: JOIA is always a good choice, thanks to its charming art deco flair, stunning highrise views and a menu packed with modern Portuguese comfort food. The restaurant stays open for Christmas Day too, offering Iberian classics like pan con tomate, glazed aubergine with romesco, Norfolk black turkey with Madeira sauce, and a rich Portuguese creme caramel to finish things off. 
Where: 1 Electric Boulevard, SW11 8BJ
How much: £135 per person
Book now: JOIA

Smith's Bar & Grill, Paddington

What: A sleek modern restaurant near Little Venice, Smith’s Bar & Grill is putting its own twist on the classics with this Christmas dinner. Kick things off with starters of tuna tartare and scallops, followed by fillet steak with gratin potatoes with a red wine jus, or a slow-cooked turkey with sausage stuffing and all the trimmings. For dessert, think sticky Christmas pudding and quinoa creme brulee with an almond and pistachio tuile. The set menu includes Christmas crackers for groups of 10 or more.
Where: 25 Sheldon Square, W2 6EY
How much: £70 per person
Book now: Smith's Bar & Grill

Looking for somewhere to throw a mega New Year's Eve party? Our guide to the best restaurants to celebrate the New Year might help, or you can check out hundreds and hundreds of private event venues in London, complete with booking details, information, room capacities and more.