16 of the best Christmas dinners in Manchester for 2026

If you’ve hosted a chaotic festive family dinner one too many times then it might be time to look elsewhere. Enter: our Manchester Christmas dinner restaurant guide. Take yourself and your loved ones out for a meal at one of the many restaurants in Manchester this Christmas and let the experts do all of the planning and cooking for you.

If you’re anything like us, festive family meals at home can become more than a little stressful. Planning what you’ll be serving up, juggling a thousand pans, and a vast mountain of washing up to deal with once you’re finished eating, when all you really want to do is flop down on the sofa in a food coma. Ringing any bells?

Whether you’re visiting home or are based here full time, you’re in luck, because we’ve rounded up the best Christmas dinners Manchester has to offer. Manchester is full to the brim with great food offerings, and that continues right into the festive season. From work events to dinner with the grandparents and fun Christmas nights out with friends, we’ve got a Christmas menu for every occasion.

While some are festive riffs on Manchester’s best Sunday roasts, (think classic roast turkeys, slow-cooked beef, and glazed hams), you’ll also find some more unusual options - festive pizza, anyone? Whatever you’re in the mood for this Christmas, there’s more than likely something out there for you. So have a little scroll through our guide, find your favourite festive menu, and make your Christmas dinner dreams come true by booking a spot nice and early.

Hawksmoor Manchester

What: What started as one of London’s best steak restaurants has now branched out to other cities across the UK, and we couldn’t be happier. If you’re looking for a restaurant that knows its way around a piece of meat, then you’ll struggle to find somewhere better than Hawksmoor to cook your festive dinner. Choose from several sharing set menus, all of which come served family-style just like a home-cooked dinner. Exact dishes depend on which menu you’re going for, but starters range from the classic potted beef and bacon to ash-baked beetroot, old spot belly ribs, and roasted scallops. Mains offer your choice of grilled steak (with a variety of cuts), Winslade Wellington or charcoal-grilled monkfish.
How much: Two courses from £65, three from £70
Where: 184-186 Deansgate, Deansgate, M3 3WB
Book now: Hawksmoor Manchester
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at Hawksmoor Manchester

Dishoom Manchester

What: If you’re after a more unique Christmas dinner, you can never go wrong with Dishoom's generous, comforting festive set menus. As you’d expect, Dishoom has fun, festive sharing menus running alongside their standard feasting offer. The festive menu includes the classics, like keema pau, house black daal, and chicken Ruby, along with festive twists like parsnip and kale chaat, alongside turkey raan - a whole turkey leg, slow-cooked over the course of a day and served with winter vegetables, roasted with honey, chilli and hazelnuts. In the spirit of the season, you’ll also get unlimited sides. Then, to finish, there’s tipsy orange cream cake. Stunning.
How much: £49.50 per person
Where: 32 Bridge Street, M3 3BT
Book now: Dishoom Manchester
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at Dishoom Manchester

Mowgli Street Food

What: Mowgli offers a home-from-home atmosphere and the perfect food for sharing at Christmas. Yes, it's not your traditional roast dinner or beef Welly, but it is a haven of warming spices, colourful plates, twinkling lights and a comforting industrial-chic vibe. Coming with a big group? You'll find various group and private dining areas for all party sizes. As for the menu, a Christmas feasting menu beginning with bubbles or a soft drink kicks things off in the best way. We're talking signature yoghurt cat bombs, followed by fenugreek fries, gunpowder chicken and Himalayan cheese toast with a choice of tiffin boxes followed by ice cream to finish.
How much: Three courses for £40 per person
Where: Corn Exchange Manchester, Exchange Square, M4 3TR
Book now: Mowgli Street Food Manchester
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at Mowgli Street Food

Browns

What: Browns is a staple, particularly around Christmas. Housed in a spectacular Edwardian baroque building, the dining room here is all high ceilings, arched windows, and beautiful marble - exactly what you want when you’re treating yourself to a festive dinner. The food follows suit with equally impressive things. We’re talking starters like prawn cocktail with Bloody Mary cocktail sauce, duck liver parfait with fig and honey chutney, along with hearty mains like the signature festive turkey with all the trimmings (including Cumberland pigs in blankets) as well as cranberry glazed pork belly and pan-seared trout. Plus, every guest booked between 10 and 30 November will get a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
How much: Three courses for £46.50 per person (or £40 on Mondays and Tuesdays until 8 December)
Where: 1 York Street, M2 2AW
Book now: Browns
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at Browns

The Tavern at King Street Townhouse

What: The Tavern pulls out all the stops for celebratory Christmas dining, complete with a special festive private dining menu, reeling off starters like roast pumpkin soup and dashi cured salmon, hearty mains from turkey ballotine to red wine braised beef short rib, and finishing with a festive trip of desserts including apple crumble choux buns, cranberry and vanilla cake and a chocolate and honeycomb delice. Canape and bowl food menus are also available, as is a Christmas Day dinner complete with pressed ham hock and duck liver terrine and roast bronze turkey with chestnut and apricot stuffing.
How much: Three-course private dining menus for £65 per person
Where: 10 Booth Street, M2 4AW
Book now: The Tavern at King Street Townhouse
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at King Street Townhouse

All Bar One

What: If drinks and a party atmosphere are what you’re after, All Bar One is the place to go. This cocktail favourite always pulls out the stops for Christmas. A choice of either a three-course set menu, group feasting menu, and a host of cocktails means you’ve got options too. The set menu kicks off with plates of prawn cocktail tacos, panko-crusted camembert and salt and pepper chicken, moving on to roast turkey rolled in streaky bacon, miso salmon, sirloin steak with chimichurri and a chicken and hot honey festive burger with cranberry chutney. Going informal? The feasting menu guarantees plenty to share, with all the heavy hitters and some snackable options such as garlic and chilli king prawns for good measure.
How much: Three courses from £37 per person
Where: 73-79 King Street, M2 4NG
Book now: All Bar One
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at All Bar One Manchester

Treehouse Manchester

What: Treehouse Manchester goes all out at Christmas and at the heart of its festive offering is Pip, the hotel's spectacular main restaurant. Led by chef Mary-Ellen McTague, each year, the festive menu features honest comforts. Last year, we saw the likes of Yorkshire Christmas Pie, and Mrs Beeton's Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and spiced quince for dessert. Vegetarians were well looked after too - thanks to a hearty veggie roast with shiitake mushrooms and red wine gravy. From twinkling fairy lights to tables decorated with pine cones and holly, Treehouse Manchester is guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit.
How much: Four-course lunch for £58 per person, a six-course dinner from £75 (2025 pricing)
Where: Blackfriars Street, M3 2EQ
Book now: Pip at Treehouse Manchester
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at Treehouse Manchester

Podium Restaurant

What: For something a little more polished, Podium takes things in a smarter but equally festive direction, tucked inside The Manchester Deansgate Hotel at the foot of Beetham Tower. Last year’s Christmas menu leaned into proper seasonal cooking, so think along the lines of chicken breast with smoked chicken and cranberry stuffing, chestnut ravioli, and braised Cumbrian ox cheek among the options. Desserts included a caramelia chocolate and chestnut Yule log with candied chestnut ice cream, gingerbread tiramisu with brandy mascarpone, and a winter berry tart. We're expecting more delicious things for this year.
How much: Two courses for £40, three for £50 (2025 pricing)
Where: 303 Deansgate, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 4LQ
Book now: Podium Restaurant
Want to make it exclusive? Discover private hire options at The Manchester Deansgate Hotel

Zouk Tea Bar & Grill

What: Christmas lunch doesn’t have to mean turkey and trimmings. Zouk gives things a decidedly Indian twist with its festive Tiffin, served as a generous platter with a choice of meat, vegetarian or vegan dishes, plus rice, salad and naan or tandoori roti. The meat version comes with a Punjabi-style meat samosa, butter chicken and lamb karahi, while the vegetarian option swaps in halloumi pakora and Mutter Paneer. It’s available on weekdays throughout the festive season, making it a particularly handy option for a Christmas team lunch or a daytime get-together. It also happens to be one of the most affordable on this list, so that’s always a win.
How much: £17.50 Christmas lunch tiffin
Where: Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Chester Street, M1 5QS
Book now: Zouk Tea Bar & Grill

Tattu

What: Tattu always puts on a show for Christmas. Don’t get us wrong, it’s gorgeous all year, but when the temperature drops, the team here transforms the restaurant. It’s different each year, with previous festive facelifts emerging as a wintry blue haven, inspired by Azure - a mythical spirit from Far Eastern folklore and tradition. Christmas menus at Tattu are just as magical, promising indulgence and comfort. Across multiple menus at different price points, you’ll spot plates like glazed beef short rib, mixed dim sum platters, and Szechuan rock shrimp to start, followed by caramel soy aged beef fillet, salt-grilled Japanese black wagyu, and many other treats to share.
How much: Three courses from £76 per person
Where: 3 Hardman Square, Gartside Street, M3 3EB
Book now: Tattu

The Oast House

What: The Oast House is beautifully decorated, especially at Christmas time, making it a great venue for your Christmas meal. This year, the team has wrapped in a free glass of Prosecco or a can of Camden Pale on arrival, followed by a board of nibbles to share: pigs in blankets glazed in Staropramen and honey mustard, and crusty bread lashed with chicken butter. Mains keep things fairly simple, offering a choice of rotisserie turkey breast with all the essential trimmings, and a mushroom Bourguignon pie with rosemary salt potatoes. Just remember to book in advance!
How much: From £38 for three courses (price variable depending on day of the week)
Where: The Avenue Courtyard, M3 3AY
Book now: The Oast House

Albert's Schloss

What: Alpine-inspired bar, Albert’s Schloss is an ideal setting for a Christmas meal, so it’s no surprise that this Bavarian restaurant pulls out all the stops with comforting food, live entertainment and festive tipples. Available as two- or three-course set menus, last year's Christmas menu kicked off with a choice of Alpine croquettes, chicken liver pate, or bier onion soup. Mains were in keeping with Albert’s Schloss’ Bavarian theme, including Schweinshaxe (crispy roasted pork knuckle), mushroom and celeriac roast, and sauerbraten beef. Top it all off with Albert’s signature apple strudel, chocolate roulade or Northern Bloc ice cream.
How much: £38 for two courses, £45 for three (2025 pricing)
Where: 27 Peter Street, M2 5QR
Book now: Albert's Schloss Manchester

Grand Pacific

What: Inspired by the golden age of high society, Christmas dinner at Grand Pacific is a classy occasion. It promises a festive dining hall, decorated with wreaths and twinkling lights, and some extravagant dishes to boot. Festive menus haven't yet been released for 2026, but have previously included spiced butternut squash soup, chicken liver parfait quince, and smoked Scottish salmon to start, with generous mains of braised feather blade of beef, celeriac and mushroom Wellington, and traditional roast turkey with sage stuffing and glazed piccolo carrots. Desserts, meanwhile, offered a zesty glazed Meyer lemon tart, Christmas sticky toffee pudding, and a white chocolate ginger bauble.
How much: Three courses for £45 per person (2025 pricing)
Where: 50 Spring Gardens, M2 1EN
Book now: Grand Pacific

Higher Ground

What: One of Manchester's star restaurants, Higher Ground takes Christmas to new heights with seasonal feasting menus for lunch and dinner. The lunch menu is brilliantly priced, and you’ll also have the chance to add on orders from the a la carte menu. Christmas dishes here include yellow pea fritters with Berwick Edge cheese, crown prince squash soup, and coal-roasted leeks with oyster cream, Lyme Park venison with chestnut mushroom and pickled garlic, all topped off with a malted barley pudding with custard. Throw in exceptional service, a superb drinks list and the mesmerising theatre of a busy open kitchen, and this is one of our favourites.
How much: Festive lunch menu for £40 per person, dinner menu for £65
Where: Falkner House, New York Street, M1 4DY
Book now: Higher Ground

The Black Friar

What: The Black Friar is a gastropub on the edge of Salford with warm, cosy interiors that blend traditional pub decor and modern comfort. Christmas dining follows the same theme. Festive set menus offer two to three courses, kicking off with oak smoked salmon with marmite and cheddar scones, chicken liver and port parfait, and roast sweet potato and garlic soup. Options like turkey ballotine, festive spanakopita, the signature steak and ale pie, and root veg tarte tatin follow, while desserts present updated festive classics, like a Christmas pudding knickerbocker glory, tiramisu trifle with espresso jelly, and Basque cinnamon cheesecake.
How much: Two courses for £39, three courses for £47
Where: 41 Blackfriars Road, Salford, M3 7DB
Book now: The Black Friar

Bruco

What: Set in the heart of Manchester city centre, Bruco is a stylish Italian restaurant perfect for those looking to add a Mediterranean twist to their festive feasting. Groups of eight or more can tuck into a Christmas set menu, which last year, started with the likes of festive arancini with cranberry, taleggio and honey, or spicy ‘nduja and mozzarella pizzette. Mains continued with hearty plates, ranging from roast Italian porchetta or butternut squash with seasonal sides including balsamic carrots, broccolini, and cavolo nero. Finish on a sweet note with Italian classics - think tiramisu, panettone bread pudding or amaretto panna cotta.
How much: Three courses for £45 per person (2025 pricing)
Where: 5 Murray Street, M4 6HS
Book now: Bruco

If you’re planning a large Christmas dinner or a group dinner at any time of year, you’d better take a glance at some of the best private dining rooms in Manchester. That way, you can be properly taken care of and treated like kings and queens in your own exclusive room.

Alternatively, if luxury and indulgence are what you’re after, you’ll find plenty of that on our top picks for the best afternoon tea in Manchester.