The most indulgent Christmas menus in London this festive season
Looking for the perfect place to celebrate the festive season with your friends, family or work colleagues? This year these London restaurants are pulling out all the stops to offer up some indulgent and innovative Christmas menus. From Michelin-starred dishes and traditional roasts to more alternative feasts, there’s something to suit every taste this season. Here, we’ve rounded up the finest festive menus in London to book now.Â
Petersham Nurseries
Throughout December
There are few spots more enchanting than Petersham Nurseries, and that’s doubly true during this time of year, when their Richmond and Covent Garden sites come alive with wreath-making classes, Christmas tablescaping sessions and festive feasting. Throughout December, there’ll be Christmas menus on offer at the Café in Richmond and The Petersham and La Goccia in Covent Garden, where you can kick things off with a festive Fig Bellini before sitting down to guinea fowl and ham hock terrine with piccalilli and toasted sourdough, truffle risotto and roasted partridge with seared quince and spiced red cabbage. To satisfy your sweet tooth, there’s mulled wine poached pear with Petersham honey ice cream and torta della nonna with pinenuts.Â
Church Lane, Off Petersham Road, Richmond, London TW10 7AB
2 Floral Court, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9FBÂ
petershamnurseries.com
The Ned
Until 15 January 2023
The Ned might just be the most Christmassy spot in The City. As December approaches, the hotel and members’ club goes to town with its festive decorations, erecting one of London’s largest indoor trees: a 21-foot British-grown Nordman Fir dressed with 4,000 traditional fairy lights and covered in more than 1,000 decorations. Come to admire it in all its glory as you sample one of their festive menus, available across their ground floor restaurants. There’ll be prawn cocktail, Norfolk Bronze turkey and Christmas pudding in Millie’s Lounge, while over at Cecconi’s they’re serving up Cornish crab, lobster linguine and chocolate orange yule log. And if that wasn’t enough, there are also regular carol sessions performed by Gareth Malone and his choir.
27 Poultry, The City, London EC2R 8AJ
thened.com
The Cadogan Arms
Available now
If you’re after a seriously upscale pub lunch with all the festive trimmings, this is the place to come. After its extensive reboot last year, the 138-year-old King’s Road establishment has become one of the most sought-after pubs in all of London, thanks to its luxuriously cosy interiors (think gleaming timber, panelled ceilings and roaring fires) and comforting winter fare. Their set festive menu features all the classics – smoked salmon, ham hock terrine, beef wellington and Christmas pudding – as well as a few more unusual offerings like confit goose leg and braised roe deer shoulder.
298 King’s Road, Chelsea, London SW3 5UGÂ
thecadoganarms.london
The Ivy Chelsea Garden
Available now
For out of-this-world Christmas decorations, there’s nowhere like The Ivy – and the Chelsea branch of this perennially popular chain has the most spectacular of the lot. Every year the restaurant’s façade is transformed into a magical winter wonderland, which this year features a giant green bow hung with mistletoe and gold monkeys and pheasants to tap into their Golden Feast theme. On the Christmas menu you’ll find a festive twist on the restaurant’s famous shepherd’s pie, made with confit goose and turkey, while for pudding there’s the limited-edition Santa’s On His Way, made with red velvet sponge, cream cheese frosting and dark chocolate.
195-197 King’s Road, Chelsea, London SW3 5EQ
theivychelseagarden.com
Manteca
From 21 November
This cult favourite in Shoreditch has taken its signature nose-to-tail Italian-inspired dining and given it a Christmassy twist this Yuletide season, with a feasting menu fit for a king. Raise a festive toast with a round of Cynar negronis before tucking in to hand-rolled pasta, duck liver parfait with dates (an Italian spin on a Christmas classic) and Herdwick lamb leg. There’s also the option to add in a few extra festive favourites, including Manteca pigs in blankets, parsnip stuffing and red cabbage. To finish, there’s a selection of Italian and British dishes and a truly decadent hazelnut tiramisu. Buon Natale!
49-51 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3PTÂ
mantecarestaurant.co.uk
Gymkhana
Available now
If you fancy a side order of spice with your Christmas lunch this year, make a beeline for Gymkhana, where the beloved Mayfair Indian is dishing up a festive tasting menu. You’ll find many of their classic dishes on there, but there’s also a special seasonal twist. Chicken butter masala and muntjac biryani sit alongside gilafi turkey seekh kebab and tandoori lamb chop with walnut chutney, while for dessert there’s poached pears with saffron pistachio kulfi falooda or cardamom rice kheer with fresh figs. To really get you in the Christmas spirit, make sure to sign up for the wine pairing option.Â
42 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4JHÂ
gymkhanalondon.com
Lyle’s
Until 15 January 2023
This Michelin-starred gem in Shoreditch has become a firm favourite with in-the-know Londoners for its modern British fare, served in suitably hip surroundings in a former tea factory. Throughout December Lyle’s will be offering up special festive menus for lunch, but don’t expect a traditional roast – the focus here is on seasonality, so you’re likely to spot a few unusual ingredients in the mix. The Christmas menus will change daily, as they always do, but will come with a side helping of festive flair, with dishes like native oyster and crab apple, game liver parfait and toasted milk loaf, and braised goose, carrot and prunes on offer.
Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London, E1 6JJ
lyleslondon.com
Four Seasons Trinity Square
Throughout December
Festive fine dining doesn’t come much more elegant than a meal at La Dame de Pic, where Michelin-starred chef Anne-Sophie Pic is pulling out all the stops with her French-inspired tasting menu. Start with mushroom berlingots before moving on to brie with black truffle and Poulette De La Cour D’armoise, seasoned with melilot and tonka. Fancy something a little extra? Opt for the seven-course tasting menu rather than the five-course, where you’ll also get Chausson aux Truffes – delicate pastry parcels filled with seasonal black truffles – and barbecued Scottish langoustines. For dessert there’s Pic’s take on a Christmas Log, made with Tahitian vanilla mousse and pink grapefruit confit.Â
10 Trinity Square, Tower Hill, London EC3N 4AJÂ
fourseasons.com
Jikoni
Available now
Known for its ‘cooking without borders’ approach, there are always new culinary delights to discover at Ravinder Bhogal’s Jikoni, and this Christmas is no exception, as the London restaurant celebrates by launching a special festive menu. Served-sharing style, the menu draws on different cuisines from around the world: small plates include charred brussels sprouts with hot and sour dressing, beetroot and gin cured chalk stream trout, and prawn toast scotch eggs, while mains include the wonderfully named Scrag End pie with turmeric-infused mash and marinated tofu schnitzel with autumn truffle. For a festive finale, there’s an edible Christmas wreath served with salted crème pâtissière.Â
19-21 Blandford Street, Marylebone, London W1U 3DHÂ
jikonilondon.com
