For those looking for traditional turkey, the city has many an option; we’ve rounded up the very best festive menus for a magical Christmas Day celebration
Words Helen Brown
Celebrate Christmas in style with these festive menus from London’s culinary hot-spots
The Lanesborough
With roaring fireplaces and the comforting aroma of cinnamon and cloves, The Lanesborough is the most decadent setting for Christmas lunches. A festive menu will be available at Michelin-starred Céleste until 23 December which includes Scottish smoked salmon, turkey pie and glazed Aubenas chestnuts with cream fondant and mandarin gel. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, a lavish five-course Christmas lunch with wine pairings will be served in the palatial setting of Céleste, while festive afternoon tea will be served in The Withdrawing Room, with Christmas pastries and champagne.
Minnow
This southwest London hotspot is planning a festive menu featuring starters such as wild mushrooms on homemade focaccia and chicken liver pâté and mains like grilled duck with cassis sauce and redcurrants. To finish, sweets range from pear frangipane tart to a selection of cheeses, enough to satisfy every Christmas craving. With its modern cooking, contemporary cocktail offering and laid-back setting, it’s the ideal location for a spot of seasonal revelry.
Loyal Tavern
Bermondsey foodie favourite Loyal Tavern are offering a festive feast of sharing plates for between 4 and 40 guests, plus a normal set menu for up to 16 guests. The set menu is a casual canapés and bowl food affair featuring traditional yuletide flavours such as roast turkey, caramelised onion, charlotte potato, chestnut stuffing plus more unusual flavours like spiced lamb skewers, mint, almond aioli.
No. 1A Duke Street
With soup, salmon, traditional turkey and more on the menu, you really can’t go wrong with choosing No. 1a Duke Street for your festive feast. Where you can go wrong, is not leaving room for dessert. The tantalising dessert options include cranberry and orange cheesecake and an impressive sticky toffee Christmas pudding.
The Gilbert Scott
Decadent and dazzling, where better to celebrate Christmas this year than at The Gilbert Scott? They are offering an extravagant five-course menu for the big day with a mouth-watering offering including chargrilled octopus with caramelised celeriac broth, organic turkey from Rhug estate with cranberries and parsnip stuffing and a white chocolate mousse with clementine leaf sorbet.
Darby’s
Robin Gill’s oyster bar and grill has several set menus available for group dining to celebrate the festive season. For £45 a head, smaller groups will be treated to champagne, oysters and shellfish such as a lobster brioche roll and La Brujula baby squid, whilst larger groups can book an indulgent multi-course menu with turkey and all the trimmings.
The Montagu Kitchen
The Hyatt Regency hotel’s restaurant The Montagu Kitchen is offering a traditional British Christmas lunch this winter, using seasonal ingredients to create hearty and warming festive favourites. The set menu includes traditional roasted turkey as well as grilled beef striploin with mash, roasted root vegetables and red wine jus.
Like this? Check out London’s best new restaurants this month
