Ah, the time of year has arrived when work Christmas parties start looming. But honestly, must we submit, yet again, to the annual ritual of beige set menus, warm prosecco and 40 minutes of Derek from accounts detailing his most recent triathlon?
This is London – a city where you can eat a shish kebab at 4am, belt out karaoke in a neon-lit basement or celebrate a random Tuesday with a tasting menu. And yet somehow, every year, we find ourselves chewing through the same sad turkey dinner, followed by a limp pub quiz or some painful team-building activity like laser quest or, god forbid, an escape room.
You deserve better. Truly. So ditch the dry bird, forced fun and corporate ballroom beige. Instead, have a look at our ideas for the best alternative Christmas parties – karaoke bars, creative workshops, wine masterclasses and more.
The best alternative Christmas party ideas in London for 2025
Karaoke at BAO
Karaoke at Bao
If you’re after an antidote to the usual office-Christmas-party guff, forget the painful mini-golf antics and book into BAO’s private KTV rooms instead. Across Marylebone, Shoreditch, Borough, Battersea and the City, you’ll find six different soundproofed zones decked out in moody, film-style décor, each with access to over 300,000 music videos spanning festive hits to sweaty karaoke bangers. There’s no charge to hire the rooms – you just agree to spend a minimum of £35 per person on BAO’s signature shared dishes and drinks over a two-hour slot. There’s no better way to bond with your boss than over ABBA and a huge plate of Taiwanese fried chicken.
No hire fee (minimum £35 per person spent on food and drink); baolondon.com
Pizza-making workshop at Pizza Pilgrims
Pizza-making party with Pizza Pilgrims
For a Christmas party that swerves the predictable set-menu slog, Pizza Pilgrims’ Dough-It-Yourself Masterclasses deliver flour-dusted joy by the wood-fired shovel. Led by the brand’s Neapolitan-fanatic pizzaioli, guests (or colleagues) are handed dough and toppings to exercise their free will before stretching, twirling and firing their own pizzas in proper dome ovens. The night begins with bubbles and Italian street snacks, and ends with the legendary Nutella ring. Expect food, fire and flowing conversation you might not have at your typical sit-down Christmas party meal.
From £54 per person; pizzapilgrims.co.uk
Host an in-office cheesecake party with Solis
Solis cheesecake
If the thought of another overpriced, overlit office Christmas party leaves you cold, bring the celebration to your own desk cluster with Solis’ small-batch tortas – the cult cheesecakes that Battersea regulars whisper about. Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng have spent years finessing their Basque-style recipe into something feather-light and gloriously silky: a chilled, barely-set centre that melts on the tongue. Available daily in limited quantities from their Battersea Power Station kitchen – or by pre-order with 48 hours’ notice – the classic torta de queso and the deep, velvety torta de chocolate arrive ready to slice, share and make the office feel like somewhere you actually want to be. A festive do that’s low-key, low-cost and saves your hours of small talk.
£30 per torta, order at order.toasttab.com/online/solis-battersea
Ditch the classic roast and eat lobster noodles at Noodle & Beer
Christmas at Noodle & Beer
If turkey and tinsel feel like a slow march to midwinter doom, swap the dry roast for something far more thrilling at Noodle & Beer. This Christmas, they’re serving a whole 1.1kg lobster with handmade blanket noodles and rich house sauce – a glossy, golden-shimmer feast that easily feeds four and tastes like a celebration rather than an obligation. Add courgette fries, chicken dumplings and sticky rice cakes, and you’ve got the kind of laid-back, flavour-packed spread every office secretly wants. Downstairs in Chinatown, the hidden Rouge Lounge is available for private hire for up to 27 guests. It’s cosy, stylish, deliciously informal and a world away from the drudgery of a traditional work Christmas dinner.
Private hire ranges from £1,500 to £5,800 with a minimum spend; noodleandbeer.com
Le Cordon Bleu Christmas masterclasses
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Two Christmas inevitabilities: you’ll consume a lot of wine and you’ll consume a lot of food. Want to make the most of it? Head to Le Cordon Bleu for a food and wine pairing course where, under the guidance of a chef and wine expert, you will learn how to pair festive dishes with the right wine. Whether you’re looking for the perfect white wine for oysters, or oaky red for beef, this is the Christmas event to book if you’re looking for a pairing slightly more elevated than cereal and Bailey’s. Or, try the mastering macaroons class, which teaches the mastery of festive-themed macaron recipes and fundamental techniques.
£90 per person; cordonbleu.eu
Honey & Co. Studio wreath-making workshops and dinner
Honey & Co. Studio
There are few bigger festive flexes than making your own Christmas wreath. Throughout December at Honey & Co. you can do exactly that, as its studio gets turned into a hub of festive creativity. As well as wreath-making classes, there’s bauble decorating and even a Brussels sprout kimchi masterclass that will have you reevaluating your favourite part of Christmas dinner. Choose the event that tickles your company's pickle and have a Christmas extravaganza.
£65 per person; honeyandco.co.uk
Pasta Evangelists
Pasta Evangelists pigs in blankets
Still short of ideas for the office Christmas party? Lots of restaurants have released special menus for the season, but how many also teach you how to cook them? Pasta Evangelists have just launched their festive dishes and are inviting you to make them. Think an Italian twist on Christmas classics, from pigs in blankets ravioli to squash and chestnut agnolotti. Most festive of all, you can do it all alongside some unlimited prosecco. What’s not to love?
From £95 per person; pastaevangelists.com
BAM Karaoke
Bam karaoke
Chances are, at some point during a Christmas party, you’ll get the inimitable craving to do some karaoke, so you might as well book it in advance. And you might as well book the one with a collaboration with Moët & Chandon, offering a limited-edition cocktail menu and a mini Moët vending machine. Combined with a festive menu that can be served either canapé style or sit down in the private Karaoke rooms, this is the destination to sing your hearts out with your colleagues this Christmas (and potentially regret it the morning after).
From £29 per person: uk.bam-karaoke.com
Bar Douro Portuguese feast
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If the thought of another Dickensian roast fills you with yuletide ennui, Bar Douro is your shimmering escape hatch. Tucked by London Bridge, its mezzanine wine cellar seats 6–12 – ideal for office escapees seeking something looser, louder and infinitely tastier than turkey-plus-all-the-trimmings. Here, Christmas comes Portuguese: platters of croquetes de alheira, silky bacalhau à Brás, garlic prawns that demand bread-dunking, and slow-braised beef cheeks. If you want a convivial, generous, and laid-back Christmas party washed down with Portuguese wines, this is the spot.
Festive sharing menu £42.75 per person, bardouro.co.uk
