Ah, Christmas. It happens every year and yet, without fail, every November we’re shocked it’s sitting there on the horizon, looming, with its bank account-draining socialising and gifting and its excess of dry turkey.
We promise we’re not Grinches here at Foodism, but we do like to pick and choose the elements of festive splendour we partake in. That Christmas lunch with your cousin’s best friend’s girlfriend’s group of pals? Hard pass. The pub crawl with your nearest and dearest where Christmas jumpers are compulsory? Absolutely, we’ll be there in a flash.
One of the few things we actually appreciate about Christmas? The ways in which some of our favourite restaurants interpret the classic festive fare into a series of vibrant feasting menus designed for congregating with your loved ones around a dining table, with no arguing over who does the dishes and no overcooked poultry in sight. While it might feel like every damn restaurant in the capital is trotting out a Christmas menu, some of them are genuinely wonderful. We’ve done our snooping and rounded up our favourites here for you. Post-dinner argument over port not included.
The best Christmas menus in London for 2025
Manteca
49-51 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3PT
Manteca
This Christmas, Chris Leach and the team at Manteca in Shoreditch are marking the Yuletide season with special feasting menus (from £70) of regional Italian dishes, centred around their ethos of nose-to-tail cooking, over live fire with beautiful produce. Think slow-cooked beef ragu, wildfarmed focaccia, a special Christmas pudding trifle and some of the fanciest pigs in blankets going.
Oma and Agora
Bedale St, London SE1 9AL
Oma
If you’re looking to mark the festive season in truly showstopping style, newly Michelin-crowned Oma offers a private wine annex for groups of seven to 30, where guests can enjoy a shared feasting menu served family style, priced at £95 per person. Start with salt cod XO and babaganoush, before moving on to whole sea bass crudo and spanakopita. If you’re looking for a more casual affair but the same vibe, downstairs, Agora will have a festive offering for parties of seven or more priced at £65 per person, hosted in the private bakery dining room. Here, expect sharing plates like spicy feta tyrokafteri, dry-aged lamb souvla and slow-grilled chicken thigh.
Pizarro
194 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3TQ
Pizarro
Perfect for smaller, more intimate festive gatherings where sharing and sherry is the order of the day, Pizarro, which makes up part of José Pizarro’s dynasty on Bermondsey Street, is offering three seasonal set menus. Cooked in an open kitchen, it celebrates the best of Spanish produce and is paired with an extensive all-Spanish wine list. Sharing-style dishes like gambas al ajillo and braised beef ribs in oloroso sherry and a curated cocktail selection make it a celebratory destination for those looking to mark the season in style.
Fallow, St James
52 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4RP
Fallow
You can count on Fallow to go all out for Christmas, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. Given up cooking this year? Toast Christmas day with a no-holds-barred £250 menu that will leave you rolling out of the place towards Trafalgar Square. Start with cananapés like salmon belly crumpets and beef tartare with oyster mayo, before a main event of Herons Farm turkey or venison wellington, each with all the trimmings. To finish, expect a decadent spread of Christmas yule log, house-made Mince pies, and brandy butter truffles.
Padella
1 Phipp St, London EC2A 4PS
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Looking for a festive menu that won’t break the bank? Priced at £40 per person, Padella Shoreditch’s feasting menu promises an indulgent celebration of the season with an array of antipasti, freshly crafted pasta, and decadent desserts. Start with burrata with le ferre olive oil and radicchio, parmesan and mint salad with balsamic dressing. To follow, share a selection of Padella’s iconic dishes, including pici cacio e pepe, and ravioli of delicata pumpkin, Westcombe ricotta and sage butter. Finish the feast with tiramisu, marsala, and biscotti.
Canal
11b Woodfield Rd, London W9 2BA
Canal
West London’s new waterside bistro Canal, from the team behind Crispin and Bistro Freddie, is marking its first Christmas with a special set menu (£100pp). Swap the traditional turkey for a more refined affair, with dishes like smoked salmon with pickled Fennel, Stracciatella with pickled delicata pumpkin, and roast goose with creamed Brussels sprouts. For a vegetarian alternative, the menu features January King cabbage with celeriac and hazelnuts, finishing with brown butter cake and mulled pears.
Toklas
1 Surrey St, Temple, London WC2R 2ND
Toklas
Need a spot for a large group? Available throughout December, Toklas’ ‘large bookings’ menu is served family style, with generous, seasonal plates designed for sharing, and champagne cocktails on arrival. At £85 per person, the festive menu includes starters like Portland crab and their famous Todolì citrus salad. From there, enjoy platters of grilled chicken with sprouts, chestnuts and pancetta, venison with pumpkin and prunes and winter vegetables with fava, olives and gremolata. Desserts of classic tiramisu, gorgonzola with crackers are served before bowls of Christmassy clementines to end the feast.
Farang
72 Highbury Park, London N5 2XE
Farang
The food at Christmas is many things, but spicy it is not – but it doesn’t have to be this way. Farang, known for its unique twist on modern Thai cuisine, has a Christmas menu perfect for those who want to add a kick to proceedings. Feast on Smoked mackerel miang bites with sour fruits, peanuts, ginger and lime served in an edible betel leaf, and a whole crispy seabass with red nahm yum dressing, ginger, crispy shallots and roasted rice. Priced at £80 per person or £115 with a wine pairing, it's the perfect way to celebrate the holidays with friends and family.
Honey & Co
Various locations
Honey & Co.
If you’re looking for an alternative Christmas menu this year, Honey & Co. are swapping turkey and stuffing for spiced lamb, shawarma and Middle Eastern feasting. They have created three festive sharing menus across their restaurants – Honey & Co., Honey & Smoke, and Honey & Co. Dail – so expect celebratory festive dining with a difference. Every feast begins with a mezze spread for the table, followed by mains like smoked duck with pickled cherries, cashew cream and roasted cashews, and slow-roasted lamb shoulder with plums and roses.
