The 10 Best Restaurants to Book for Christmas Dinner This Year

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Home SW15 – Putney

Home SW15 is presenting a winter party menu for groups 11+ this holiday season. Try the likes of roast Delica pumpkin soup with chestnuts and sage, and pig’s head croquette with burnt apple and sauce gribiche. Highlights of the main menu include pan roasted hake with white beans, confit tomato, harissa and olive crumb, or the 30-day aged Aberdeen Angus beef wellington with dauphinoise potatoes. Don’t forget to leave room for desserts, which include a classic sticky toffee pudding or clementine panna cotta with shortbread.

Three courses: £49.50pp. Three courses with sides: £55pp

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Petersham Nurseries Restaurant – Richmond

The gorgeous restaurant at Petersham Nurseries is offering a varied Christmas menu this year. Appetisers range from bruschetta with stracchino and salsiccia to saffron arancini with tallegio and sage. You can choose from mains of delicious chargrilled monkfish with barlotti beans and winter vegetables, or braised pork cheek with polenta and cavolo nero. There’s something for the non-meat-eaters with a celeriac, squash, spinach, pine nut and lemon pithivier. Talk about getting your veggies in!

Prices vary – from Tuesday to Thursday: two courses £60pp, three courses £70pp, three courses with appetisers and cocktails £85. Friday to Sunday: two courses £65pp, three courses £75pp, four courses with cocktails £95pp. Closed Christmas Day.

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The Foresters Arms – Kingston

The Foresters Arms is kicking off the festive season with an affordable and yummy Christmas menu. Highlights of this menu include starters of crispy pork belly with black pudding oat crumble and spiced apple sauce, and a delicious sea bass ceviche with walnut and fig salad. You can choose from main courses of traditional turkey and trimmings or lamb shank, grilled swordfish, or a vegetarian option of roast butternut squash gnocchi. The Foresters caters for parties large and small so a great venue for office parties and tipples with friends alike.

£32pp for two courses and £36pp for three courses. Christmas menu is pre-order only.

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The Apollo Arms – Clapham

From 1^st December, this Clapham neighbourhood spot, The Apollo Arms, is introducing its yummy festive menu. Created by Owner Chef Director Oliver Marlowe, this year’s menu boasts elevated seasonal dishes such as chicken and rabbit terrine with Armagnac prune and tarragon mayonnaise; butter roast turkey with all the trimmings; and Christmas pudding ice cream with warm madeleines and frosted pecans.

Two courses for £50 or three courses for £60, from the set menus.

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Shambles – Teddington

The special Christmas Day lunch menu at Shambles comes with a Barrel aged Negroni or white peach Bellini on arrival, followed by a sumptuous four-course meal. Highlights include the antipasti of Sicilian smoked swordfish and Belgian endive, and a choice of three-bird stuffed pappardelle with sticky game jus and sage butter or pork tortellini in veal consommé for primi. Dessert choices range from Italian Christmas cake with a glass of 2006 Chianti Classico ‘VinSanto’ to a rich and indulgent chocolate, hazelnut, creamed cheese and passionfruit tart.

4 courses – £135pp. Children aged 12 or under – 3 courses – £65pp. Live music and Christmas crackers included.

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Cinnamon Kitchen – Battersea

Add some spice to your festivities at Executive Chef Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Kitchen. With the tandoor oven fired up, indulge in a range of modern Indian plates full of flavour, with individual and large sharing dishes, such as roast goose breast with nutmeg & peppercorn sauce; and smoked venison roast root vegetables and Rajastani corn sauce.

Prices start from £50pp; available throughout November and December.

Middle image credit: Johnny Stephens Photography

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Tampopo – Wimbledon

The Tampopo Christmas menu features a delicious Far Eastern twist on Christmas dinner. With a Christmas cocktail and Thai Christmas cracker on arrival, the menu includes delectable small plates of pork gyoza, szechuan crispy squi and Balinese crispy pork belly, and large plates of Nasi Goreng Royale served with homemade sambal and a fried egg, Thai Green Curry, Beef Redang and much more. Save room for the dessert of a deliciously rich chocolate fondant with a liquid chocolate centre, drizzled with a caramel sauce and a sprinkling of nuts and vanilla ice cream.

2 courses £24.50 pp. 3 courses £28.50 pp.

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Rick Stein – Barnes

Celebrate with Cornish-inspired Christmas dishes at Rick Stein in Barnes. This year’s menu is full of comforting seafood specials such as smoked haddock with Davidstow Cheddar rarebit and red mullet spaghettini. Be sure to leave room for the boozy Christmas pudding for dessert.

Two courses for £29 and three courses for £32 at lunch, plus three courses for £35 at dinner.  Available from 25^th November until 1^st January at Rick Stein Barnes (excluding 25^th, 26^th & 31^st December).

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Gaucho – Richmond

Savour Argentine flavours as you enjoy views over the River Thames this Christmas Day at Gaucho Richmond alongside some of the best and most ethical beef in the world. With three menus to choose from; Signature (£75pp), Sharing (£62.50pp) and Feast (£85), guests can enjoy show-stopping starters such as sea bass ceviche; and beef empanada; with mains featuring a choice of sustainable steaks as well as chimichurri butter roasted turkey with malbec and cranberry stuffing

From £62.50 per person. Available on Christmas Day from 11:45am, with final seating at 3.45pm

Credit: JW Howard Photography

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The Wigmore – Langham Hotel

At The Wigmore, The Langham’s own pub on Regent Street, you can enjoy Christmas Day with a family-style four-course lunch including a glass of Christmas punch. Menu highlights include lobster cocktail, Bloody Mary sauce and warm crumpets; Wigmore Wellington for two with shallot and red wine sauce; and traditional turkey, chestnut stuffing and pigs in blankets. For dessert, there’s classic Christmas pudding with brandy custard and chocolate tart with mascarpone and coffee
cream.

Christmas Day Lunch: 4 courses for £150pp including a glass of Christmas punch