UPDATE: Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2015 in Boston
Where can you dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the Boston area? There are a few great choices! But, if you're planning to dine at one of Boston's fine restaurants over the holidays, make a reservation!
Don't be surprised if a deposit is required to hold your reservation or if there are special menus and seatings for these special holiday meals. Unfortunately, restaurants have been forced to do this because of people who make multiple reservations so they can decide at the last minute where to go. This leaves other diners without choices and the restaurants with empty tables.
What's Open on Christmas Eve?
There are more choices on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day. Some of our favorite, special places have wonderful holiday meals planned for those who reserve for the 24th.
- The legendary team from L'Espalier offers a prix fixe Christmas Eve menu.
- La Morra in Brookline is an ideal spot to meet friends or family from that side of the Boston area. They are offering family style dining, "sharing traditional dishes of Piedmonte."
- Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel has a four course prixe fixe menu set for the 24th.
- The Petit Robert Bistro locations will be open with regular meals and specials. We like the one on Columbus Ave in the South End.
At the early date of this posting, some places have not announced their traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes events for Chistmas Eve. Check back or follow us on Twitter for updates on this fun holiday dining option.
- Grotto has their Feast listed on Boston Chefs. This tiny Beacon Hill gem was one of the first to present this holiday tradition.
- Kitchen and Marliave, Grotto's siblings in the South End and Downtown, are joining in the festive fish feast.
What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Christmas?
Hotel restaurants, since they must serve the hotel's guests, are normally open on holidays.
In Boston, hotel restaurants open both the 24th and 25th include some excellent choices:
- Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
- The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel
- Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel where you'll have a choice of a buffet or four course prix fixe menu.
- Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
- Taj Boston Cafe at the Taj Hotel
Other places open on holidays would include chains like Legal Seafoods and many restaurants in Chinatown. We once asked a long time Boston cabbie where we could get something we needed on Christmas, and he said Chinatown was the place to go.
Here are some conversations on Chowhound.com and Trip Advisor about Christmas dining. We'll add more as we see them pop up this year.
Trip Advisor on Christmas Dinner (2013)
Eater Boston's Christmas Map (Updated 12/16/2013)
What Chinese Restaurants are Open On Christmas Day– (2012)
Christmas Day Brunch (2012)
Open on Cape Cod on Christmas Day (just in case you're going there) (2012)
Xmas Lunch in Boston (2012)
Restaurant open Christmas Day in Newton or nearby (2012)
Other resources:
The reservation site, Open Table has a feature list of its member restaurants with Christmas Eve Specials and Christmas Day Dining.
But, you can also input information on the reservation you want on Open Table and come up with a list of restaurants open at that hour. Change the hour and the list will change and some are not on the featured lists. It's a good place to start.
The Boston Chefs site has posted a list of its participating member restaurants with special features for the holidays. Here's the Christmas Eve List & the Christmas Day list.
From Last Year: Eater Boston has a list of Where to Eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We'll update with the new one when it's available.
They have many good choices to add to your holiday options. We'd particularly like to recommend:
Island Creek Oyster Bar for Christmas Eve. It's one of our favorite places, and I can just imagine what a happy scene it will be on that evening.
Eastern Standard: They will be open Christmas Day for breakfast and then for a special 3-course prix fixe meal.
Market by John-Georges: They will have a la carte items from their regular menu in addition to a special holiday menu on Christmas Day.
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Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
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