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UPDATE: Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2015 in Boston
It's time to make your reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals, if you're planning to dine at one of Boston's fine restaurants over the holidays.
If you have inside info on a local restaurant's plans or a favorite Christmas Holiday tradition, add it in the comments below!
What's open on Christmas Eve?
This year Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday night. A quick check of Open Table for a 9 pm reservation found far more restaurants open than I might have expected.
As with any holiday reservation ask what is being offered. Some places will present their normal menu, some will have a restricted prix fixe, and some will add special items inspired by the holiday. And, don't be surprised if a non-refundable deposit and credit card number are required to make a reservation.
Holiday Traditions
Our friend, Jackie Blombach and her husband always have Tea at the Taj on Christmas Eve. She calls it, "My Favorite two hours of Christmas!"
Traditional Feast
If you hurry and grab one of the spots at the table, you could indulge in the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes at Grotto and sister restaurant Marliave. (Both will also offer a limited menu in addition to the feast.) The Grotto website says:
"The Feast of Seven Fishes, a traditional meal served on Christmas Eve throughout Italy. The Feast dates back centuries and the common belief is that participating in the Feast will bring good luck and fortune in the year to come. Marliave and Grotto will once again be offering our version of The Feast of Seven Fishes. The Feast is served over three courses and utilizes the great abundance of seafood available to us in Boston… "
Need a Holiday Food Break?
If you need a break from the whole Christmas scene, you could wander through Chinatown and enjoy an alternative to the traditional holiday menus. And, if Chinatown isn't quite the fit for your gang, but you would like to nibble your way through an Asian feast, we suggest Meyers+Chang on Washington Street in the South End. Chef Joanne Chang is planning to add some special treats for that night but assures us we will be able to enjoy an evening of great Asian food.
What Boston Area Restaurants are Open on Christmas ?
Hotel restaurants, since they must serve the hotel's guests, are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, hotel restaurants open both the 24th and 25th include some excellent choices:
- Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons
- L'Espalier, Sel de la Terre (Back Bay) and Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
- Eastern Standard at the Hotel Commonwealth
- Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel
- Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
- Taj Boston Cafe at the Taj Hotel
- Market by Jean-Georges at the W Boston Hotel
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More information and reservations:
Here's Open Table's Christmas Day page but remember, you can go to their main Boston page and request a reservation for the 24th, 25th, or 26th and see the full list of options for the time you prefer.
Boston Chefs has set up recaps for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.
Subscribe to the comment feed of this post or follow us on Twitter, and we'll notify you of updates. So far, the ChowHounds and Trip Advisor crews haven't had much to say on the topic, but we'll post links if a good conversation from one of these forums gets started.
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Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: from iStockphoto.com
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