It’s that magical time of the year when restaurants battle to get your Xmas pound. And there are some real bargains out there.
Bamboo Mat – Peruvian X Japanese restaurants in Stratford and Leyton, is offering a Christmas menu at £60pp and vegetarian alternative at £35pp.
The menus begin with a selection of starters, including tuna tostadas, chicken karaage and ceviche. For mains, guests can enjoy picanha steak or grilled seabass.
A meal at Bamboo Mat means sushi, so the Christmas menu involves a dedicated sushi course of wagyu sushi and salmon nigiri – as well a special Christmas maki – avechido maki in the shape of a Christmas tree.
Bamboo Mat is also offering a veggie menu, beginning with mango miso aubergine, mushroom spring rolls and the infamous vegetable ceviche. For the main course, diners can enjoy grilled sweet potato with anticucho yoghurt, pickled shallots, feta and pomegranate.
The vegetable sushi course features courgette and pepper maki, avocado yasai maki and inari sushi – deep fried tofu pockets with mushroom and salsa.
For dessert, guests can finish with a sweet and refreshing passion fruit and cranberry cream brulee.
Address: Stratford: 21 Victory Parade, London E20 1FS
Leyton: 625 High Rd. Leyton, London E10 6RF
Kahani – the high-end Indian restaurant in the heart of Chelsea – is open on Christmas Day for another festive feast with a six-course Christmas Day tasting menu, also available in a veggie option and an additional wine pairing menu.
The set menu comprises a roast chicken and purple sprouting broccoli soup, Indian spiced smoked salmon, jumbo prawns on a bed of lobster and crab bisi bele bhath, turkey chettinad and for mains a peshawari lamb rump served with Kerala spiced glazed baby sprouts, peas, beans and broccoli with rice, chilli garlic naan and dal.
On the veggie menu, festive foodies can enjoy a roast swede and purple broccoli soup, smoked pumpkin with fennel and mango, Punjabi chilli tofu on a bisi bele bhath, dried morels and wild mushroom chettinad masala on a lentil dosa, and a tandoori chutney paneer with Indian trimmings.
For dessert, Kahani will be serving up a poached cranberry and chilli chocolate mousse with a blood orange sorbet.
Address: 1 Wilbraham Place, London, SW1X 9AE
Pivot, located in the heart of Covent Garden, this Christmas period has a festive menu for just £42 for two courses and side or £49 for three courses and side.
Offering a menu of classic British food from Mark Greenaway, this year’s Christmas menu has been designed to be a hearty meal. Highlights include Brussels Pate, Scottish Smoked Salmon, and Cream of Chestnut soup. For main course, get stuck into the Braised Lamb Shank with red wine jus, the Roasted Cod Fillet with Cranberry sauce, or the traditional Roast Turkey with Sage and Onion Stuffing. Finally complete your feast with Mark’s Christmas Pudding or Chocolate Mousse.
Address: 3 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8LU
Zuaya – the Latin-American restaurant in Kensington – has created a hangover curing cocktail in time for Christmas party season
The cocktail will be the restaurant’s signature London to Lima cocktail infused with vitamin B12, a vitamin that is said to combat hangovers.
We’ve all heard of the hair of the dog cure method, and vitamin B12 helps the functioning of the brain and nervous system, so the restaurant has combined the two to give party goers a cure.
The London to Lima cocktail is Zuaya’s take on a Pisco Sour, and is made up of a delicious mix of Pisco, Falernum, Lime, Agave Syrup and Egg White, a perfectly refreshing cocktail to have after an office Christmas party.
Address: 35B Kensington High Street, Kensington, London W8 5EB
Celebrating the culinary heritage of Spain, El Norte in Mayfair, serves up tapas dishes with Spanish flair.
For a festive treat this year, El Norte will be serving up a traditional selection of Spanish Christmas sweets, including turron, marzipan, and polvoron so that you can celebrate your Christmas in Spanish style. This special Christmas dessert platter pairs perfectly with a coffee for an after-meal treat.
Address: 19-20 Dover St, London, W1S 4LU
Como Garden – the Italian restaurant on Kensington High Street – is set to transport guests to the Italian Lakes in the heart of London this winter. This festive season Como Garden will be serving a series of limited-edition panettones, including a pistachio and white chocolate flavour, and a rich salted caramel.
Their Christmas special will feature five different flavours of panettone which will all be available at different times during the holiday season. This spongy dessert is made using a traditional Milanese recipe and features different creamy flavours hidden in the centre. Celebrate Christmas like a true Italian this December with a post-dinner espresso and panettone!
Address: 37 High Street Kensington, London, W8 5ED
Head down to Kindred this festive season, the coworking space, restaurant and events venue in Hammersmith.
Make the most of its coworking space in the lead up to Christmas, and through the month of December visit on-site restaurant Cellar where it has two Christmas menus on offer starting from £38 a head for two courses, available for pre-order only.
Guests can enjoy starters such as crispy duck leg bonbons with black radish and spiced plum chutney, before tucking into the cranberry and orange stuffed turkey leg and finishing the meal with an indulgent dark chocolate and clementine fondant.
The Cellar’s Christmas Feasting menu is a sharing-style festive meal perfect to enjoy with family and friends. Enjoy two courses for £45, with a complimentary glass of prosecco on arrival. Begin with a platter of starters, before sharing mains of pork, leg of lamb, turkey or a trio of squashes, with all the trimmings of course. Make sure to leave some room for the shared dessert board, with Christmas delights like marzipan truffles and mince pies.
Address: Bradmore House, Queen Caroline St, London W6 9BW
The café, located in 3 Henrietta Street, makes the perfect stop for a bite to eat after a day of Christmas shopping. Lilly’s Cafe has launched a brand new festive menu with prices starting from £42 for 2 courses, £49 for 3 courses and a glass of prosecco.
The menu features a range of winter warmers including a Celeriac & Truffle Soup for starters and a Coronation Turkey Pie for main course. But the true festive delight on the menu is the Swiss Cheese Fondue for Two for an additional fee of £26. The indulgent fondue comes with croutons and rosemary potatoes for you to dip as you desire.
Lilly’s Cafe is renowned for its cakes and pastries all made by Chef Kimberly Lin, so don’t miss out on dessert during your visit. Stick with the traditional Christmas Pudding or try something new such as the Date Pudding with Anglaise sauce, or the Frangipane Tart with lemon cream.
Address: 3 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8LU
Get a taste of Hawaii this Christmas at El Ta’koy in Covent Garden. This restaurant, located in the basement of 3 Henrietta Street will be serving up a Christmas menu with a Hawaiian Twist.
Prices range from £42 to £49 for two or three courses, but as a gift from El Ta’koy every customer will receive a complimentary glass of Festive Punch on arrival. Starters include a Salmon Avocado Ceviche, a Plant Based Empanada, and Hawaiian Popcorn Chicken. The main course is traditional Huli Huli Turkey served with coconut rice, pineapple pasta salad, and teriyaki sauce. Or opt for a fusion dish of BBQ Pulled Lamb Shoulder with coconut rice, roasted potatoes, lamb jus, and a corn taco.
Keep the Hawaiian theme going during desert with the fruity offerings such as the Hawaiian Christmas Pudding, Banana Lumpia or the Lime & Mango Sorbet.
Address: 3 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8LU