By: Chandler Presson By: Chandler Presson | November 27, 2023 | Food & Drink, Feature, Guides,
The holiday season is flying by, and Christmas is nearly upon us. While everyone loves seeing friends and family and giving and receiving presents, cooking Christmas dinner can make the holiday feel like more of a chore than a celebration. Luckily for New Yorkers, the city that never sleeps provides tons of options when it comes to nixing the cooking and celebrating Christmas out on the town. See our picks for the best restaurants to serve Christmas dinner.
See also: 10 Delicious And Decadent Holiday Dishes You Can Order On GoldBelly Right Now
2 E. 55th St. / 212.339.6857 / Website
Located in one of NYC’s most iconic hotels, the St. Regis New York, Christmas dinner at Astor Court will no doubt bring all the cozy holiday vibes. Expect an incredible three-course pre-fixe dinner with seasonal specials such as butter-poached lobster risotto, dry-aged prime rib, pan-roasted wild striped bass and more. End your evening with Buche Ispahan yule log and Grand Marnier panettone bread pudding for the perfect holiday meal.
60 W. 55th St. / 646.943.7373 / Website
Nobody does Christmas better than Europeans, and the famed French bistro Benoit does not disappoint. Enjoy a delicious three-course menu for $99 per person. Choose from appetizers such as an oyster platter, lightly seared red snapper and sweet potato soup followed by entrees such as filet mignon aux piovres with pommes boulangère and peppercorn sauce or the duck breast with salsify and tarragon. Lastly, sinfully tasty desserts such as vanilla millefeuille and cheesecake round off the evening.
75 9th Ave. / 212.989.6699 / Website
In the market for a non-traditional holiday experience? Look no further than Buddakan, a delicious Asian fusion restaurant known for its Christmas feast. Last year the restaurant served up a duck feast holiday menu, which included dishes such as Peking duck salad with poached egg and sherry vinaigrette, duck and Foie Gras spring roll with pomegranate gelee and water chestnut, and duck wonton soup with roasted duck consommé and udon. Guests can expect an equally opulent experience this year, so check their website for menu updates!
33 Hudson Yards 24th Floor / 212.812.9202 / Website
This beloved seasonal American restaurant’s view is almost as good as the food, so if you’re in the mood for twinkling city lights this Christmas, you’re in luck. Seated on the 24th floor of the Equinox Hotel in Hudson Yards, Electric Lemon always offers up an extraordinary Christmas dinner, with last year's meal including lobster bisque, beef tartare, hamachi and smoked salmon Crudo. Mains included prime rib, fettucini with chanterelles, kale and black truffle, poached halibut, and coffee-roasted beet with pousse pied and "hollandaise," so we expect an equal wow factor from this Hudson Yards hot spot this year.
Pier 17, 89 S. St, 212.838.1200 / Website
A day as special as Christmas warrants a special meal, an The Fulton always delivers just that. Helmed by Michelin-starred chef Jean Georges, known the world over for his incredible French cuisine, The Fulton is a stunning waterfront restaurant known for its seafood. This Christmas, the restaurant will offer a three-course prix-fixe menu for $168 per person, with dishes including herbed prime NY strip, black sea bass, yellowfin tuna carpaccio and eggnog cheesecake.
Pier 17, 89 S. St, 212.265.3030 / Website
Chances are you’ve seen this hot spot all over TikTok and Instagram, and the hype is well-deserved. Malibu Farm delivers fresh and healthy cuisine thanks to local ingredients prepared to let their flavors shine. Located in Seaport, Malibu Farm’s Christmas offerings are consistently delicious year after year, with the last Christmas meal including seasonal favorites such as Malibu roasted winter squash, whole roasted Maine lobster and grilled lamb chops.
25 E. 77th St. / 212.606.3030 / Website
This classic NYC will be offering a $218 per person three-course prix-fixe meal, during which guests can enjoy delicious comfort food appetizers such as roasted cauliflower soup, tuna tartare, and fresh fettucini. Entrees include Maine lobster, grilled lamb chops and black sea bass and dessert classics such as butterscotch pudding with crème fraîche, caramel and sea salt and warm chocolate cake will also be on offer.
Photo by Louise Palmberg
52 Gansevoort St. / 212.929.4844 / Website
Craving a French take on the classics? Located in the Meatpacking District, Pastis is known for its gorgeous interiors and delicious French cuisine. Last year, the restaurant's three-course prix-fixe Christmas dinner delivered a gorgeous meal at of classics such as lobster bisque with creme fraiche, endive salad with blood orange and spiced aloud, prime rib with potato gratin, haricot verts and au jus, and bouche de noel or vanilla creme brûlée for dessert.
57 W. 58th St. / 212.371.7777 / Website
A Midtown staple, Quality Meats will be open for regular service on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. This New American restaurant is a welcome update to the traditional steakhouse that never compromises on, you guessed it, quality meats. Expect to find a delicious raw bar, unmatched steaks and a wine list worth writing home about.
photo by Michael Tulipan
108 E. 4th St. / 646.838.5524 / Website
This beloved Korean-French resto tucked away in the East Village wow every holiday with a delicious tasting menu. Chef and owner Soogil Lim takes inspiration from his classic French culinary training and his time as sous chef at restaurant Daniel combined with his Korean background. Perfect for those seeking an elevated experience this Christmas, the restaurant always delivers a luxe meal, with Thanksgiving this year including five courses of favorites such as beef wellington and yellowtail amberjack with caviar.
797 3rd Ave. / 212.753.1530 / Website
This beloved NYC steakhouse will be open for regular service on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, allowing guests to choose their own Christmas meal from the restaurant's beloved menu. Opt for a prime steak dry-aged and butchered in-house or go for market-fresh seafood. No matter what you order, Smith & Wollensky never disappoints. It's a classic for a reason!
25 Cooper Sq. / 212.475.5700 / Website
New this year, The Standard, East Village has unveiled Partridge, a pop-up holiday dining experience inspired by the '70s. Expect to find a celebratory menu full of festive favorites and delicious wintery drinks this Christmas Eve. All menu items will be served a la carte, so you can choose from delicious options such as prime rib or fondue for two followed by desserts such as tiramisu and spiced custard tarts.
Photo by Lea Cojot
127 E. 27th St. / 212.204.0225 / Website
Michelin-recognized Sweetbriar, located in the Park South Hotel and helmed by executive chef Bryce Shuman, brings the heat year after year. Last year, Shuman’s three-course Christmas dinner focused on his live-fire cooking and New York state’s seasonal produce. Highlights from the prix fixe menu included butternut velouté, radish carpaccio, applewood smoked honey glazed ham, black truffle potato gratin and more. We expect to find an equally upscale and delicious Christmas meal this season.
Photo by Louise Palmberg
345 Park Ave. S / 212.686.1006 / Website
For the California cool family, Upland makes the perfect holiday dining destination. Known for its casually chic decor and Californian and Italian-inspired menu, Upland is an NYC staple. The restaurant usually serves a fairly traditional Christmas meal, with past dishes including wild mushroom soup with spiced crème Fraiche and sunchoke chips, prime rib with root vegetable gratin and au jus and branzino with fennel-leak vinaigrette. Our personal favorites? The desserts, which have included pecan walnut pie with whipped cream and an apple cinnamon sundae with salted caramel sauce and granola.
1185 Broadway / 332.249.8160 / Website
Craving an out-of-the-box European Christmas? Zaytinya's holiday chef's experience for $105 fits the bill. While the full menu will be a surprise, guests can expect to be served green apple tzatziki, portakal salatasi and celebration rice, a delicious pilaf inspired by the classic Persian jeweled rice consisting of a 7-spice braised lamb shank and garnished with pistachios, barberries and almonds.
Whether you're craving French fare or something a bit more out of the box, these NYC restaurants have you covered with a meal that tastes even better because you didn't cook it.
Photography by: Getty Images/FG Trade; courtesy of St. Regis New York; courtesy of Benoit New York; courtesy of STARR Restaurants; courtesy of STARR Restaurants; by Louise Palmberg; by Michael Tulipan; courtesy of The Standard, East Village; by Lea Cojot; by Louise Palmberg