clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
More Maps

12 NYC Restaurants for Brunch on Easter Sunday

14 Places to Try Tea in NYC

The Hottest New Bakeries in NYC Right Now

More in New York See more maps
Daniel Krieger

Where to Eat on Christmas Eve in New York City

by Devra Ferst
1 comment / new
View as Map
by Devra Ferst
1 comment / new
Daniel Krieger

Christmas Eve (and the long weekend that follows) is tantalizingly close. For those who don't want to cook, there are a slew of options around town offering a truly international variety of traditional Christmas feasts, from a Swedish julbord, to Mexican tacos, to Caribbean callaloo-stuffed ravioli, and Brazilian moqueca. And if you're hoping to impress the out-of-towners or the in-laws with something classy, we've got that covered, too. For where to eat on Christmas day, click over here.

Read More
If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Aquavit

Copy Link

Newly-appointed chef Emma Bengtsson, who recently impressed Ryan Sutton with her Scandinavian fare, will offer a traditional Swedish julbord buffet from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The meal is $95 per person and includes seven varieties of herring, a number of salmon dishes, and no less than 12 desserts. Bengtsson was, after all, previously the pastry chef.[Daniel Krieger]

65 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022

Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria

Copy Link

The Feast of the Seven Fishes gets crammed into a feast of five fish courses with something sweet to end at Il Buco Alimentari. The highlight of the meal is agnolotti with lobster, black trumpet mushrooms and the option to add black truffles ($25 supplement). There’s also the traditional salt-cured baccala and homemade panettone for dessert. Dinner’s $95 and reservations can be made online. [Courtesy of Il Buco Alimentari]

53 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 837-2622
(212) 837-2622

Also featured in:

Piora

Copy Link

Critical darling Piora is offering a five course seasonally-inspired Christmas Eve dinner. The menu includes a holiday duck, bouillabaisse, and gingerbread with milk chocolate and brown butter caramel for dessert. Dinner is $105, with an addition of $75 for wine pairings. Reservations can be made online or by phone. [Daniel Krieger]

430 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 960-3801
(212) 960-3801

Also featured in:

Salinas

Copy Link

Chef Luis Bollo, who is from the Basque region of Spain, is cooking a traditional Christmas dinner, San Sebastian style. The six-course meal costs $85 and includes a Basque risotto with razor clams, black bread soup with poached duck egg, and walnut pudding with buttermilk chocolate gelato to end. [Official Site]

136 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
(212) 776-1990
(212) 776-1990

Pacifico's Fine Foods

Copy Link

Shanna Pacifico will ring in the holiday season in Crown Heights with a Brazilian take on the Feast of the Seven Fishes. The four course dinner is served family style and includes bacalhua, moqueca (a complex fish and coconut milk stew), shrimp and yucca, and more. Dinner is $45. Reservations can be made online. [Official site]

798A Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(917) 966-2670
(917) 966-2670

Also featured in:

Le Fond

Copy Link

Brooklyn newcomer Le Fond is serving Christmas Eve supper family style. Expect dishes like foie gras terrine with hazelnut butter and poached pear, goose a l’orange, and cider-brined pork loin. A 50% deposit for the mains is required to reserve a seat, which can be done by emailing contact@lefondbk.com. [Facebook]

105 Norman Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-6859
(718) 389-6859

Hearth

Copy Link

Marco Canora is celebrating Christmas with the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. The menu includes the classic baccala montecato, marinated calamari salad, linguine with clams, and several other dishes. Dinner is $94 a person, with an additional $42 for wine. Make reservations online or by phone. [Courtesy of Hearth]

403 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009
(646) 602-1300
(646) 602-1300

Also featured in:

Traif

Copy Link

Jason Marcus is preparing a menu inspired by the Jewish-Chinese meals of his childhood Christmases. Among the non-kosher goodies are General Tso's-style sweetbreads, cockles with fermented Chinese black bean sauce, ginger-scallion lobster sliders, spicy foie gras soup dumplings, and lemon chicken-style fried quail. [Daniel Krieger]

229 S 4th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
(347) 844-9578
(347) 844-9578

Also featured in:

Felidia

Copy Link

Doyenne of Italian cooking Lidia Bastianich will serve several different multi-course menus, ranging from $95 to $145, all featuring fish. Options include shaved raw seafood salad, smoked salmon pastrami with a bagel crostini, scallops casino, fried calamari, pasta with lobster fra diavolo, and nutella chocolate cake with panettone ice cream for dessert. There are also meat dishes for the carnivores. Make reservations online. [Facebook]

243 E 58th St, New York, NY 10022
(212) 758-1479
(212) 758-1479

Cafe el Presidente

Copy Link

Tacombi’s sprawling sibling Cafe el Presidente is hosting a Mexican Christmas Eve dinner of dishes like beef tacos with poblano peppers, almonds, goat cheese salsa, and pomegranate. There’s also a red pozole on the menu, and a warm chocolate drink made with masa, milk and cinnamon. Dinner is a la carte. [Courtesy of Cafe el Presidente]

30 W 24th St, New York, NY 10010
(646) 429-8284
(646) 429-8284

Also featured in:

Northern Spy Food Co.

Copy Link

This laid back three-course $65 prix fixe meal includes a number of options, like the restaurant’s legendary kale salad, butternut squash gnocchi, roasted leg of lamb, and sides like green beans and Brussels sprouts for the table. To finish off the meal, there’s a pine nut tart with mascarpone ice cream. Reservations should be made online. [Daniel Krieger]

511 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009
(212) 228-5100
(212) 228-5100

Miss Lily's & Melvin's Juice Box

Copy Link

The original Miss Lily's is offering a $38 prix fixe dinner of Caribbean riffs on Christmas classics. Expect callaloo ravioli with chicken, pineapple glazed ham, and jerk turkey breasts. For dessert, there’s chocolate passion fruit gateau. If the prix fixe doesn’t appeal, the regular menu will be on offer as well. [Foursquare]

132 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
(646) 588-5375
(646) 588-5375

Also featured in:

More in Maps

Loading comments...

© 2023 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Link copied to the clipboard.

Aquavit

65 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022

Newly-appointed chef Emma Bengtsson, who recently impressed Ryan Sutton with her Scandinavian fare, will offer a traditional Swedish julbord buffet from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The meal is $95 per person and includes seven varieties of herring, a number of salmon dishes, and no less than 12 desserts. Bengtsson was, after all, previously the pastry chef.[Daniel Krieger]

65 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022

Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria

53 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012

The Feast of the Seven Fishes gets crammed into a feast of five fish courses with something sweet to end at Il Buco Alimentari. The highlight of the meal is agnolotti with lobster, black trumpet mushrooms and the option to add black truffles ($25 supplement). There’s also the traditional salt-cured baccala and homemade panettone for dessert. Dinner’s $95 and reservations can be made online. [Courtesy of Il Buco Alimentari]

53 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 837-2622
(212) 837-2622

Piora

430 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

Critical darling Piora is offering a five course seasonally-inspired Christmas Eve dinner. The menu includes a holiday duck, bouillabaisse, and gingerbread with milk chocolate and brown butter caramel for dessert. Dinner is $105, with an addition of $75 for wine pairings. Reservations can be made online or by phone. [Daniel Krieger]

430 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 960-3801
(212) 960-3801

Salinas

136 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Chef Luis Bollo, who is from the Basque region of Spain, is cooking a traditional Christmas dinner, San Sebastian style. The six-course meal costs $85 and includes a Basque risotto with razor clams, black bread soup with poached duck egg, and walnut pudding with buttermilk chocolate gelato to end. [Official Site]

136 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
(212) 776-1990
(212) 776-1990

Pacifico's Fine Foods

798A Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Shanna Pacifico will ring in the holiday season in Crown Heights with a Brazilian take on the Feast of the Seven Fishes. The four course dinner is served family style and includes bacalhua, moqueca (a complex fish and coconut milk stew), shrimp and yucca, and more. Dinner is $45. Reservations can be made online. [Official site]

798A Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(917) 966-2670
(917) 966-2670

Le Fond

105 Norman Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Brooklyn newcomer Le Fond is serving Christmas Eve supper family style. Expect dishes like foie gras terrine with hazelnut butter and poached pear, goose a l’orange, and cider-brined pork loin. A 50% deposit for the mains is required to reserve a seat, which can be done by emailing contact@lefondbk.com. [Facebook]

105 Norman Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-6859
(718) 389-6859

Hearth

403 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009

Marco Canora is celebrating Christmas with the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. The menu includes the classic baccala montecato, marinated calamari salad, linguine with clams, and several other dishes. Dinner is $94 a person, with an additional $42 for wine. Make reservations online or by phone. [Courtesy of Hearth]

403 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009
(646) 602-1300
(646) 602-1300

Traif

229 S 4th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Jason Marcus is preparing a menu inspired by the Jewish-Chinese meals of his childhood Christmases. Among the non-kosher goodies are General Tso's-style sweetbreads, cockles with fermented Chinese black bean sauce, ginger-scallion lobster sliders, spicy foie gras soup dumplings, and lemon chicken-style fried quail. [Daniel Krieger]

229 S 4th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
(347) 844-9578
(347) 844-9578

Felidia

243 E 58th St, New York, NY 10022

Doyenne of Italian cooking Lidia Bastianich will serve several different multi-course menus, ranging from $95 to $145, all featuring fish. Options include shaved raw seafood salad, smoked salmon pastrami with a bagel crostini, scallops casino, fried calamari, pasta with lobster fra diavolo, and nutella chocolate cake with panettone ice cream for dessert. There are also meat dishes for the carnivores. Make reservations online. [Facebook]

243 E 58th St, New York, NY 10022
(212) 758-1479
(212) 758-1479

Cafe el Presidente

30 W 24th St, New York, NY 10010

Tacombi’s sprawling sibling Cafe el Presidente is hosting a Mexican Christmas Eve dinner of dishes like beef tacos with poblano peppers, almonds, goat cheese salsa, and pomegranate. There’s also a red pozole on the menu, and a warm chocolate drink made with masa, milk and cinnamon. Dinner is a la carte. [Courtesy of Cafe el Presidente]

30 W 24th St, New York, NY 10010
(646) 429-8284
(646) 429-8284

Northern Spy Food Co.

511 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009

This laid back three-course $65 prix fixe meal includes a number of options, like the restaurant’s legendary kale salad, butternut squash gnocchi, roasted leg of lamb, and sides like green beans and Brussels sprouts for the table. To finish off the meal, there’s a pine nut tart with mascarpone ice cream. Reservations should be made online. [Daniel Krieger]

511 E 12th St, New York, NY 10009
(212) 228-5100
(212) 228-5100

Miss Lily's & Melvin's Juice Box

132 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012

The original Miss Lily's is offering a $38 prix fixe dinner of Caribbean riffs on Christmas classics. Expect callaloo ravioli with chicken, pineapple glazed ham, and jerk turkey breasts. For dessert, there’s chocolate passion fruit gateau. If the prix fixe doesn’t appeal, the regular menu will be on offer as well. [Foursquare]

132 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
(646) 588-5375
(646) 588-5375

Related Maps