London Restaurants | London Guide

Brasa Restaurant to Open on Christmas Day

West London’s new high-end grill restaurant, Brasa, will be spreading some festive cheer by throwing their doors open on Christmas day, offering the perfect yuletide menu for their first Christmas.

The bespoke menu has been created by Head Chef Danny MacGechan, who trained under Marco Pierre White and more recently headed up the team at renowned gastro-pub Paradise by Way of Kensal Green. MacGechan brings his distinctive, hearty-but-refined style to Brasa. His trademark approach to cooking shines through in the form of enticing dishes, featuring lovingly cooked produce with a rustic edge. 

Literally meaning ‘live coal’, Brasa, which opened in November, has devised a delectable festive menu based around dishes cooked on an impressive Asador Grill, imported especially from the Basque Mountains area of Spain.

The restaurant’s food offering is distinctly British with emphasis on quality cuts of meat from organic UK farms, fish straight from the Dorset coast and fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced locally. 

On offer for starters will be dishes such as Foie Gras & Smoked Eel Terrine or Artichoke Soup with Trompettes. There will be a selection of five main courses to choose from including Roast Turkey with Trimmings and Halibut with Gnocchi & Cockles or Roast Goose & Peaches. Finally, the desserts on offer will stay traditionally festive with a choice of either Christmas Pudding with Brandy Butter and Tipsy Trifle or Chocolate Yule Log. 

Brasa’s dining room is also available for those preferring a more intimate Christmas gathering with friends or family. The private dining room has a warm and chic New York loft-style feel. Large windows cover an entire side of the dining room, flooding the spacious room with natural light. The décor of exposed brickwork and luxurious fabric-covered walls is perfectly paired with dark wooden floorboards, interspersed with plush carpeting. Backed by a well-stocked wine cabernet, the striking marble bar runs almost the length of the restaurant and the front is upholstered, softening the look of the restaurant. 

Guests will be able to enjoy the finest cocktails, including a bespoke Christmas Eggnog cocktail, created specifically for this special occasion. A varied wine and Champagne list featuring wines sourced internationally will be available, including the house wine priced at £13.50 (Vina Pena, Castilla, Spain, red and white) through to more complex wines such as a Chardonnay, Santa Maria Vineyard, Byron Napa, USA and a Chateau La Pointe, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux. 

The Brasa Christmas menu is perfect for those wanting a festive meal with a modern and gourmet take on the traditional Christmas roast dinner. Dinners will be able to enjoy the one-off menu for just £55. 

Brasa
474 - 476 Fulham Broadway
London
SW6 1BY
Tel: 020 7610 3137          
Web: www.brasalondon.com         

New Christmas Menu at GBK Restaurants

Whether you’re looking to refuel after a particularly painful present dash down the high street, celebrate the festive period with friends or dig into an alternative Christmas dinner with a date this December, kick start the Christmas season in Kiwi style at Gourmet Burger Kitchen (gbk) and tuck into their new Christmas menu, available in restaurants nationwide now. 

The three course menu, available throughout the festive period, is the perfect pit stop for savvy shoppers to take a break from bustling shops and indulge in some festive fodder. With a unique twist on the traditional festive feast, the gbk Christmas menu costs an appetisingly small £11.95 per person and includes a huge choice of delicious dishes - all combining top quality, fresh ingredients. 

To start, enjoy some ‘while you wait’ nibbles from succulent Cajun chicken pieces to scrumptious grilled halloumi bites. For the main event tuck into a seasonal venison burger – topped with lashings of spiced redcurrant and cranberry sauce. If you’d rather a 100% Aberdeen Angus beef burger fix, the popular Classic cheese burger is also available, or the infamous Wellington, with mushrooms and horseradish sauce which is sure to tantalise your taste buds.

What’s more, all mains are served up with a perfectly sized portion of gbk’s signature crispy chunky fries. And if you’re still not stuffed, why not finish your festive feast with a mouth watering mince pie – a sweet hit that’s sure to leave your senses revelling in the essence of Christmas. 

The gbk Christmas menu is available until December 24th at gbk restaurants nationwide. Be sure to you get your gbk festive fill sooner rather than later, as you’re sure to want more!

Christmas Festivities at The Crowne Plaza London – The City

 
Whether it’s the end-of-year office party, or an intimate celebratory meal for two, The Crowne Plaza London – The City, has created a selection of enticing Christmas themes, designed to capture the traditional Christmas spirit in stylish yet relaxed surroundings.

Christmas Masterclass - Make more of the office Christmas outing, with a unique Chinese masterclass. A popular event, the masterclass will inject a little originality into the office party! The initiative provides an enjoyable yet informative masterclass on how to prepare authentic Sichuan cuisine. Brendan Speed, executive chef of The Chinese Cricket Club gives a 90-minute presentation. The concept is available for groups of up to 12 and is priced at £57 per person, including a five-course Sichuan banquet, with wine. Classes run in November and December from 3.00pm to 5.00pm.

The Chinese Cricket Club provides a calming backdrop for this chaotic time of year and promises a different Christmas experience. A play on seasonal ingredients will be on the menu, from sliced turkey with Sichuan chilli sauce to tea smoked duck salad. A three-course banquet menu costs £35 per person and is available between 22 November- 23 December. A Gala Banquet Menu, with a glass of Champagne, festive novelties and crackers will be available on New Year’s Eve and costs £89 per person.

Refettorio - Showcasing what it does best, the menu will highlight seasonal and regional foods this festive season. Available from 22 November to 23 December, a special four-course lunch and dinner menu, including a glass of Prosecco, coffee, petit fours, and Christmas novelties, is priced at £49 and £59 per person respectively. Located only seconds away from the river and the firework display, Refettorio promises a sparkling start to the New Year. The New Year’s Eve menu includes a four-course meal, a pre-dinner drink, half a bottle of wine, live entertainment, festive novelties and costs £119 per person .

Private Parties - The Crowne Plaza Hotel – The City offers a tailored service for friends or colleagues for a celebratory party. Whatever the size of the group, celebrations including sumptuous menus, excellent wines in festive surroundings can be organized by the hotel’s staff. Ideal for large corporate groups wanting a lively Christmas atmosphere, a number of optional extras are available including beverage packages, DJ or an after party at the Nineteenbelow Bar. The full Christmas package costs from £78 per person. All prices quoted include VAT.

For further details on The Crowne Plaza Hotel and the restaurants, please visit www.crowneplaza.com or call 0871 423 4876.

Christmas Day Restaurant and Pub Openings

Here are a few London restaurants and gastro pubs that are open on Christmas Day, if you can't face cooking yourself.

The Cinnamon Club,The Old Westminster Library,30-32 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BUT:020 7222 2555
www.cinnamonclub.com

Aubrey Restaurant, 109-113 Queen’s Gate,South Kensington, London SW7 5LRTel: 020 7589 6300
www.doylecollection.com

108 Marylebone Lane Restaurant & Bar,108 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2QETel: 020 7969 3900
www.108marylebonelane.com

Thatched House, 115 Dalling Road,Hammersmith, London  W6 OETT: 020 8748 6174
www.thatchedhouse.com

The Dial Arch, The Dial Arch Buildings,The Warren, Royal Arsenal Riverside,Woolwich, London SE18 6GHT: 020 3130 0700
www.dialarch.co.uk

County Arms, 345 Trinity Road,London SW18 3SH
T: 020 8874 8532
www.countyarms.co.uk

The Cadogan Arms, 298 King’s Road, SW3 5UG
T: 020 7352 6500
www.thecadoganarmschelsea.com

The Empress of India, 130 Lauriston Road, Victoria Park, E9 7LH
T: 020 8533 5123
www.theempressofindia.com

The Gun, 27 Coldharbour, Docklands, E14 9NS
T: 020 7515 5222
www.thegundocklands.com

The Hat and Tun, 3 Hatton Wall, London, EC1N 8HX
T: 020 7242 4747
www.thehatandtun.com

The Prince Arthur, 95 Forest Road, London Fields, E8 3BH
T: 020 7249 9996
www.theprincearthurlondonfields.com

The Well, 180 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 4JY
T: 020 7242 9122
www.downthewell.co.uk

The White Swan Pub and Dining Rooms, 108 Fetter Lane, EC4A IES
T: 020 7242 9696
www.thewhiteswanlondon.com

Chutney Mary – open lunch only. 4 courses for £68
Reservations:  cmreservations@realindianfood.com 

Veeraswamy – open for lunch and dinner. 4 courses for £70
Reservations: vsreservations@realindianfood.com 

Masala Zone Earls Court – open for lunch and dinner.  3 courses for £36
Reservations: masalazone@realindianfood.com 

Masala Zone Bayswater – open lunch only.  3 courses for 36
Reservations: masalazone@realindianfood.com 

Masala Zone Camden Town – open lunch only.  3 courses for 36
Reservations: masalazone@realindianfood.com 

Masala Zone Covent Garden – open lunch only.  3 courses for 36
Reservations: masalazone@realindianfood.com 

Masala Zone Fulham Broadway – open lunch only.  3 courses for 36
Reservations: masalazone@realindianfood.com 

Masala Zone Islington – open lunch only.  3 courses for 36
Reservations: masalazone@realindianfood.com 

Masala Zone Soho – open lunch only.  3 courses for 36
Reservations: masalazone@realindianfood.com

 

Christmas Party Ideas

In case you are still deciding what to do for your Christmas party this year, here are some ideas:

Festive Fun at The Folly – Gracechurch Street (City)
For a venue with a difference this Christmas, step inside to the great outdoors with The Folly, a truly botanical bar with life-size trees and natural materials that bring a taste of nature to the concrete jungle.
Choose from a variety of spaces to host your Christmas party – with sharing benches for casual lunches, one of our private vaults for small, intimate cocktail parties or the chef’s table for a special sit-down dinner. There are round booths to socialise in, or there’s a private dining space for larger groups – and you can even rent the whole venue out if you need to find a festive home for up to 1000.
Don’t forget, you can even head to our deli for last-minute Christmas foodie gifts including delicious preserves and homemade chutneys.
For any enquiries or help around planning your festive season, contact our events team on 0845 468 0102 or christmas@thefollybar.co.uk
The Folly, 40 Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 0BTTel: 0845 468 0102
www.thefollybar.co.uk


The Anthologist – Gresham Street (City)
Whether you’re planning an intimate event or want to hire the whole venue for up to 850 guests, there are ample options over its two storeys, from the large bar to the cocktail lounge, chef’s table and private studio with 1950s kitchen.
Don’t forget you can even head to our deli for last-minute Christmas gifts – from delicious preserves to homemade chutneys.
For any enquiries or help around planning your festive season, contact our events team on 0845 468 0101 or christmas@theanthologistbar.co.uk
The Anthologist, 58 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7BBTel: 0845 468 0101
www.theanthologistbar.co.uk

The Parlour – Canary Wharf
Whether you’re a small group or want to rent out the whole venue for up to 650 guests, there’s an area just right for your event, from our decadent timber-panelled cocktail lounge to our intimate wine room and conservatory lounge for cocktail parties, to the alfresco terrace, complete with giant umbrellas and fire pits for warmth all year round.
For any enquiries or help around planning your festive season, contact our events team on  0845 468 0100 or christmas@theparlourbar.co.uk
the parlour, the park pavilion, 40 canada square, london e14 5fw
tel: 0845 468 0100
www.theparlourbar.co.uk

The Refinery - Southwark
Choose from casual dining at our large sharing benches or go for something more intimate with booths that are curtained off from the rest of the venue. There’s also a private dining space on our mezzanine level, comfortable lounge seating, or you can even hire out the whole venue.
For help planning an event, contact our events team on 0845 468 0186 or info@therefinerybar.co.uk
www.therefinerybar.co.uk

Christmas Offer at Tortilla Restaurants

Situated in five central locations around London, Tortilla will be offering merry party-goers the ultimate Christmas package including a medium sized burrito with tortilla chips, sour cream and chunky guacamole plus two Mexican beers from a choice of Corona, Dos Equis, Negra Modelo, Modelo Especial or Pacifico – a bargain at £15 per person!

Feeling indulgent? Size up your burrito to a large for just £1 extra. Tortilla’s dishes are all prepared on-site daily. Tender meats are marinated and grilled to perfection, chunky guacamole is crammed full of the ripest avocados, and authentic salsa roja provides a piquant bite.

The health conscious can also sleep easy: gluten-free corn tortillas are available, while the grilled chicken is halal, plus an extensive set of toppings are vegetarian, and none of the meals at Tortilla are fried, banishing the old-age perception of heavy, greasy Mexican cuisine. 

So why not come down throughout the Christmas period and enjoy some Californian-style Mexican hospitality at any one of our five London restaurants? Feliz Navidad!

Check out the venues at www.tortilla.co.uk