A last-minute guide to booking your pub Christmas Day lunch

17th December 2019

Christmas Day is fast approaching, and more and more people are choosing to hang up the apron, give their usual chef the day off and spend Christmas lunch enjoying the cosy atmosphere of the pub.

Families, feasts and fiascos over an undercooked turkey? Christmas Day is great but all too often leads to squabbles over burnt roasties, hours of slaving away in the kitchen, and moans from a hangry uncle. Not this year! We’ve rounded up the best pubs in London which still have some availability for Christmas Day.

With Christmas just around the corner, most pubs are finding themselves fully booked, however after much researching we’re pleased to announce that there is space for a few more lucky families at these spectacular pubs, where you can expect award-winning food and an atmosphere to boot!

However, waste no time, as we can’t guarantee this Christmas Day availability will last much longer..

Christmas Inspiration

The Cherry Tree, Dulwich

Situated in the beautiful South London village of Dulwich, The Cherry Tree is famous among locals for serving a carefully curated menu of fresh, seasonal British food. With the smell of mulled wine filling every corner of this cosy pub, why not book your own festive celebration with a sumptuous sharer or a boozy bundle! What’s more, opposite the pub is Peckham Rye Park, giving you and your family the perfect opportunity to walk off your Christmas lunch!

Christmas at The Cherry Tree

Hollywood Arms, Chelsea

A short walk from the iconic King’s Road in Chelsea is the elegant Hollywood Arms. A favourite among locals, this pub has been a go-to institute for over 150 years. This year, their exciting Christmas menu is inspired by the best of British and is made using seasonal produce, includes British cheeses, English Rose Turkey, Suffolk charcuterie, Creedy Carver duck and Hampshire pheasant. Christmas is a time for indulging, and it doesn’t get more indulgent than this menu.

Christmas at The Hollywood Arms

Blue Boar, Oxfordshire

I know we said London pubs, but we couldn’t resist putting in this stunning Chipping Norton pub. If Christmas in the Cotswolds sounds like your idea of heaven, then you’re in luck. This quintessentially English, countryside pub has stone-wash floors and walls, and is a listed building dating back to it’s time as the village coach house in 1641! With a Christmas menu boasting dishes such as smoked duck breast and Christmas pudding with brandy butter ice cream, this will be a Christmas dinner to remember.

Christmas at The Blue Boar

The Mitre, Lancaster Gate

Christmas is a time of tradition and history, so where more fitting to spend yours than in a beautiful Grade II listed building in the heart of Bayswater, West London. Perfectly set within walking distance of Notting Hill, Kensington and Paddington, enjoy a Christmas lunch with your loved ones after wandering through Hyde Park to watch the annual Serpentine Lake Peter Pan Cup – something everyone should witness at least once! The Mitre are set to pull out all the stops with their delicious Christmas menu which includes Hampshire venison Wellington, all to be enjoyed in their opulent Lord Craven Dining Room.

Christmas at The Mitre

Coach and Horses, Isleworth

Join in the festive fun at the Coach and Horses in West London this Christmas Day. You can expect a carefully curated Christmas feast, with an abundance of hot gin, Christmas music and real log fires to get you well and truly into the festive spirit. This pub prioritises comfort and high quality food, with their exceptional Head Chef serving a traditional Christmas lunch along with vegan and vegetarian options!

Christmas at The Coach & Horses

The Castle, Tooting

South of the river doesn’t get much better than at the Castle in Tooting Broadway. With their contemporary chic interior, the Orangery is the perfect spot for your family this Christmas Day. Perfect for both large bookings and more intimate family meals, their Head Chef is offering a three-course Christmas Day menu, with choices ranging from traditional crown of turkey to a delicious beetroot and fennel nut roast. If you don’t want the fun to end, then why not have drinks after in one of the heated, cosy huts in their spectacular winter garden.

Christmas at The Castle

The Bishop, Kingston

Nestled on the banks of the River Thames, the beautiful views of Kingston Bridge from this lovely pub will be tough to beat this Christmas. Their Christmas Lunch menu is best enjoyed snuggled in a cosy corner of the pub next to a roaring fire, and if you still have room post-lunch, enjoy a drink overlooking the icy river from their heated terrace to add a little festive style to the day!

Christmas at The Bishop

Duke of Cambridge, Battersea

It’ll be tough to find a more magical place to spend Christmas Day than on the banks of the River Thames, overlooking both Battersea Park and the lit-up Battersea Power Station. The Duke of Cambridge in South London provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere to enjoy your festive feast with family and friends. Their team will be getting up in the wee hours, roasting, basting and stuffing to ensure you’re treated to the ultimate Christmas Day dinner. So rejoice, it’s time to eat, drink and be merry!

Christmas at the Duke of Cambridge

The Alma, Wandsworth

An iconic landmark, standing proudly in the heart of Wandsworth Town, The Alma is a British Victorian pub, hotel and restaurant steeped in history and known for its famous green tiles! If you’re travelling to London for Christmas, then this South-West London pub is the perfect place to book your Christmas lunch as you can then stay in one of their comfortably stylish hotel bedrooms after. That way you can make the most of their impressive range of local ales and their Secret Cellar Wine List, safe in the knowledge you don’t have far to travel to rest your head at the end of the day.

Christmas at The Alma

Defector’s Weld and The Eagle, Shepherd’s Bush

If spending Christmas in the heart of West London is on your agenda, then luckily you have two pubs with Christmas Day availability to choose from! Whilst the Eagle oozes grandeur, the Defector’s Weld has a more modern and trendy feel. Both pubs are not only known for their fantastic food, but their wide array of craft beers, local real ales and sumptuous cocktails, meaning no one in the family will be left without their favourite tipple this Christmas.

Christmas at The Eagle Christmas at The Defector's Weld