Where should you eat after unwrapping all the presents? A large number of Washington restaurants serve Christmas Eve dinner, but much fewer open for Christmas Day dining. Fortunately you’ll find plenty of variety here, from elegant brunches to casual meals and prix-fixe dinners.
1201 24th St., NW
The Park Hyatt’s seasonal American restaurant offers an appetizer buffet with salads, raw-bar fare, charcuterie, and more, followed by a choice of plated entrées and sides. Guests return to the kitchen for a dessert display.
Details: Served 11:30 to 9; $100 for adults; $45 for children six to 12; free for children under six.
322 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Looking for a more affordable Christmas Day option? Head to this quaint Capitol Hill German restaurant, which offers a three-course menu for $39.
Details: Served for seatings at 2, 4:30, and 7; $39 per person.
1122 Ninth St., NW
You won’t find any high chairs in chef Tom Power‘s Shaw dining room, so the three-course menu is a good option for the adult crowd.
Details: $65 for three courses.
923 16th St., NW
The upscale dining room at the St. Regis offers a three-course menu with dishes such as crabcakes with truffled celeriac, beef short ribs, and chocolate-croissant bread pudding.
Details: $85 per person.
Founding Farmers and Farmers Fishers Bakers
1924 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 3000 K St., NW
Anyone looking for a more casual Christmas can head to this trio of American restaurants, which offer their regular all-day menus. A “something for everyone” approach from the kitchen also makes it a good option for families.
Details: Served noon to 8; à la carte.
116 S Alfred St., Alexandria
This Federal-style mansion in Alexandria offers brunch with festive items like figgy pudding beignets, reindeer carpaccio, and corned beef hash with local eggs.
Details: Served 11 to 3; $50 per person.
2401 M St., NW
Christmas brunch returns to the Colonnade with a festive buffet of fruits and salads, an organic egg omelet station, a dessert display, and more. Guests can also opt for a seasonal dinner menu with four courses.
Details: Brunch served 11 to 2; dinner 5:30 to 10. Brunch is $99 (includes valet parking); dinner $60 per person, or $75 with wine pairings.
515 15th St., NW
Chef Barry Koslow‘s new venture in the W Hotel offers Christmas specials in addition to the regular à-la-carte menu. Festive dishes include a feast of the seven fishes in appetizer form and a goose breast entrée.
Details: Served 2 to 8; $60 prix-fixe or à la carte.
1200 16th St., NW
The Jefferson Hotel’s elegant dining room offers an all-day three-course menu from chef Ralf Schlegel, including dishes such as truffle lobster bisque, roast duck, and pistachio petit gateau. The restaurant is also open for a multi-course Christmas Eve dinner.
Details: Served from 11:30 to 8:30; $98 per adult; $45 per child.
Lincoln Restaurant/Teddy & the Bully Bar
1110 Vermont Ave., NW/1200 19th St., NW
Both PRG Hospitality restaurants offer farm-to-table Christmas buffets, including carving stations with turkey, ham, prime rib, and more, plus options from the à-la-carte menus.
Details: Both serve from 1 to 8. Lincoln: $58 per person; $21 children 12 and under. Teddy: $55 per person; $21 children 12 and under.
2800 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Expect a generous brunch at the Four Seasons in Georgetown with a menu of carved meats and crabcakes, an omelet station, a raw bar, and a Southern section featuring “grits, greens, and bbq.”
Details: Served 10 to 3; $110 per person.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
