A&J
1319 Rockville Pike, Rockville; 4316 Markham St., Annandale
These beloved northern dim sum parlosr are a tradition for DC area Jewish families on Christmas Day. Plan ahead, though: the queue for dan dan noodles, pan-fried pork dumplings, and cucumber salad can be especially long on the holiday.
Bresca
1906 14th St., NW
Chef Ryan Ratino will host a Christmas Eve feast at his fun bistro (downstairs from the luxe Jônt). The meal—which includes a ham-and-lobster tart, tuna crudo, and Wagyu with creamed spinach—goes for $195 per person, before drinks, tax, service charge.
Chang Chang
1200 19th St., NW
Peter Chang’s DC outpost is dispensing various holiday catering packages available for pre-order on Tock. A Peking duck package for four ($148) includes the crispy duck, 10 lotus buns, dry-fried brussels sprouts, green beans with ya cai, and dry pot baby potatoes. A similar holiday set menu is also available for pickup through January 1.
The Dabney
122 Blagden Alley, NW
“Dabnog”, a rich, boozy concoction of bourbon, rye, madeira, black rum, sorghum molasses, eggs, milk, and spices, has become a holiday tradition at chef Jeremiah Langhorne’s Michelin-starred mid-Atlantic restaurant in Shaw. Order it by the quart on Tock for $50, or stop by the Dabney to have a sip with dinner.
Ellē
3221 Mount Pleasant St., NW
Mount Pleasant’s exemplary all-day neighborhood spot is offering a take-home holiday menu available for pre-order through December 17. That could mean a blowout prime rib dinner for two ($165) with BBQ prawns, hasselback potatoes, cream spinach, horseradish cream, and more. A la carte options are available too, such as a gruyere-smoked kale quiche, chocolate/hazelnut layer cake, and sweet-potato/molasses rolls. Pick-up is on Christmas Eve.
Ellie Bird
125 Founders Ave., Falls Church
Carey and Yuan Tang’s friendly Falls Church restaurant has holiday take-home boxes available for pre-order online. “The Works” package (starting at $195) feeds 4 to 6 “comfortably,” and includes baby kale salad with pickled cranberries, thyme focaccia, four-cheese mac, green beans almondine, roasted winter vegetables with Alabama white BBQ sauce, and flourless chocolate torte. Add a braised short rib main course for $120 more, or roasted chicken with sourdough panade for $55.
Fiola
601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Fabio Trabocchi’s luxe Italian dining room in Penn Quarter always feels like a special occasion, but especially so on December 23 and 24, when you can book a feast of the seven fishes experience. For $375 a person, sit down to an eight-course menu that includes oysters; caviar with ricotta; smoked hamachi puttanesca; tuna carpaccio with hazelnut butter and truffles; and more. A less fishy five-course menu is available, too.
Gemini
1509 17th St., NW
A curated holiday shop, available through this eclectic natural wine and pizza destination’s website, offers customizable gift boxes and stocking stuffers like housemade hot sauce, along with party snacks like mascarpone-stuffed dates and a kit that involves champagne, caviar, and potato chips. Pre-order online for pickup on December 21.
L’Ardente
200 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Chef David Deshaies’s extravagant Italian eatery is partaking in an extravagant Italian-American tradition from December 17 through Christmas Eve: the Feast of the Seven Fishes. The decadent meal ($250 for two) includes salmon cannelloni; Alaskan king crab; oysters al forno; scallop gnocchi; red snapper “in crosta”; and three wine pairings, among other things.
L’Auberge Chez François
332 Springvale Rd., Great Falls
The holidays are a good excuse for old-fashioned decadence, and this decades-old Alsatian cottage restaurant provides that in spades. Come for one of three seatings for a seven-course feast on Christmas Eve (featuring beef wellington and running between $147 and $158 per person), or order prepaid take-home options to pick up on the 24th. More info is available here.
Le Diplomate
1601 14th St., NW
Never a place to skimp on festivities, the bistro landmark—bedecked in holiday decor—is celebrating the season in various ways. On December 21, there’s a kid-friendly Mrs. Claus Brunch, complete with hot cocoa and cider, from 10 AM to 5 PM. Through most of December, Le Dip’s pastry chefs are preparing bûches de noëls (including a frozen mango-raspberry version) to take home. And the place will stay open until 10 PM Christmas Eve, then open its doors from noon to 9 PM on Christmas Day, serving the regular menu plus holiday specials.
Moon Rabbit
927 F St., NW
Kevin Tien’s “reimagined” Vietnamese restaurant has your holiday prime rib needs covered. For $195, you can pre-order a takeout dinner for two centered on Tien’s prime rib (with spicing inspired by bo luc lac, or “shaking beef”). Extras include coconut milk bread with tamarind-caramel butter, radish-chicory salad, and a chocolate bûche de noël with miso-Hennessy butterscotch and figs. Pickup is on December 23.
Nina May
1337 11th St., NW
Christmas Eve at this farm-to-table Shaw restaurant means feast of the seven fishes, a tradition chef Colin McClimans is honoring for the sixth year running. The family-style service, which goes for $90 per person, features littleneck-clams casino; squid ink lumache with braised calamari; monkfish piccata; and blood-orange sorbet served with trout roe.
Rose’s Luxury
717 Eighth St., SE
Bring home a feast for two from this 11 year-old Capitol Hill destination. Choose to center it around a honey-baked, pineapple-glazed ham ($205) or red wine-braised short ribs with brandy-peppercorn sauce ($260). Both options come with mashed potatoes, braised kale, root-vegetable panzanella, carrots, and King’s Hawaiian rolls. You can also tack on extras like sparkling wine, sticky toffee pudding, and black truffles. Order here for pickup or delivery within 30 miles.
2Fifty Texas BBQ
4700 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park; 414 K St., NW
A “Holiday Combo” from everyone’s favorite Salvadoran-inflected Texas BBQ smokehouse goes for $95 and serves four. It’s got a pound of prime brisket, one of pork spare ribs, two sausages, four pieces of corn bread, and two large sides (with choices such as mac and cheese, sweet potato mash, and fried plantains). Pre-order here for pick up at either location.
