You’re making a list and checking it twice, but it doesn’t yet include plans for the Christmas menu. Not to worry: An array of local restaurants have you covered. Here’s a look at some of the most delicious holiday takeout and dine-in options for the Christmas holidays around the D.C. region.
Virginia
THE MAJESTIC
Dine-in: This Alexandria restaurant is offering a Christmas feast for $79/person. Start with snacks to share — including a selection of pickled vegetables, cured meats, and cheese — and then feast on smoked fish cake, herb-roasted turkey breast, truffled potato puree, and a chocolate-hazelnut torte. Peruse the full menu here. (911 King St., Alexandria. Reservations here.)
VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL
Dine-in: If all you want for Christmas is a waterfront view, this Alexandria spot delivers. The three-course prix fixe Christmas Day menu ($49 per person) includes options like Scotch deviled eggs, Chilean sea bass, and chocolate cake; full menu here. (101 N Union St., Alexandria. Reservations here.)
2941
Dine-in: This French-meets-American Falls Church restaurant is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. For $130/person, enjoy a three-course meal that might include winter black truffle, Australian lamb duo, and gingerbread profiterole. (2941 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church. Reservations here.)
L’AUBERGE CHEZ FRANCOIS
Dine-in: This Alsatian-style inn is celebrating with a seven-course Christmas Eve dinner featuring entrees such as a rack of lamb, beef wellington, and Maine lobster. Prices start at $142. (331 Springvale Rd., Great Falls. Reservations here.)
SMOKECRAFT MODERN BBQ
Pickup: Customize your holiday feast at the Arlington restaurant. You might choose, for example, roasted carrot and ginger soup, a smoked whole duck, smoked ham, or duck fat roasted potatoes. (1051 N. Highland St., Arlington. Order here.)
EDDIE MERLOT’S
Dine-in: This Ashburn restaurant, open from noon until 8 p.m. on Christmas Day, is touting a holiday menu full of festive delicacies: Wagyu meatballs, lamb chops, and a variety of wines will all be available. (20350 Minot Drive, Ashburn. Reservations here.)
FOGO DE CHAO
Pickup: This Brazilian steakhouse, which has locations in Reston and Tysons Corner, is offering a variety of holiday to-go packages. A $180 package that serves six, for example, includes two fire-roasted meats, sweet potato casserole, Brazilian sausage and apple dressing, cocoa fudge brownies, and more. (Multiple locations. Order here.)
Maryland
OSTERIA COSTA
Dine-in: On Christmas Eve at this National Harbor hotspot, treat yourself to baked clams casino, mussels piccata, butter poached lobster, or whole roasted snapper picante. On Christmas Day, savor dishes like seared halibut, smoked heritage turkey, and sliced prime rib. (101 MGM National Ave, Oxon Hill. Reservations here.)
MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE
Dine-in: Morton’s will be offering a special Chateaubriand holiday dinner from Dec. 24 to Dec. 31. (Chateaubriand translates to “a very tender steak cut.”) The three-course meal, which is $179 for two, includes a winter green salad, sour cream mashed potatoes, and sticky toffee bread pudding. See the full menu here. (7400 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. Reservations here.)
SUCCOTASH
Dine-in: This restaurant in National Harbor is putting on a Southern-style Christmas dinner. From Dec. 24 through Jan. 1, enjoy bacon-wrapped dates, persimmon salad, roasted duck breast, toffee pudding, and more. (186 Waterfront St, National Harbor. Reservations here.)
HOLIDAY DINNER FROM ALL SET, MONEY MUSCLE BBQ, AND FRYER’S
Pickup or delivery: Three Maryland restaurants from the same ownership — All Set, Money Muscle BBQ, and Fryer’s Roadside — are teaming up to offer a holiday dinner for four to-go. Preorder by Dec. 18, and look forward to dishes like honey baked ham, grilled salmon with dill cream sauce, skillet cornbread, mac & cheese, and mashed potatoes. Each package include an entree plus several sides. (Pickup at All Set or Fryer’s Roadside. Order here.)
CITY PERCH KITCHEN + BAR
Dine-in: This North Bethesda spot is offering a holiday menu starring seafood, lamb shank, and cookies from Dec. 22-26. It’s open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (11830 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda. Reservations here.)
FEDERALIST PIG
Takeout: Make plans to pick up a smoked feast from Bethesda’s favorite craft BBQ spot. You can choose from smoked turkey, BBQ meats, and seasonal sides. Order by Dec. 19 for pickup on Dec. 23. (4856 Cordell Ave, Bethesda. Order here.)
D.C.
OPEN CRUMB
Pickup: This Black-owned kitchen in Anacostia is offering a festive holiday menu, featuring favorites like jollof rice or wakye (Ghanaian rice and black-eyed peas), spinach stew, mac and cheese, and braised short ribs. Order by Dec. 20 for pickup on Dec. 22, 23, or 24. (1243 Marion Barry Ave. SE. Order by phone or email.)
IMMIGRANT FOOD
Dine-in: Maybe you’ve already made Immigrant Food’s annual holiday brunch a tradition. If not, now’s the time to see what it’s all about. On Christmas Eve, the restaurant will serve festive dishes such as a Hong Kong-style french toast made with peanut butter, condensed milk, and homemade strawberry jam. (925 13th St. NW. Reservations here.)
SABABA
Dine-in and takeout: This Cleveland Park restaurant will offer a variety of new dishes that blend Jewish and Chinese-inspired flavors and techniques. For example: wonton matzo ball soup, pan-seared duck dumplings, moo-shu brisket, corned beef and broccoli, apricot rangoon, and lychee and ginger mahalabia, a creamy pudding. (3311 Connecticut Ave. NW. Reservations here.)
THE HAY-ADAMS
Dine-in: If your ideal holiday involves dining at a luxury hotel, consider the historic Hay-Adams. A Christmas Day brunch will star dishes such as seared red snapper with braised fennel and bouillabaisse jus, plus a hot chocolate and eggnog station. It’s $175 per person. See the full menu (in all its many-station glory) here. (800 16th St. NW. Reservations here.)
BREAD FURST
Takeout: Cookies are a holiday requisite; we don’t make the rules. Pastry chef Abigail Levy is creating a different cookie each week in December, starting with brown butter cinnamon cookies and ending with traditional linzer tart cookies. (4434 Connecticut Ave. NW)
BRASSERIE BECK
Dine-in: The downtown D.C. Belgian restaurant is offering a three-course prix fixe menu on Christmas Eve featuring beef wellington, haricot vert, chestnut and foie gras soup, and a traditional yule log for dessert. It costs $75 per person and will be served from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. (1101 K St. NW. Reservations here.)
TIGER FORK
Dine-in: Do you live for Chinese food on Christmas Day? Tiger Fork has you covered: The Cantonese restaurant in Shaw’s Blagden Alley will serve Chinese BBQ plates, handmade dumplings, crispy soy chicken, and BBQ ibérico pork secreto steak, among other dishes. (922 N St. NW. Reservations here.)
KINSHIP
Takeout: Go all out for Christmas Eve with Kinship’s $200 package, which serves two people. The four-course meal includes options like a truffle waldorf salad, olive oil-poached Atlantic halibut, slow roasted prime rib, and gingerbread mousse cake; check out the full menu here. (1015 7th St. NW)
BLUE DUCK TAVERN
Dine-in: You can’t go wrong with this three-course menu with a range of options: Start off with an appetizer of mushroom soup or shaved and roasted brussels sprouts, and then move on to roasted duck or pasta with mushrooms and truffles. For dessert, indulge in chestnut mont blanc or black forest cake. See the full $165 menu here. (1201 24th St NW. Reservations here.)
LULU’S WINEGARDEN
Takeout: Throughout December, Lulu’s Winegarden transforms into a holiday pop-up with festive decor, themed bingo, and spirited cocktails. At the center of all the excitement: Chef Cable Smith’s beloved Christmas enchiladas, which are stuffed with beef and cheese and smothered in red and green hatch chile sauces. Catering packages start at $30 and feed groups of two to 20. (1940 11th St. NW. Order here.)
FOUNDING FARMERS
Takeout: Founding Farmers has your Christmas Eve covered: The restaurant’s Heat & Eat Christmas at Home includes complete dinners for four, or a la cart breads, starters, sides, entrees, chocolate, and more. (Various locations. Order here.)
CUT BY WOLFGANG PUCK
Dine-in: This sophisticated Georgetown restaurant is serving up Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus fit for its celebrity chef namesake. After a meal of bluefin tuna cones, filet mignon, and Buche de Noel, you’ll have plenty of energy to open the rest of the gifts. See the full menu here. (1050 31st St. NW. Reservations here.)
STABLE DC
Dine-in: This H Street eatery is offering a three-course fondue prix fixe menu on Christmas Eve. For $49/person, choose among appetizers like chicken liver pate, and then move on to choose one of three varieties of fondue, and eventually desserts such as vanilla crème brulee. See the full menu here. (1324 H St. NE. Reservations here.)
CHEF MATT BAKER AT HOME
Pickup or delivery: Local chef Matt Baker’s at-home catering experience is offering a variety of Christmas menus available for pickup or delivery throughout December. A $270 package that serves four to eight, for example, includes options like a whole roasted chicken, dill and dijon crusted poached king salmon, roasted beet and blue cheese salad, and a dozen sugar cookies. (1201 K St. NW. Order here.)
CENTROLINA
Dine-in: Enjoy a Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes at this downtown spot. For $150 per person, chef Amy Brandwein will prepare a four-course extravaganza, with delicacies like steamed mussels, Venetian whipped cod, and swordfish with chicory. There’s an optional wine pairing for an additional $75 per person. (974 Palmer Alley NW. Reservations here.)
UNCONVENTIONAL DINER
Takeout: If you don’t feel like cooking for the holidays because you have a gazillion other things to do, consider Unconventional Diner’s holidays to-go program, offered Dec. 15-31—except for Christmas Day. On the menu: a three-course meal that costs $75/per person and includes options like crab bisque, beef wellington, mashed potatoes, and a slice of chocolate-hazelnut Buche de Noel. (1207 9th St. NW. Order here.)
SALAMANDER DC
Dine-in: Now through Jan. 1, enjoy holiday afternoon tea at Salamander DC. Your table will include house-made scones, tea sandwiches, and pastries, and there will be live piano music humming along in the background. (1330 Maryland Ave SW. Reservations here.)
