A high-ceilinged, light-filled restaurant dining room with pink and white-themed Christmas trees placed around tables and chairs. — The Grana, inside the Langham Hotel in downtown Boston, is all decked out for the holiday.

Where to Eat on Christmas Day

A guide to Boston-area restaurants that are open on the holiday

by Erika Adams Dec 12, 2022, 3:44pm EST

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The Grana, inside the Langham Hotel in downtown Boston, is all decked out for the holiday.

| The Langham, Boston

by Erika Adams Dec 12, 2022, 3:44pm EST

If the idea of feasting at home on December 25 does not sound merry and bright, there’s a solution. A number of Boston-area restaurants — especially those located inside hotels — are keeping the lights on during Christmas Day and rolling out special feasts for the occasion. Check out the full list below, and grab a reservation sooner rather than later as tables at many spots are filling up fast.

Rare Steakhouse

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Rare Steakhouse — located inside the luxury Encore Boston Harbor hotel — is serving up a three-course meal on Christmas Day for $125 per person. There’s a little leeway with options available for each course, including a lemony roast chicken, citrus-crusted swordfish, or dijon-roasted prime rib for the entree.

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1 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149

(857) 770-7000

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A platter with steak and vegetables set on a white tablecloth. — Celebrate Christmas with lots of steak.

Momi Nonmi

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Go big with a Christmas omakase dinner at Momi Nonmi, an upscale sushi spot known for its sake selection. Chef and owner Chris Chung is accepting reservations on December 25 for a varied omakase menu that starts at $170 per person, with a minimum of two people required on each reservation.

1128 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 945-7328

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Alcove

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Take in waterfront views while feasting at Alcove, which is mixing its regular dinner menu with a few holiday specials on December 25. Chef Charles Draghi is in charge of the kitchen here; highlights include a hearty carbonara, tender grilled chicken served half or whole, and a smoked trout pate served with crispy everything bagel chips.

50 Lovejoy Wharf, Boston, MA 02114

(617) 248-0050

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Ristorante Fiore

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Christmas dinner at Ristorante Fiore in the North End doubles as a goodbye party this year. The long-running Italian spot is closing down permanently after service on the holiday. Owner Fiore Colella is retiring, while the space is changing hands to well-known Boston restaurateur Frank DePasquale, who plans to bring back a version of the Italian restaurant and nightclub Umbria in the new year.

250 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

(617) 371-1176

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An exterior photo of a brick-walled restaurant on a sunny day with red awnings and white lettering spelling out “Ristorante Fiore.” — Ristorante Fiore.

Mare

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Speaking of DePasquale, all of his North End restaurants — including seafood spot Mare and other Italian favorites like Trattoria Il Panino and Bricco — are open on Christmas Day. Head to Mare on December 25 from 4 to 11 p.m. for oysters, crudo, and more, either indoors or while huddled around a warm firepit on the restaurant’s enclosed patio.

223 Hanover St, 3 Mechanic St, Boston, MA 02113

(617) 723-6273

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A close-up photo of a frying pan arranged with shellfish, pasta, broth, and bread. — Cioppino at Mare.

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Grana at The Langham

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The Langham Hotel’s restaurant Grana is doing a family-style menu on Christmas Day. Appetizers include candied butternut soup and burrata salad, followed by a braised beef short rib, and sides like wild mushroom risotto and crispy Brussels sprouts. Cap off the meal with a stop at the dessert buffet, where diners will find festive sweets like a black forest yule log and lemon ricotta pie. The meal costs $145 per person (or $65 for children aged five or older) and is served in three seatings between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

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250 Franklin St, Boston, MA 02110

(617) 956-8765

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Boston Harbor Hotel

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The swanky, waterfront Boston Harbor Hotel is hosting a blowout brunch on Christmas Day with roasted turkey, Peking duck, lobster mac and cheese, a charcuterie bar, a seafood bar — essentially, come hungry. The brunch is $210 per person, or $80 for children 12 and under.

70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110

(617) 439-7000

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A close-up photo of an appetizing spread with crackers, brie cheese, and red grapes. — On Christmas Day, brunch away.

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Contessa

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Head up to the top of the Newbury Boston hotel to feast in style on Christmas Day. Major Food Group’s lauded Italian restaurant Contessa is serving a $195-per-person, four-course Christmas meal with dishes like spicy lobster rigatoni and ribeye tagliata. The dinner is served from 12 to 7 p.m. Can’t get a reservation? Guaranteed seatings come with a special hotel booking over the holiday.

3 Newbury St Rooftop, Boston, MA 02116

(617) 741-3404

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A pink banquette curves around large windows overlooking the Boston skyline at a luxury rooftop restaurant. — A luxe Christmas at Contessa.

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Where to Dine on Rooftops in and Around Boston

Atlantic Fish Company

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Seafood mainstay Atlantic Fish Company is celebrating the holiday with a special menu that includes roasted porchetta, grilled steelhead trout, and a squid ink fregola with poached lobster. Seatings start at 3 p.m. on December 25, and the last seating is at 8:45 p.m.

761 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116

(617) 267-4000

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Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse

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Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão in Back Bay will be open to customers on Christmas Day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Go for the churrasco experience to get the restaurant’s roasted meats via all-you-can-eat tableside service for $65 per person.

200 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116

(617) 585-6300

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