Where to Eat in London This Christmas Season (2025 Guide)
If there’s one season when London feels like it’s giving you a warm hug, it’s Christmas. From cosy pubs glowing with fairy lights to bakeries serving once-a-year specials, December in London turns the whole city into one long, delicious temptation.
But here’s the thing nobody tells you: you don’t need to splash out on Michelin menus or overpriced “festive experiences” to eat well during Christmas time. London is overflowing with mid-range gems, affordable holiday menus, limited-edition treats, and underrated cafés that feel way more magical than the mainstream spots.
Whether you’re visiting for the first time, living here long-term, or just trying to find a perfect place for a Christmas catch-up, this guide walks you through the best spots updated for Christmas 2025, fully accurate, and easy to reach by Tube.
Let’s go eat our way through London’s warmest season.
1. Classic Christmas Roasts (Affordable to Mid-Range)
The Admiralty, Trafalgar Square
A nautical-themed pub right beside Trafalgar Square, serving a hearty festive roast that Londoners return for year after year. Expect turkey with cranberry, pigs in blankets, and a properly crisp roast potato.
Best for: Visitors who want the true London pub Christmas vibe.
Location: SW1A 2DR
Nearest Tube: Charing Cross (2-minute walk)
➡️ If you’re staying nearby, book a central hotel
Blacklock (Soho & Shoreditch) Festive Sunday Roast
Blacklock is known for the “Best Roast in London” according to many locals, and their Christmas version is a dream: gravy boats, coal-roasted meats, and massive Yorkshire puddings.
Price: Around £25–£30 per person
Location: Soho (W1F 8HN), Shoreditch (EC2A 3AY)
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road / Oxford Circus
➡️ Want to get around multiple locations easily? Rent a car
The Orange (Pimlico)
A beautiful gastropub inside a historic building. Their festive menu includes slow-cooked beef, turkey, and incredible sticky toffee pudding.
Location: SW1W 8NE
Nearest Tube: Sloane Square
2. Winter Warmers: The Best Hot Chocolates (Not Overpriced Tourist Traps)
Knoops (Multiple Locations)
Knoops is famous for customisable hot chocolates made with real chocolate percentages 34%, 54%, 70%, 80% and more. Seasonal options include orange, cinnamon, and toasted marshmallow toppings.
Price: £5–£7
Top Branch for Christmas: Covent Garden (WC2E 9AA)
Dark Sugars (Brick Lane)
Towering piles of chocolate shavings melted directly into your drink warm, rich, and unforgettable. No chain vibes, just pure craft chocolate.
Location: E1 6RF
Nearest Tube: Aldgate East or Shoreditch High Street Overground
Whittard Chelsea Christmas Hot Chocolate Bar (Covent Garden)
Every year, Whittard sets up a Christmas tasting station offering gingerbread cocoa, mint chocolate, and “hot chocolate shots.” Affordable and super festive.
Location: WC2E 9DD
Nearest Tube: Covent Garden
3. Festive Afternoon Teas (Mid-Range, Not £200 Luxury Ones)
The Wolseley Gingerbread Afternoon Tea
The Art Deco masterpiece turns into a gingerbread palace every Christmas, offering scones, mini gingerbread houses, and festive pastries.
Price: ~£55 per person
Location: W1J 9EB
Nearest Tube: Green Park
Fortnum & Mason Christmas Afternoon Tea
Held in their elegant Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon (opened by the late Queen). Their Christmas tea includes spiced pastries, cranberry scones, and mince pies.
Price: ~£70 per person
Location: Piccadilly (W1A 1ER)
Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Peggy Porschen Festive Pink Wonderland Tea
Perfect for Instagram lovers. Think pink Noël decorations, sparkling fairy lights, and a pastry selection that feels like edible Christmas décor.
Location: SW1W 9QQ (Belgravia)
Nearest Tube: Victoria or Sloane Square
4. Christmas Street Food You Shouldn’t Miss
Southbank Winter Market
The riverside lights make this one special. Affordable eats: raclette, bratwurst, loaded hot chocolates, churros, and mulled wine.
Price: £6–£12 street food
Location: SE1 8XX
Nearest Tube: Waterloo
Camden Market Winter Street Kitchen
Every winter, Camden adds seasonal stalls think Christmas bao, hot mochas, truffle mac & cheese, and Korean fried turkey burgers.
Location: NW1 8AF
Nearest Tube: Camden Town
King’s Cross Coal Drops Yard Winter Feast
Independent traders serve some of the best festive comfort foods brisket buns, artisanal chocolates, speciality coffee, and mulled sours.
Location: N1C 4DQ
Nearest Tube: King’s Cross St Pancras
➡️ Great spot if you're staying near King’s Cross book accommodation
5. Hidden Christmas Dining Gems Locals Love
Dishoom Festive Bacon Naan + “Mince Pie Chai”
Dishoom’s Christmas specials are a local obsession. Their Mince Pie Chai is warming, spiced, and perfect after a cold evening walk.
Multiple Locations: Covent Garden, King’s Cross, Shoreditch, Kensington
Price: £12–£18 dishes
The Princess of Shoreditch Proper Bistro Christmas Menu
Modern British dishes with festive twists turkey ballotine, chestnut velouté, and sticky ginger cake.
Location: EC2A 3PQ
Nearest Tube: Old Street
St. Christopher’s Place Underrated Christmas Corner
This hidden alley behind Oxford Street transforms beautifully at Christmas. Restaurants like Bone Daddies, Côte, and Ping Pong offer seasonal menus without the tourist rush.
Location: W1U 1BW
Nearest Tube: Bond Street
6. Quick “Instant Christmas Vibe” Cafés
🎅 Ole & Steen (Multiple locations)
Scandi bakery known for their cinnamon socials, Christmas kringles, and proper hot chocolate.
🎅 EL&N Café Pink Christmas
Super aesthetic, but mid-range in price. Try their gingerbread latte or s’mores hot chocolate.
🎅 Notes Coffee (Trafalgar Square + Canary Wharf)
Cosy seating, Christmas playlists, candle lighting perfect for warming up after walking the lights.
➡️ You can book hotels near these central coffee spots
7. Tips to Keep Christmas Dining Affordable
Here’s how Londoners save money but still enjoy festive food:
Go before 5 PM
Many pubs and restaurants offer cheaper pre-theatre deals between 3 PM–5 PM.
Choose weekday slots
Avoid Thursday–Sunday evenings prices rise and reservations fill quickly.
Get drinks at markets, not restaurants
Mulled wine at a restaurant: £9–£12
Mulled wine at a market: £5–£7
And honestly? Market mulled wine tastes better.
Walk between locations
Skip taxis London is gorgeous on foot in December.
But if you do need a car, here’s where you can rent one
Final Thoughts: Don’t Overthink Christmas Food London Makes It Easy
Christmas in London doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. Pick one cosy pub, one sweet café, and one festive market that alone makes a perfect December evening.
Food is how London celebrates, and this season, the city gives you so many ways to feel cosy, festive, and full without draining your bank account.
If you need personalised suggestions based on your area, budget, or vibe I’ve got you.
Let’s Plan Your Christmas Food Hunt Together
I share new festive menus, limited-time pop-ups, market food reviews, and real-time London updates every day.
If you want to discover the best Christmas food spots (before they get crowded!), follow along at:
👉 @london.yaar
Your London Christmas foodie season starts now.