Festive fare to indulge in right now. We take a look at seven of the very best dishes being served in London this Christmas.
When the weather outside is frightful, there’s nothing more delightful than snuggling up inside and stuffing your face with copious amounts of cinnamon buns and mulled wine. This year, London’s festive foodie offering is bigger and better than ever, so Luxury Lifestyle Magazine have cherry picked the very best – from fine dining to street food, raclette to lebkuchen – to indulge in this Christmas season.
Plum Meat Fruit – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
If you’re after fine dining this Christmas, there’s arguably nothing more indulgent than tucking into a mouthwatering Meat Fruit at 2 Michelin star restaurant, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in Knightsbridge after a spot of Christmas shopping. For the month of December, the legendary Meat Fruit has transformed from the iconic mandarin – complete with lifelike dimples, a stalk and leaf – into a festive plum. A gel of mulled wine and winter spices encases the delectable chicken liver parfait, perfectly disguising it as a piece of fruit, which head sommelier Stefan Neumann suggests pairing with a glass of 2008 Sauternes Castelnau de Suduirat.
Mince Pies – Gail’s
It’s safe to say we’ve eaten a fair few mince pies this festive season, but none compare to Gail’s classic beauty. Packed with spiced fruit, sprinkled with brown sugar and deliciously crumbly in texture, these little stars blow Starbucks and Costa’s feeble attempts out the water. If you’re stopping by at Gail’s to pick up a box, we suggest giving in to a few of their tempting speculoos & raspberry jam sandwich cookies too. It’s Christmas after all!
Festive Afternoon Tea – The Ritz
Never does the Ritz look as glorious as at Christmas time, decked with garlands, shimmering red and gold baubles, and a huge pine tree. Their timeless afternoon tea menu enjoys a subtle festive twist, with homemade mince pies and festive pastries accompanying the finger sandwiches. While sipping your champagne and tucking into scones, the Ritz’s very own choir will serenade you with carols around the tree.
Yule Log – Hind’s Head Bray
Possibly the coziest restaurant this side of Lapland, Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin starred Hind’s Head in the picturesque village of Bray (just 30 miles from the capital) doesn’t do Christmas by halves. Warm up by their cozy open fire over a spiced rum cocktail or two, then tuck into a five course tasting menu, which at £58 is most reasonably priced. Our favourite is their Chocolate and Clementine Yule Log, served with marmalade ice cream and a little bunch of cranberries.
Eggnog – Chin Chin Labs
Our favourite marshmallow-topped hot chocolate creators Chin Chin Labs are back with an ultimate Christmas extravagance: Nitro Eggnog ice cream stuffed brownies cookie sandwich, crammed with cinnamon and nutmeg, sprinkled with pistachio and dolloped with extra torched marshmallows. Just wow. Be sure to pop in to their new Dessert Club in Soho for a dose of festive enjoyment.
Christmas Pinecone – Dominique Ansel
New York superstar Dominique Ansel opened up in London’s Victoria last year, and boy does their quirky, creative, sugar-packed Christmas taste good! But what to go for?! Three different flavours of Yule log; double decker cream puffs dressed as tiny santas; gingerbread croissants stuffed with spiced almond frangipane and topped with caramelized pecans and marsh-mallows… the list goes on. Our favourite, however, has to be the ingenious Christmas pinecone: made with ginger mousse, speculoos ganache and spiced cake, and finished with over 60 tiny hand-cut dark chocolate pinecone petals.
Fondue – Jimmy’s Lodge
Allow yourself to be transported to the French Alps with mouth-watering fondue and all the trimmings at Jimmy’s Lodge, which now has a pop-up overlooking the Thames. For the month of December, Jimmy and his team are cooking up an alpine feast of artisan charcuterie, cured gravalax and accoutrements, with their fondue – a blend of vacherine, comte and emmental – taking center stage. His street food options include wild boar and apple hot dogs, raclette burgers and truffle-topped skinny fries. For the ultimate Christmas gathering, book one of the heated ‘Snow Globes’ along the Southbank.
