Turkey dinners, latke bundles, boozy brunches and other festive holiday feasts at Toronto restaurants

Turkey dinners, latke bundles, boozy brunches and other festive holiday feasts at Toronto restaurants

After two years of takeout, IRL holiday dinners are back

After a couple of years celebrating over Zoom and takeout, we’re finally able to safely gather together IRL. That means dinner parties, Secret Santa socials and holiday open houses. But, for those who don’t feel like hosting—or, let’s be honest, doing the dishes—a whole bunch of Toronto restaurants are offering festive sit-down feasts.

Photo courtesy of 1Hotel Toronto
1Hotel Toronto

The sustainability champs at 1 Kitchen Toronto have put together a low-waste menu for Christmas and Boxing Day that includes chicken liver pâté; beet and scallop corn toast; beef cheek with honey nut squash, gooseberries and chanterelles; and a zero-waste carrot cake. $75 per person.
 

Photo courtesy of Adrak Yorkville
Adrak Yorkville

This Michelin-recognized Indian restaurant in Yorkville is offering special vegetarian and non-vegetarian prix fixe meals. Some of the plates included are gilafi seekh (minced lamb with bell peppers and mint chutney), Andhra murgh biryani (aged basmati rice with marinated chicken), dak bungalow mutton curry (Colonial-style spicy lamb curry) and aloo gobi. Kulfi makes for a sweet ending. $175 per person.
 

Azhar Kitchen and Bar

Weekends can get pretty jam-packed this time of year, which is why Azhar is doing their special holiday dinner on Tuesday. Guests will enjoy various mezze, a featured main (think fire-roasted lamb or duck) and dessert. December 13 and 20. $75 per person.
 

Café Boulud

The Four Seasons’ French brasserie is serving a festive feast on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The three course menu features fancy apps, like a wild mushroom velouté with roasted chestnuts; decadent mains, like a braised beef short rib with truffled polenta; and show-stopping desserts, including a classic chocolate-and-chestnut yule log. $135 per person.
 

The Civic

The Broadview Hotel’s flagship restaurant is offering a prix fixe menu on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, featuring seasonal starters, like butternut squash soup, followed by slow-roasted turkey with all the fixings (but there’s also pan-roasted swordfish in a saffron and ginger broth, for those who prefer surf over turf). For dessert, there’s a classic sticky toffee pudding with bourbon caramel or eggnog crème brûlée. $65 per person ($35 for children 12 and under).
 

Photo by Kristin Wells
The Dog and Tiger

This Little Italy pub was recently transformed into a farm-to-table restaurant, and for the month of December, it’s offering holiday specials including seared Peking duck breast with dill crème fraîche and kohlrabi kraut ($38), lamb bacon with caponata garnish and pickled beech mushrooms ($21), and Fogo Island cod with a smoked dashi broth and brown butter vinaigrette ($32).
 

Photo by Louisa Nicholaou
The Drake Hotel

The Queen West hotel and hotspot is debuting its Bottomless Brunch feast, which runs every Sunday in December (except Christmas Day) and January 1. Sip mimosas (which, for a bit extra, can be bottomless) while enjoying all-you-can-eat oysters, smoked salmon, baked goods (including their famous blueberry scones), cheese, charcuterie and sweets. $35 per adult, $20 for children (an extra $30 per adult for all-you-can-drink mimosas). Additionally, the kitchen is cooking up its annual Festivus Menu, which is available on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day only. The three-course meal includes spiced kabocha squash, a maple-bourbon brined and smoked turkey with sides and sticky toffee pudding for afters. Vegetarian options available by request. $55 per adult, $25 for children. Update: the Bottomless Brunch feast is now sold out for the month of December but—due to popular demand—it’s been extended until the end of January.
 

Fet Zun

Anyone wishing to celebrate Hanukkah from the safety of their home (we get it, not everyone is down with indoor dining yet) can pre-order the makings of a smoked meat sandwich feast from Fet Zun. It includes two pounds of sliced pastrami, a couple of salads (coleslaw, potato), mustard, half a loaf of caraway rye bread and pickles. $99.
 

Photo courtesy of Hong Shing
Hong Shing

For many, Christmas and Chinese food go together like rum and eggnog. Hong Shing’s seasonal set menu feeds four to six hungry people and includes dim sum platters, yuzu-glazed beef tenderloin, a Prosperity Lobster Tower (made up of East Coast lobsters, pork and prawns), Longevity Noodles, and more. Until December 24. $80 per person.
 

Photo by Kristen Wells
J’s Steak Frites

This Parisian-style steakhouse on Queen West is currently running a holiday prix fixe menu for two that includes the one main on the menu—steak frites, obviously—along with house-made bread and butter, soup, salad and unlimited frites. To end the meal, a selection of petit fours in fun holiday shapes and coffee. $150 for two.
 

Photo courtesy of Joni Restaurant
Joni Restaurant

Park Hyatt’s swanky new restaurant is serving up a four-course prix fixe menu featuring all kinds of fancy indulgences, like foie gras and surf and turf. For dessert, chocolate peppermint cheesecake with toasted marshmallow ice cream. December 24 to 26 and January 1. $95 per person.
 

Photo courtesy of Louix Louis
Louix Louis

On Christmas Eve, see if you can spot Santa from the 31st floor of the St. Regis Hotel, where Louix Louis is offering a festive and fancy three-course menu that includes black truffle tortellini, baked scallops, lobster ravioli and beef Wellington. December 24 and 25. $165 per person.
 

Photo courtesy of Marben
Marben

Chef Chris Locke is cooking up succulent Sunday suppers of grass-fed roast beef, roasted potatoes, gravy, Yorkshire pudding and all the fixings. $40 per person. December 4, 11 and 18. $40 per person.
 

Old Mill

Remember buffets? They’re back! This historic hotel and spa on the Humber River is offering its annual holiday buffet: tables loaded with starters, salads, mains (prime rib, leg of lamb) and sweets. The kiddos will get a kick out of the chocolate fountain. $75 per adult, $30 for children, children three and under are free.
 

Photo by Rick O'Brien
Reign

Speaking of buffets, this restaurant inside the Fairmont Royal York is offering a holiday lunch smorgasbord every weekday until December 16, including cold dishes (poached shrimp, smoked salmon, charcuterie); hot plates (strip loin, roast turkey, mustard-and-maple salmon); and a lavish dessert spread. $65 per person. Then, from December 16 to 26, Reign rolls out a three-course holiday dinner. $99 per person.
 

United Bakers

Celebrate the Holiday of Lights with UB’s Hanukkah latke bundle to go. The feast feeds four to six people and includes four dozen silver dollar–size potato latkes, a half-pound of lox, sour cream, apple sauce and dill. For dessert, there’s a choice of chocolate babka or adorable chocolate-dipped, dreidel-shaped cookies. $99.
 

Photo courtesy of W Toronto
Skylight at W Toronto

For the month of December, this fancy new Yorkville hotel’s flagship restaurant is serving two special family-style menus that showcase Mediterranean cuisine with offerings like chermoula shrimp cocktail and harissa-rubbed chicken. Those looking to splurge can level up to a menu that includes luxe indulgences like Wagyu steak, caviar and oysters. For groups of four or more, $90 per person for the classic menu or $150 per person for the premium menu.