Christmas 2025: 20 Must-Try Festive Menus in Newcastle
Our round-up of some of the most tempting festive menus in the city
Every now and again, the papers will run a story about some loveable eccentric who has eaten nothing but Christmas dinners every day for 35 years or something. They’ll normally include the total sum of sprouts eaten for some perspective.
We don’t recommend that, but in the run-up to Christmas plenty of Newcastle’s finest restaurants offer excellent seasonal menus so there’s no reason why you couldn’t eat quite a lot of festive food this December.
And it’s not just the standard turkey and stuffing either - there are some appealing and inventive international spins on Christmas dinner too. Here’s our round-up of some of the best Christmas menus in NE1.
City Tavern, Northumberland Road
Much loved Newcastle institution The City Tavern is well known for lots of reasons - including its love of dogs - but we can add a love of Christmas food to the list too. They’ll be offering three Christmas menu options – a main course for £19.95, two courses for £26.95 or the whole three courses for £31.95. From broccoli and stilton soup, to a salted caramel brownie via some splendid main options – turkey of course but also slow roasted beef brisket and herb crusted salmon - there's plenty of festive treats to get your taste buds tingling.
The Vermont Hotel, Castle Garth
The Vermont has got so much going on this Christmas, they’ve even produced a shiny brochure! Available every day in December there’s a special festive afternoon tea, served from 12:30pm till 4pm. This seasonal spin on their popular afternoon teas can be taken in the Vermont Lounge, Redwood Bar or Maven Restaurant. £24.95 per person gets you all the sandwiches, baked goods and hot drinks you could want, with ‘gentleman's’ and children’s options available as well. On Thursday 18th December, you can even enjoy it with entertainment from the incredibly talented Westoe Brass Band ensemble too!
Maldron Hotel, Newgate Street
Get into the Christmas spirit with a spot of festive dining at the Maldron Hotel. Served in their Grain & Grill restaurant, and welcoming parties big and small, their menu starts from just £25.95 per person, with the option to add dessert for an extra £7.
21, Trinity Gardens
Keeping it simple but refined as you’d expect, 21’s Christmas menu (available from Thursday 27th November for lunch and early evening) offers two courses for £46, or three for £52. From the terrine of Northumbrian game to cheddar cheese and spinach souffle, through main courses like butter-roast turkey and pot-roasted pheasant, to desserts such as Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and sweet mince pie and marzipan cream, this is a classy Christmas feast.
The Alchemist, Eldon Square
The Alchemist brings its potions and wizardry to the festive season with a Christmas menu available from Monday 17th November. Offering three courses for £40 per person, guests can enjoy some appealing and unusual dishes like cheddar and shrimp toastie, teriyaki king oyster mushroom or salted caramel pot - although there is a traditional turkey available too. There are all manner of extras as well, like a £65 per person option with a festive bellini and Christmas cocktail to enjoy alongside the full three-courses.
Blackfriars, Friars Street
There can’t be many more evocative places to enjoy a seasonal feast than the decidedly olde world environment of Blackfriars. From Monday 24th November, their Christmas menu costs £49.50 per person and includes a glass of fizz, three courses, festive fudge and tea or coffee. It’s a pretty special menu too – options like home-made black pudding, potato & truffle pan haggerty, butter-roasted breast of turkey and some actual figgy pudding. There’s a fine seasonal cocktail list too – we love the particularly punny Let It Sloe!
Banyan, Monument Mall
Banyan has several Christmas options available and its festive bottomless brunch is certainly tempting. Running until 3pm, it costs £43.95 per person and offers a classic brunch dish (a few with a festive twist too!) plus 90 minutes of unlimited drinks. Enjoy a selection of Christmas cocktails while eating breakfast hash or poached eggs in various ways or for a small supplement, try dishes like the all the trimmings burger, and rustic ciabatta steak melt. There’s a seasonal three-course set menu from just £38.95 per person too though, if you fancy something a little more traditional.
Pleased To Meet You, High Bridge
Available from Monday 24th November to Wednesday 24th December (excluding Sundays), Pleased To Meet You is offering a delicious festive menu, with two courses starting from £27, and three courses from £32. It includes starters like game terrine and winter spiced prawn cocktail, mains such as the traditional butter roast turkey, or seasonal vegetarian wellington, while there’s salted caramel brownie and spiced berry and apple crumble to finish. Fancy something a little lighter? Enjoy a festive afternoon tea for £28 per person, and indulge in some sandwiches, savoury snacks and seasonal sweet treats – all washed down with a glass of prosecco, mulled wine, or your choice of tea or coffee.
St. Vincent, Broad Chare
As ever, St. Vincent are big on flavour and low on fuss this Christmas, with their fantastic fixed price festive menu. Feast on the likes of cured salmon with maple and pink pepper, Calabrian Christmas pork roast, and prune and Armagnac tart, with two courses from £34, or three from £40. And while you’re there, why not take a look at their incredible wine list? It is Christmas after all!
My Delhi, Clayton Street
Indian street food specialist My Delhi is offering a tasty-looking 'Christmasala' menu this year, from Tuesday 25th November to Christmas Day. Priced from £30 per person for lunch or £35 per person for dinner, they’re offering some sub-continental spins on Christmas traditions like Pondicherry croquettes, as well as the usual dishes like railway station lamb curry and butter chicken 1950s. Don’t forget the white chocolate raspberry roulade or chocolate orange indulgence to finish!
Cote Brasserie, Grainger Street
Old school French brasserie Cote has a delicious-looking Menu de Noël available from Wednesday 19th November until Christmas Eve, which manages to capture the best of both Christmas and France. For £43.95 per person, you can dine on three courses that bring a Gallic twist to seasonal dishes: beetroot-cured smoked salmon, roast turkey ballotine and mince pie pain perdu, for example. The perfect way to enjoy rustic French festivities without leaving the city!
Dakwala, Grainger Street
Beloved by many foodies in the Toon – and for good reason! – Dakwala’s Christmas feast is definitely worth checking out if you fancy spicing things up. Available from Monday 17th November to Tuesday 30th December, their offering is perfect for groups of four or more, and includes a delicious array of sharing dishes (plus Christmas crackers and a welcome drink!) from just £34.95 per person.
Chaophraya, Greys Quarter, Eldon Square
Chaophraya has gone all-out with their Christmas menu this year. There’s a mouth-watering three-course set menu to feast on, starting from £58 per person. On top of that, there’ll also be a curated selection of special seasonal cocktails to enjoy alongside your meal. Delicious!
Fat Hippo, Shakespeare Street
After a festive feast with a difference? Head to Fat Hippo for their legendary Christmas burgers! Indulge in a Hans Gruber-ger (try saying that ten times fast!) or a Fairytale of No Pork (one for the veggies and vegans) – with some festive fries on the side too.
Zucchini, 55 Degrees North
Zucchinis is dishing up fresh festive pasta from Monday 1st to Tuesday 23rd December, and there’s plenty to pick from! Whether you grab a pasta and side for £19.50, or a pasta, side and post pasta for £27, you’ll be able to enjoy the likes of tagliolini turkey leg, Italian bacon and pork herb sausage zuppa, and cannelloni of creamy spinach, roast chestnuts and mozzarella alla vodka. Grab some white chocolate and Italian cherry tiramisu for afters, and maybe even a clementine Campari mimosa to wash it all down, and you’ll be feeling festive in no time!
Miller & Carter, Mosley Street
Even though Miller & Carter is a shrine to steak, their festive menu – available from Monday 24th November up to Christmas Eve – does include a hand-carved turkey in its options. For £35.50 per person for two courses, and £39.50 for three courses, you can enjoy starters like duck liver, port and brandy parfait, mains such as some fine cuts of steak, but also butternut squash and chestnut roast, and of course the aforementioned turkey, and desserts like caramel biscuit torte – plus all the trimmings and sides.
Mowgli, Nelson Street
Since Mowgli opened its doors on Nelson Street earlier this year, the Indian street food sensation has taken Newcastle’s food scene by storm. So, if you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting yet, why not take a trip to enjoy their Christmas menu? Available from £40 per person, it includes everything from yoghurt chat bombs and Himalayan cheese toast, to the office worker’s tiffin, and mango sorbet.
Pizza Punks, Grey Street
You’ll want to get a slice of Pizza Punks’ festive menu! Join them from Saturday 29th November to Tuesday 23rd December for Punkmas, where you can enjoy 90 minutes of unlimited drinks (wine, prosecco, beer and choice of cocktails) and any pizza for £39.95 per person. Just after some good grub? Dig into any pizza, any side and some home-made pizza churros with chocolate sauce for £24.95 per person. Click here to view their Christmas specials!
DOOD, Quayside
Book a table at DOOD on Newcastle’s gorgeous Quayside for a festive meal with a Levantine twist. Priced at £70 per person, their four-course Christmas menu offers a welcome glass of fizz on arrival, Christmas crackers and one glass of house wine each – alongside delicious dishes like pita crusted calamari, saffron monkfish and baklava with pistachio ice cream served family-style for sharing.
The Botanist, Monument Mall
The Botanist’s legendary hanging kebab gets a seasonal spin between Wednesday 19th November and Christmas Eve. You’ll be able to enjoy a Christmas dinner hanging kebab (yes, you read that right!) as part of their impressive Christmas menu – alongside starters like fried camembert bites, and desserts like vegan festive cheesecake. Starting from £26.95, it’s worth getting that table booked to celebrate with friends and family.
So there you have it: twenty recommendations for great Christmas menus, from the traditional to the exotic, the rock’n’roll to the Gallic. A perfect way to celebrate Christmas with friends and family in Newcastle during the season without having to wash up.
Been put in charge of planning the annual Christmas party for work? Or maybe you’re the one getting those plans out of the group chat? Either way, take the pressure off venue-hunting with our round-up of the best venues for fantastic festive parties.
Main image: The Botanist
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