Skip the Cooking and Cleaning—Here’s Where to Dine This Christmas!
If you’re a last-minute Lucy when it comes to planning Christmas dinner, don’t fret! Some of Newport Beach’s best restaurants are cheffing up for you this year. And with options to dine in or take your feast to go, you’re sure to find the perfect Christmas meal that meets your and your family’s needs. So before you create a mile-long grocery list and try to cook everything yourself, check out these six delicious holiday menus! Leave the cooking to the pros this season—it’s what they do best.
Eager to skip the cooking and cleaning this year? Five Crowns in Corona del Mar is offering a delectable Christmas Eve menu chock-full of holiday favorites. With starters like lobster bisque soup and jumbo shrimp cocktail and mains like prime rib, roasted duck breast and rack of Colorado lamb, you and your family are sure to be satisfied. Don’t miss out on their selection of signature sides, which include creamed corn, creamed spinach, green beans, Brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes.
If you’re playing host this Christmas and you know you have some long hours ahead of you in the kitchen, ease the stress with a meal out on Christmas Eve at Rothschild’s Restaurant! This authentic Italian eatery in Corona del Mar has been a local’s favorite since 1997 and continues to please the palates of all who dine here. This Christmas Eve, you and your family can enjoy a three-course, pre-fixe meal that includes your choice of starter, entree and dessert. Think veal and ricotta meatballs, lobster ravioli, Sangiovese braised short rib, pistachio pesto fettuccine and more.
Looking to switch things up this Christmas Eve? Climb aboard and enjoy a decadent brunch or dinner on the water with City Cruises! This vessel/event company is hosting a festive Christmas Eve dinner cruise, which includes a 2.5-hour cruise along Newport Beach, a delicious holiday buffet dinner, DJ entertainment and a fully-stocked cash bar. If you’re looking to celebrate on Christmas Day, reserve a table with your family on the Christmas Day Premier Brunch Cruise for a festive day out on the water.
Spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at The Mayor’s Table, where Chef Riley Huddleston will prepare a four-course meal that includes an amuse-bouche of root vegetables and creamy purée and your choice of appetizer, entree and dessert. Tickets start at $55 for children 12 and under and $110 per adult with an optional $60 wine pairing. Come enjoy live music and a special takeaway from the Lido House family this holiday when you make a reservation for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day!
This year, Balboa Bay Resort is making things merry by serving both a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day brunch! From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 25, you and your family can enjoy a decadent brunch buffet in the beautiful indoor-outdoor Lighthouse Room. Unlimited sparkling wine and mimosas are included, along with complimentary valet parking. Tickets start at $145 for adults and $75 for children—don’t miss out on this festive seaside celebration!
Celebrate Christmas Eve with a side of harbor views at Newport Beach’s Bayside Restaurant. Reserve a table on the heated patio and dig into a three-course meal featuring dishes like butternut squash soup, oven-roasted rack of lamb, shrimp scampi and prime ribeye. This Christmas Eve dinner costs $88 per person and includes your choice of warm chocolate cake or New York cheesecake for dessert.
VEA Newport Beach’s signature VIEW Restaurant & Lounge will be offering three-course prix fixe menus curated by Executive Chef Andrew Arndt for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner this year. The first course will feature a choice of chicory and persimmon, butternut squash soup or crispy Brussels sprouts. For the main course, guests can choose between grilled ribeye, halibut or roasted rack of lamb. Finish off your feast with dessert options, like dark chocolate creme brulee or eggnog cheesecake. Reservations for these holiday dining experiences can be made via OpenTable.
Written by: Kaylin Waizinger
