Finding somewhere to eat in Edinburgh on Christmas Day can be tricky, as many restaurants close for the holiday.
If you’re spending 25 December in the city, I’ve put together a guide to 21 places serving Christmas lunch or dinner in Edinburgh in 2026, from luxury hotel dining and traditional pubs to international restaurants. You’ll find menu highlights, prices and direct booking links to help you choose the right place for your Christmas meal.
My tip? Book early. Many venues have limited tables and may require a deposit, so it’s worth checking the booking details as soon as you’ve found somewhere you like.
Please note: Photos in this guide were taken at different times of the year and show the venues as they appeared when photographed. They may not reflect the Christmas decorations, current menus or dining arrangements for Christmas Day 2026. Please check each venue’s official website for the latest information.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for details.
Hotels Offering Christmas Day Dining in Edinburgh
Hotels are a good place to start when looking for somewhere to eat in Edinburgh on Christmas Day. Many offer special festive menus, from traditional Christmas lunch to multi-course dining experiences, with some including Champagne and canapés on arrival.
The Balmoral
Located on Princes Street in the heart of Edinburgh, The Balmoral offers three different ways to enjoy Christmas Day in Edinburgh, from afternoon tea in beautiful surroundings to a special festive meal.
Christmas Day Afternoon Tea at Palm Court
Palm Court is a beautiful setting for afternoon tea, with elegant interiors and festive decorations. On Christmas Day, you can enjoy The Balmoral’s award-winning afternoon tea, with a selection of sweet and savoury treats. It’s a lovely alternative if you’d prefer something lighter than a traditional Christmas dinner.
Price: £110 per person.
View the festive menu and booking details
Check hotel availability at The Balmoral on Booking.com
Christmas Day at Brasserie Prince
Brasserie Prince combines French cooking with Scottish ingredients for a festive meal in the heart of Edinburgh. The Christmas Day menu begins with Champagne and canapés, followed by starters such as leek and langoustine terrine or Scottish beef fillet carpaccio. For the main course, you can choose roast turkey with pigs in blankets and traditional trimmings, lemon sole or aged beetroot with barley risotto. Desserts include Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and butter, Pedro Ximénez trifle and white chocolate mousse.
Price: £225 per person. An additional cheese course is available for £12 per person.
Brasserie Prince children’s menu
Children have their own Christmas menu, starting with mocktails and canapés, followed by options such as chicken and ham croquette, prawn cocktail or macaroni cheese bites. For the main course, they can choose roast turkey with pigs in blankets, grilled salmon or penne pasta. Desserts include strawberry mousse and jelly, chocolate fudge cake and a knickerbocker glory.
Price: £130 per child.
Christmas Day at Number One
For a more luxurious Christmas meal, Number One serves a multi-course menu with Champagne and canapés on arrival. Dishes include hand-dived Orkney scallops, North Sea halibut and bronze free-range turkey with festive accompaniments. For dessert, choose from options such as Balmoral Christmas pudding or a chocolate bauble with cherry and pistachio. Matched wines are also available if you’d like to make the meal extra special.
Price: £315 per person. Matched wines are available from an additional £65 per person.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ (New Town)
Check hotel availability at The Balmoral on Booking.com
Prestonfield House
Enjoy a luxurious three-course Christmas lunch or dinner at Prestonfield, with menu highlights including Belhaven Bay lobster Thermidor cannelloni, Balmoral Estate red deer carpaccio and free-range St Brides turkey with all the trimmings. Other options include Perthshire Angus beef, halibut fillet and roast cauliflower Wellington, followed by festive desserts such as Prestonfield Christmas pudding.
Price: £235 per person.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Prestonfield House, Priestfield Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5UT (Prestonfield)
Check hotel availability at Prestonfield House on Booking.com
The Caledonian Edinburgh
Christmas Day at The Court
Celebrate Christmas at The Court, where beautifully decorated surroundings set the scene for a festive four-course feast. Gather with family and friends to enjoy a special Christmas meal in the heart of Edinburgh.
Price: £195 per adult and £70 per child.
View Christmas Day dining and booking details
Location: The Caledonian Edinburgh, Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2AB (West End)
Check hotel availability at The Caledonian Edinburgh on Booking.com
InterContinental Edinburgh The George
Christmas Day at Le Petit Beefbar
Celebrate Christmas Day the Beefbar way, with sharing starters such as lobster salad, crab tacos and baby quesadillas with braised short ribs. For the main course, choose between roast turkey with cranberry syrup and sage stuffing or roast fillet of beef with truffle and Madeira sauce, served with all the festive trimmings. Finish with white chocolate cheesecake or traditional Christmas pudding with rum sauce.
Price: £185 per person.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Le Petit Beefbar, InterContinental Edinburgh The George, 19–21 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PB (New Town)
Check hotel availability at InterContinental Edinburgh The George on Booking.com
The Bonham
Christmas Day Dining
Enjoy a five-course Christmas meal at The Bonham in a beautiful Victorian townhouse setting. Menu highlights include lime and coriander-crusted North Atlantic cod and Scottish Borders grass-fed beef Rossini. The vegetarian menu features winter root vegetable Wellington, and both menus finish with a Scottish tipsy laird dessert with spiced apple and gingerbread.
Price: £175 per person. A children’s menu is available for £90 per child (12 and under).
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: The Bonham, 35 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, EH3 7RN (West End)
Check hotel availability at The Bonham on Booking.com
Kimpton Charlotte Square
Christmas Day in The Garden
Celebrate Christmas Day in The Garden, surrounded by twinkling lights and a festive atmosphere. The menu includes traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings, braised ox cheek, sea bass and wild mushroom Wellington. Vegetarian options and a dedicated children’s menu are also available.
Price: £175 per person. Children’s menu available for £75 per child (under 12).
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Kimpton Charlotte Square, 38 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, EH2 4HQ (New Town)
Check hotel availability at Kimpton Charlotte Square on Booking.com
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Christmas Day Dining at Commons Club
Celebrate Christmas Day at Commons Club with a festive menu featuring lobster with tomato confit and toasted hazelnuts, homemade beef tortellini and British turkey wrapped in puff pastry, served with traditional trimmings. For dessert, enjoy a Mont Blanc with chestnut cream, vanilla and Morello cherries, followed by a selection of cheeses to share.
Price: £150 per person, including a glass of Telmont Champagne with the amuse-bouche.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, 1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX (Old Town)
Hotel du Vin Edinburgh
Christmas Day Lunch
Gather with family and friends for a four-course Christmas Day lunch at Hotel du Vin, with a glass of Champagne included. The festive menu features options such as roast free-range turkey with traditional trimmings, fillet of beef, salmon coulibiac and pumpkin, beetroot, chestnut and feta Wellington. For dessert, choose from festive favourites including warm sticky figgy pudding, classic sherry trifle and chocolate terrine.
Price: £134.95, including a glass of Champagne.
View the 2026 Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Hotel du Vin Edinburgh, 11 Bristo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 1EZ (Old Town)
Check hotel availability at Hotel du Vin Edinburgh on Booking.com
The Scotsman Hotel
Comforting Christmas Day Dining
Gather the family for a festive Christmas feast with a welcome glass of Prosecco and live entertainment until 8 pm. The menu includes turkey roulade with cranberry and parsley stuffing, dry-aged Borders beef sirloin and fillet of Scrabster cod, followed by Christmas pudding, chocolate truffle tart or poached pear trifle. Vegetarian options are also available.
Price: £120 per adult and £55 per child. A bottle of Champagne can be added for £75.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Family Christmas Day Buffet
For a more relaxed family celebration, the hotel also offers a Christmas Day buffet in the Fettercairn Suite. The spread includes roast turkey roulade, glazed gammon, traditional roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and a selection of salads and desserts. Children can enjoy their own menu, with favourites such as macaroni cheese and chicken.
Price: £95 per adult and £35 per child.
View Christmas Day dining and booking details
Location: The Scotsman Hotel, 20 North Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1TR (Old Town)
Check hotel availability at The Scotsman on Booking.com
The Roseate Edinburgh
Christmas Day Lunch at KIN by Gary Maclean
Celebrate Christmas Day with a four-course lunch at KIN by Gary Maclean, beginning with a glass of Prosecco on arrival. The menu features game terrine or roasted heritage carrot salad, free-range roast turkey with all the trimmings or butternut squash and chestnut Wellington, followed by dark chocolate délice or tipsy laird. Tea, coffee and mince pies are included to finish.
Price: £120 per adult and £60 per child under 12, including a glass of Prosecco on arrival.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: The Roseate Edinburgh, 4 West Coates, Edinburgh, EH12 5JQ (Haymarket area)
Check hotel availability at The Roseate Edinburgh on Booking.com
Hotel Indigo Edinburgh – Princes Street
Christmas Day Dining at Twenty Princes Street
Celebrate Christmas Day at Twenty Princes Street with a specially curated three-course menu featuring seasonal dishes. Starters include smoked salmon, carrot and ginger soup, and haggis, neeps and tatties. For the main course, choose from roast turkey with traditional trimmings, slow-cooked beef bourguignon or seared fillet of beef, followed by festive desserts such as ginger pudding, apple crumble cake or Dundee tart.
A children’s menu is also available.
Price: £110 per adult and £55 per child.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Hotel Indigo Edinburgh, 20 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AN (New Town)
Check hotel availability at Hotel Indigo Edinburgh – Princes Street on Booking.com
The Scott Hotel
Christmas Day Dining
Enjoy a festive Christmas Day meal at Bonnar’s, with a menu featuring roast goose with all the trimmings, Scottish king scallops with Stornoway black pudding, and a choice of vegetarian and vegan dishes. Desserts include panettone bread and butter pudding with rum and raisin ice cream or dark chocolate ganache with mulled poached pear.
Price: £95 per person.
Time: 2 pm.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Bonnar’s at The Scott, 18 Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5AY (Southside)
Check hotel availability at The Scott Hotel on Booking.com
Melville Castle
Christmas Day Lunch
Celebrate Christmas Day at Melville Castle with a festive fine-dining experience featuring traditional favourites and Scottish produce. The three-course menu offers a choice of starters, mains and desserts, with children welcome to enjoy half portions of the Christmas Day menu.
Price: £95 per adult and £45 per child aged 12 and under.
View Christmas Day dining and booking details
Location: Melville Castle, Gilmerton Road, Lasswade, EH18 1AP (outside city centre)
Check hotel availability at Melville Castle on Booking.com
The Bruntsfield Hotel
Christmas Day Carvery
Enjoy a traditional three-course Christmas carvery in the welcoming surroundings of The Bruntsfield. The menu includes roast turkey roulade with sage and onion stuffing, pigs in blankets and herb roast potatoes, alongside options such as slow-roasted Scottish beef, pan-fried cod and wild mushroom, spinach and vegetable Wellington. For dessert, choose from traditional Christmas pudding, a trio of chocolate desserts or vanilla ice cream.
The carvery is served in the Cardoon Suite, with a welcome drink included.
Price: £95 per adult and £47.50 per child under 12.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: The Bruntsfield Hotel, 69 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh, EH10 4HH (Bruntsfield)
Check hotel availability at JA The Bruntsfield on Booking.com
Apex Grassmarket Hotel
Christmas Day Lunch at Metro Brasserie
Enjoy a relaxed four-course Christmas lunch at Metro Brasserie, with a glass of fizz on arrival and a welcoming atmosphere for a festive meal. It’s a lovely option for those looking for a traditional Christmas Day dining experience in the Grassmarket.
Price: £85 per adult, £48.50 per child aged 4–12, and £24.50 per child under 4.
View the Christmas Day menu and booking details
Family Christmas Day Lunch in the Heights Suite
Celebrate with a three-course festive carvery in the Heights Suite, with spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle. The family-friendly experience includes a glass of fizz or a soft drink, making it a lovely choice for a Christmas meal with children.
Price: £99 per adult, £57.50 per child aged 4–12, and £29 per child under 4.
View the family Christmas Day menu and booking details
Location: Apex Grassmarket Hotel, 31–35 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2HS (Old Town)
Check hotel availability at Apex Grassmarket Hotel on Booking.com
Pubs Serving Christmas Dinner in Edinburgh
For a more relaxed Christmas Day meal, Edinburgh’s pubs offer another option, from cosy traditional pubs to gastropubs serving festive food. This section will feature places where you can enjoy a Christmas dinner without the formality of a fine-dining restaurant or luxury hotel.
The Sheep Heid Inn
Christmas Day Dinner
Enjoy a traditional festive meal at The Sheep Heid Inn, a historic pub in Duddingston. Its four-course Christmas Day menu offers plenty of choice, from baked seafood Thermidor and crispy pork belly to hand-carved turkey, braised ox cheek and 21-day-aged 7oz fillet steak. There’s also a sweet potato and chestnut roast for vegetarian and vegan diners, followed by festive desserts such as Christmas pudding with hot brandy sauce or a bourbon apple tatin.
Price: £110 per adult. Children’s Christmas Day menu: £54.95 per child.
Menu and booking: View the Christmas Day menu and booking information
Location: The Sheep Heid Inn, 43–45 The Causeway, Edinburgh, EH15 3QA (Duddingston).
The Mitre Bar
Christmas Day Dining
Celebrate Christmas Day at The Mitre Bar on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile with a festive meal featuring traditional Christmas flavours, from starters through to seasonal desserts. It’s an option for those looking for a relaxed pub setting in the heart of the Old Town, whether you’re meeting family and friends for lunch or stopping by for a festive drink.
Price: £99 per adult for four courses. Children’s menu: £50 per child for three courses.
Menu and booking: View the Christmas Day menu
Location: The Mitre Bar, 131–133 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SG (Royal Mile, Old Town).
Ghillie Dhu
Christmas Day in the Main Bar
Celebrate Christmas Day at Ghillie Dhu with a festive meal in its traditional bar, where live music adds to the occasion. With two sittings available, you can choose between a lunchtime or early evening celebration.
Price: £92 per person.
Sittings: 12 pm–3 pm and 4.30 pm–7.30 pm.
View Christmas Day dining and booking details
Location: Ghillie Dhu, 2 Rutland Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2AD (West End)
The Conan Doyle
Christmas Day Dining
Spend Christmas Day at The Conan Doyle, a traditional Nicholson’s pub on York Place, with a festive four-course meal featuring classic seasonal flavours, starters and desserts. It’s another option for those who prefer a relaxed pub atmosphere for their Christmas celebrations.
Price: £94 per adult for four courses. Children’s menu: £50 per child for three courses.
Menu and booking: View the Christmas Day menu
Location: The Conan Doyle, 71–73 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JD (New Town).
International Restaurants Open on Christmas Day in Edinburgh
Traditional Christmas dinner is wonderful, but sometimes you fancy something different. If you’d rather swap the turkey and trimmings for flavours from around the world, these international restaurants offer an alternative way to celebrate Christmas Day in Edinburgh.
Gaucho Edinburgh
Christmas Day Dining
Celebrate Christmas at Gaucho, an Argentinian steakhouse known for its premium beef, with a three-course festive menu combining traditional favourites and signature dishes. Starters include duck, orange and peppercorn terrine, smoked salmon and crab salad, or burrata with wild mushrooms and black truffle. For the main course, choose roast turkey with all the trimmings, 400g ribeye, roast halibut or baked celeriac Rossini. Finish with Christmas pudding, sticky toffee pudding or pavlova.
Price: £125 per person.
Sittings: 12 pm and 3 pm.
Location: Gaucho Edinburgh, 4A St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2BD (New Town)
Mother India
Christmas Day Festival Feast
Fancy something different from the traditional Christmas turkey? Mother India offers an Indian alternative, with a special Festival Feast designed for sharing with family and friends. The restaurant confirms it will be open on Christmas Day, making it an option for those who would prefer to celebrate over Indian food.
Opening hours: 12pm–8pm on Christmas Day.
Menu and booking: Visit Mother India’s website
Location: Mother India, 3–5 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LT (Old Town).
Christmas Day Dining in Edinburgh: FAQs
Are restaurants open in Edinburgh on Christmas Day?
Yes, some restaurants, pubs and hotel dining rooms in Edinburgh serve food on Christmas Day, 25 December. However, many venues close for the holiday, and others offer festive menus only on dates before Christmas. Check the venues in this guide for confirmed Christmas Day dining options, menus and booking details.
How far in advance should I book Christmas Day dining in Edinburgh?
Book as early as possible, especially if you have a particular restaurant or hotel in mind. Some venues require deposits, full prepayment or advance menu choices, so check the booking conditions and deadlines before reserving your table.
How much does Christmas Day lunch cost in Edinburgh?
Prices vary depending on the venue and dining experience. The options in this guide range from pub lunches and relaxed festive meals to luxury hotel dining and fine-dining experiences. Check each listing for the latest published adult and children’s prices, and remember that drinks or service charges may cost extra.
Is public transport running in Edinburgh on Christmas Day?
Christmas Day transport services are limited and operate on special timetables. Check the latest information from Lothian Buses closer to your visit, and plan how you’ll travel to and from your restaurant in advance.
Are supermarkets open in Edinburgh on Christmas Day?
Most major supermarkets in Scotland close on Christmas Day, and many close earlier than usual on Christmas Eve. If you’re staying in self-catering accommodation or need snacks and drinks for your stay, do your shopping earlier on 24 December and check your local supermarket’s festive opening hours.
Do restaurants require a deposit for Christmas Day bookings?
Some venues require a deposit or full prepayment to secure a Christmas Day table. Cancellation policies and advance payment deadlines vary, so read the terms carefully before booking.
What should I pack for Christmas in Edinburgh?
December in Edinburgh is typically cold, with the possibility of rain and strong winds. Pack a warm, waterproof jacket, comfortable waterproof boots, warm layers, a scarf, gloves and a hat. If you’re planning to explore the city on foot between meals, comfortable footwear and clothing suitable for changeable weather are essential.
What can you do in Edinburgh on Christmas Day?
Many attractions and shops close on 25 December, but you can still enjoy a walk through Edinburgh’s historic streets, discover famous Harry Potter locations, visit scenic viewpoints and enjoy the city’s architecture. For more ideas, read my guide to the best things to do in Edinburgh on Christmas Day.
- Where to Eat in Edinburgh on Christmas Day 2026
- The Best Edinburgh Tours for First-Time Visitors (2026 Local Guide)
- Inside the Spellbound Suite: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh Review
- Top 12 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh
- Aparthotel Edinburgh: 12 Best Old & New Town Stays
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