The festive season is just around the corner and we’re all starting to get into the spirit of things. Perhaps you’re craving a mince pie or a mulled wine; perhaps you’ve put the tree up already. Restaurants too are gearing up for this busy time of year, with many putting on special menus all the way up to 25 December and beyond, and playing with festive flavours in creative ways to breathe new life into the staples we all know and love. Here are five restaurants that will make you feel thoroughly festive as we count down to the most gluttonous time of the year.
Cornus
Michelin-starred Cornus in Belgravia has your festive dessert cravings covered this year, but with a few ingenious twists to keep you on your toes. Head Pastry Chef Kelly Cullen will be reviving her Christmas Pudding Soufflé from 17 November through December – a rice pudding base with Christmas pudding worked through it, topped with brandy custard and vanilla ice cream – as well as reshaping another festive classic in the form of a mince pie tart with brandy and brown butter ice cream. Petit fours will riff on classic festive confectionery and fruits. Warning: just reading this may be enough to kick off a sugar rush.
Don’t Tell Dad
Located on a pretty muse in Queen’s Park, this neighbourhood bakery and restaurant is a cosy space to while away a few hours eating with friends in the run-up to the big day, especially now that they’ll be offering a set feasting menu for groups of four to 10 throughout November and December. Dishes include snacks like rarebit and Cheddar beignet, turkey leg and sausage cassoulet and their very good madeleines with orange cream for afters. If you really want to go hard, you can order the ‘feasting menu with trimmings’, which also includes additional dishes like roast goose with braised cabbage, and cheeses. Go on, it's Christmas.
