Where To Celebrate Christmas In Boston
In true New England fashion, the holidays are in full swing already in Boston. This means it is time to start thinking about where you want to celebrate Christmas. If you are in the mood to step outside the family abode on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, the following list of special restaurant menus is sure to come in handy:
The Beehive
In the South End, the team behind The Beehive has a special relationship with Santa this year, and will host Santa Supper on Sunday December 7. There will be live holiday music, a special menu, and tons of cheer. Children can enjoy a photo op with Santa while munching on reindeer-shaped chicken nuggets and warm cookies and milk. Adults are just as likely to enjoy classic Italian dishes from chef Marc Orfaly like spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant Parmesan, and chicken piccata as the evening progresses. Santa will make his appearance from 4 to 7 p.m.
Eastern Standard
In Kenmore Square, the dynamic team at Eastern Standard will be offering a series of special holiday meals throughout Christmas Day. Start things off with breakfast, served from 7 to 10:30 a.m. A limited menu will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the real excitement starts with their annual Christmas prix fixe, which comprises three seasonal courses served from 1 to 8 p.m.
Haru
For something fresh and a little different from your usual Christmas meal, head to Haru on Huntington for some of their Japanese cuisine. Open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve, you indulge in some of their festive menu favorites like their red and white tuna tartare. Go local with their "Boston Uncommon" roll (crunchy spicy salmon, tuna, avocado, mango, and gold leaf) or something a little larger like their grilled filet mignon. All items are available a la carte inside their beautiful dining room.
Legal Seafoods
At various Legal Seafoods locations, Christmas Eve is a perfect occasion to dine on some of the city's freshest catches. At Legal Harborside, for instance, enjoy beautiful views alongside a Feast of the Seven Fishes tasting menu. With a seafood-centric fare, you will find yourself on the most traditional of culinary experiences — served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for $65 a person, $110 with wine pairings.
On Christmas Day, Legal Harborside will be open from noon to 8 p.m. with another special prix fixe, this one featuring their "Treasures of the Sea" appetizer (a towering beauty of oysters, jumbo shrimp cocktail, snow crab, and housemade accoutrements). Oyster stew, King crab cake, roasted Creekstone rib roast, and roasted cod with P.E.I. mussels are some of the other dishes offered, and don't forget the festive desserts — chocolate peppermint roulade or warm gingerbread are sure to have you feeling the joy of the holidays inside and out.
Lumiere
In Newton, chef Michael Leviton cooks up a real feast for Christmas Eve at Lumiere with an eclectic three course prix fixe. For $75 (wine pairing added for an additional $30), choose between Gilfeather turnip soup or hand-harvested Stonington Maine sea scallops as starters, Passmore ranch sturgeon or orange and ginger glazed duck breast for mains, and save room for banana sorbet, dark chocolate soufflé, or apple and dried cherry tart to finish.
No. 9 Park
One of Barbara Lynch's strongholds, No. 9 Park, is bringing back its Holiday Lunch. From December 1 through December 23, dive into a midday meal from 12 to 3 p.m. Really indulge with their five-course tasting menu, go midway with a three-course selection, or simply head in for a drink and snack à la carte. Guest bartenders from around the city will also be invited in on select days to bring a fresh energy behind the bar. Menu items include poached farm egg with marinated chicken liver, bacon, and frisée; hangar steak with duck fat fingerlings; and pork schnitzel.