Best Christmas Bars, Restaurants & Pop-Ups in London (2026)
The pubs, restaurants, hotels and pop-ups worth a Christmas night out in London, with 2026 dates and booking rules.
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London does Christmas in every size, from a Kensington pub buried under lit trees to Mayfair dining rooms dressed like stage sets, with fondue on the Thames and fire pits on hotel roofs in between. These are the bars, restaurants and pop-ups we'd plan a night around, with the booking rules that decide whether you actually get in.
A few permanent restaurants don't say when their decorations go up, so call first if you're going before mid-November.
London's Best Christmas Bars, Restaurants and Pop-Ups at a Glance
| Bar, restaurant or pop-up | Neighbourhood | 2026 dates | Why it's good |
| The Churchill Arms | Kensington | Lights from 12 November | The pub hidden under illuminated trees, with a Thai kitchen inside |
| The Cadogan Arms | Chelsea | Festive menus from 16 November | A proper sit-down Christmas feast in a pub |
| The Holly Bush | Hampstead | Christmas menus now booking | A real fire and a historic pub, with no theme in sight |
| The Savoy | Strand | From 16 November | A hot-air balloon Champagne bar on the forecourt |
| Claridge's | Mayfair | Festive dining 27 November–31 December | A designer Christmas tree, plus the intimate Fumoir |
| 1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen | Oxford Street | Festive season | A rooftop drink after Christmas shopping |
| Queen of Hoxton | Shoreditch | Winter season | A heated yurt with Bajan food and DJs |
| 34 Mayfair | Mayfair | Festive set menu 2 November–3 January | A life-sized gingerbread house out front |
| Daphne's | Chelsea | November and December | A dressed-up Italian room for a special dinner |
| Rules | Covent Garden | All season | An old-school British Christmas dinner |
| The Ivy Chelsea Garden | Chelsea | Christmas menu 4 November–29 December | A long King's Road lunch |
| sketch | Mayfair | To be announced | A building that works as an art installation |
| Dalloway Terrace | Bloomsbury | Festive set menu from 10 November | A fairy-lit winter garden from £32 |
| The Ritz | St James's | 14 November–6 January | The full festive afternoon tea, with carols |
| Clos Maggiore | Covent Garden | Year-round setting | The romantic pick, under blossom and candlelight |
| Miracle on Russell Street | Covent Garden | From 9 November | Full Christmas kitsch and cocktails in novelty glasses |
| Fire & Fromage | South Bank | 30 October–5 January | Fondue and fire pits by the Thames |
| The Fire Garden at Ham Yard Hotel | Soho | 12 November–23 December | A small heated roof terrace with s'mores |
| Lodge d'Argent at Coq d'Argent | City of London | 2 November–31 December | A private rooftop chalet for up to eight |
| Coppa Club Tower Bridge | Tower Hill | Igloos year-round | A private igloo facing the river |
| Après Bar at London Bridge Rooftop | London Bridge | From November | The loud, covered après-ski party |
| Barge East | Hackney Wick | Market 5–6, 12–13 and 19–20 December | A riverside market, curling and dinner on a barge |
| Between the Bridges | South Bank | Until 20 December | Mulled wine, street food and drag in decorated beer halls |
| The Great Christmas Feast | West Kensington | 6 November–31 December | Dinner and Dickens in one booking |
| The Curling Club at Vinegar Yard | London Bridge | From early November | Ice-free curling for groups |
| Bavarian Village at Winter Wonderland | Hyde Park | 19 November–3 January | The giant beer-hall Christmas party |
Best Christmas Bars and Pubs in London
These run from a Kensington pub buried in lights to grand hotel bars and winter rooftops. Some are walk-in only, so check the card before you plan around a table.
The Churchill Arms
119 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LN, UK
The whole building disappears under illuminated trees, and it's still a proper Kensington pub underneath, with real ales, walls of memorabilia and a Thai kitchen that's been running for more than 35 years. The 2026 lights switch on Thursday 12 November with a free 6pm countdown. Over Christmas, bar tables are first come, first served and the restaurant is walk-in only, so go early and don't build the night around getting a seat.
The Cadogan Arms
298 King's Rd, London SW3 5UG, UK
This is the one for people who want Christmas dinner from a pub. Festive menus start Monday 16 November, and the £85-per-person Festive Feast brings honey-glazed pigs in blankets, roast crown of turkey and apple-and-mince-pie crumble to the table family style, for at least four people with 72 hours' notice. The downstairs Rose Room takes private parties of up to 35 seated. Christmas Day lunch is £225 per person and booked by email.
The Holly Bush
22 Holly Mount, Hampstead Gate, London NW3 6SG, UK
Not every Christmas outing needs a wall of baubles. This Grade II-listed Hampstead pub has a real fire and bookable Christmas menus, and it's better as the end of a Heath walk than a detour from the West End. Come for a long lunch and conversation, and look elsewhere for a party.
The Savoy
Strand, London WC2R 0EZ, UK
From Monday 16 November the hotel takes on an Around the World in 80 Days theme, and the forecourt gets a pop-up bar styled around a hot-air balloon, pouring Laurent-Perrier Champagne, mulled wine and hot chocolate. Inside, Liberty London has dressed the 14-foot Front Hall tree and the hotel's own floral team has hung more balloons. Stop at the forecourt for a seasonal drink, or reserve festive afternoon tea in Gallery when you want the hotel to be the main event.
Claridge's
Brook St, London W1K 4HR, UK
The Claridge's tree is an annual London event, and this year's, designed by Anya Hindmarch, is unveiled on 25 November. Festive dining in the Foyer & Reading Room runs 27 November to 31 December, with separate menus for Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve dinner. For one quiet drink, try the Fumoir: there are no reservations, no children are allowed, and guests are asked not to take photos.
1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen
300 Oxford St, London W1C 1DX, UK
The sixth floor of John Lewis gets glowing lights, Christmas dishes and warming cocktails, so you can finish an Oxford Street shopping day without crossing town. There are only three private igloos, each seating up to eight, and they need booking in advance. A regular table won't get you one. The rooftop is closed on 25 and 26 December.
Queen of Hoxton
1 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3JX, UK
Shoreditch's winter rooftop is a heated yurt with fire pits, fairy lights, DJs and Bajan food from BARBS, with a Gingerbread Old Fashioned, hot spiced apple and mulled berry wine on the menu, plus alcohol-free cocktails. It's a winter hangout more than a Santa-themed attraction. The rooftop opens Wednesday to Friday from 5pm to 10pm and Saturday from 2pm to 10pm, and it depends on the weather, so call ahead on a bad night.
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Best Christmas Restaurants and Afternoon Teas in London
These are the dining rooms and teas people book for the setting as much as the menu, starting with the biggest decorations. Most don't publish an installation date, so ask before booking an early-November table.
34 Mayfair
34 Grosvenor Sq, S Audley St, London W1K 2HD, UK
This year's display turns the façade into a life-sized gingerbread house with icing-style detail, which is reason enough to walk past. Inside, it's a polished grill with a Mayfair bill to match. The way in for less is the festive set menu at £46 for two courses or £52 for three, Monday to Friday from 12pm to 5pm until 3 January, plus cover and service. Use the South Audley Street entrance.
Daphne's
112 Draycott Ave, London SW3 3AE, UK
Daphne's dresses its Chelsea dining room for the season, most recently with a Silent Night scheme of ornaments hanging like ice droplets in blue and turquoise. It's an Italian restaurant for a date, a reunion or a small celebration, and too grown-up for a rowdy office party. Ask about the conservatory when you book, because a standard table confirmation won't cover it.
Rules
35 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7LB, UK
Rules goes full country house at Christmas, which suits a room that already feels like it belongs to another century. Come for oysters, game, pies and puddings, and bring anyone visiting London for the first time. Book the dining room well ahead. The upstairs cocktail bar and Winter Garden don't take reservations at all, so they're a walk-in option before or after dinner.
The Ivy Chelsea Garden
197 King's Rd, London SW3 5EQ, UK
Chelsea Garden has built a reputation for big seasonal displays, though its 2026 theme hasn't been announced yet. It's best as a long lunch on a King's Road shopping day, with a choice of the main restaurant or the terrace. This branch's Christmas set menu runs 4 November to 29 December at £60 for two courses or £70 for three, £5 above the standard Ivy price, for up to 12 guests.
sketch
9 Conduit St, London W1S 2XG, UK
sketch usually rebuilds its look for the season, and last year's Art of Après theme ran from mid-November into January. The 2026 theme hadn't been announced at our last update, so this is a pick for the building: book the Gallery for afternoon tea or dinner, or use the Glade, Parlour or East Bar for something shorter. One booking covers one room.
Dalloway Terrace
16-22 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3NN, UK
Fairy lights, fur throws and candlelight turn this winter garden at The Bloomsbury into the easiest pretty Christmas meal in central London. The festive set menu starts 10 November at £32 for two courses or £38 for three, all day on weekdays and from 3pm at weekends. Festive afternoon tea with a glass of Champagne is £78, and the six-course Christmas Day menu is £140.
The Ritz
150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR, UK
William Kent House becomes an Edwardian winter wonderland for the most complete festive tea in London, with sandwiches, scones, Christmas cakes, mince pies, a glass of Ritz Champagne for each adult and The Ritz choir singing carols. It runs 14 November to 6 January at £125 per adult and £83 per child up to 15, or £140 and £92 on Christmas Day. Gentlemen need a jacket and tie, and jeans and sportswear aren't allowed for anyone.
Clos Maggiore
33 King St, London WC2E 8JD, UK
The blossom-filled conservatory, candlelight and fairy lights here are year-round, so this is on the list for romance and not for a Christmas display. If you'd rather have a quiet French dinner than a singalong, it's the pick. December tables need a deposit of £35 per person at lunch or £45 at dinner, so confirm you're in the conservatory before you pay.
Best Christmas Pop-Ups and Winter Experiences in London
These are London's seasonal bars, winter rooftops and ticketed nights out, and many need a ticket or a dedicated booking. Mariah Carey's Holiday Bar is also due in Mayfair from 19 November, and we'll add it here once the venue is confirmed.
Miracle on Russell Street
9 Russell St, London WC2B 5HZ, UK
Every surface gets tinsel, baubles and twinkling lights, vintage TVs play Christmas films, and the drinks arrive in glasses shaped like Santa hats, unicorns and dinosaurs. It opens 9 November at 9 Russell Street, so ignore any older listing that sends you to Henrietta Street. Tables go out in batches at 10am through the official booking page, with 9–11 and 16–18 December released on 10 November.
Fire & Fromage
The Queen's Walk, London SE1 8XX, UK
Melted cheese, fire pits, mulled wine and marshmallows beside the Thames make this the South Bank's easiest winter date. The site is open 30 October to 5 January, and the £35-per-person fondue needs at least two people and runs Wednesday to Sunday only, which puts the last fondue on Sunday 3 January. Expect long shared tables. You can skip the booking and just eat from the street food kitchen.
The Fire Garden at Ham Yard Hotel
1 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT, UK
Ham Yard's hidden roof terrace is the gentle alternative to the après-ski bars, with heating, blankets, hot-water bottles and fire-themed cocktails. A £19 ticket gets you a Smoky Gimlet on arrival and DIY s'mores, and there's a £15 non-alcoholic ticket. It runs 12 November to 23 December, Thursday to Saturday in November and Tuesday to Saturday in December. Buy Fire Garden tickets specifically, since a normal Ham Yard booking won't get you up there.
Lodge d'Argent at Coq d'Argent
1 Poultry, London EC2R 8EJ, UK
Two private chalets go up on Coq d'Argent's rooftop from 2 November to 31 December, each for up to eight guests. It's a seasonal setup that takes some planning: the £350 package or minimum spend is paid at booking and comes off your bill. It suits a small birthday or a team dinner better than a couple.
Coppa Club Tower Bridge
3 Lower Thames St, London EC3R 6AH, UK
Coppa Club's ten riverside igloos are here all year, so this is a private table with a view and not a Christmas show. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all work, and groups get their own defined space. From 30 November, igloo bookings carry a £400 minimum spend, rising on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. It's on the north bank by the Tower of London, nowhere near London Bridge station.
Après Bar at London Bridge Rooftop
Colechurch House, Bridge Walk, London SE1 2SX, UK
This is the loud end of the winter rooftops: Alpine memorabilia, Christmas decorations, DJs, festive drinks and views towards The Shard, all fully covered and heated. It launches in November, with the exact date still to come, and hours change by month. There's also a private cable-car booth and a Saturday bottomless brunch. Bring friends who want a party, and go elsewhere for a long dinner.
Barge East
River Lee, Sweetwater Mooring, White Post Ln, London E9 5EN, UK
Barge East is a good reason to take Christmas east. The floating restaurant anchors the night, and the riverside gardens add curling, fondue and winter drinks, with curling and fondue from £49 per person. Wick Wonderland brings independent makers to the gardens on 5–6, 12–13 and 19–20 December, which makes for an easy afternoon-to-evening plan. Book dinner separately, because the market doesn't get you a table on the barge.
Between the Bridges
The Queen's Walk, London SE1 8XX, UK
Electric Winter gives this South Bank venue a festive makeover until 20 December, with a winter garden bar for mulled wine, street food and Christmas bangers and drag acts in two decorated beer halls. It's a good answer when a group can't agree on one menu. Some nights are free and others are ticketed, so check what's on before you go.
The Great Christmas Feast
9 Beaumont Ave, London W14 9LP, UK
The Lost Estate turns a West Kensington venue into a Victorian Christmas, with theatre, live music and a three-course dinner inspired by the story of A Christmas Carol. It runs 6 November to 31 December, with classic dining from £150 plus a £4.85 booking fee, and previews to 12 November from £136. The catch is getting in: the final 2026 tickets are going to subscribers first, so join the list now.
The Curling Club at Vinegar Yard
The Curling Club, 72-82 St Thomas St, London SE1 3QX, UK
Curling is a neat fix for a Christmas drinks night that needs something to do. This ice-free version comes with Alpine styling, street food, winter drinks and a resident DJ, and it reopens in early November. Children are welcome, and you don't need to know the rules. Pay-and-play sessions cover two to four players for 30 minutes or six to ten for 60, and social packages start at six guests.
Bavarian Village at Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park, Hyde Park, London W2 2UH, UK
Wooden chalets, German beer, bratwurst, pretzels and live music make this the big, cheerful Christmas party pick. Winter Wonderland runs 19 November to 3 January, closed Christmas Day, and advance entry ranges from £1 to £8.25. A ticket doesn't guarantee a spot in the Bavarian Hall, which is strictly 18+ with photo ID for the 6pm to 10pm session and may apply that rule all day. Table packages for up to ten start at £700.
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