Not everyone wants to deal with the stress of preparing a massive festive feast. These special Christmas lunches, dinners, feasts, and buffets offer something for everyone, from savoury traditions to sweet holiday treats and much more. With hearty, festive-inspired menus and warm atmospheres that savour the holiday spirit, these are our recommendations for where to spend Christmas Day this December.
This guide is constantly updated as the festive season approaches, so bookmark it and come back for even more options throughout the year.
Christmas Buffet at Klok
Klok, the restaurant at the Onomo Hotel on Greenmarket Square, serves a festive buffet in the heart of the city on Christmas Day. Guests are welcomed with a drink and can enjoy live entertainment through the afternoon, with Christmas crackers on every table.
The starters spread includes breads and dips, garden, watermelon and feta, and chicken Caesar salads, a couscous, butternut and peppadew dish, honey-glazed gammon and charcuterie. The carvery serves turkey ballotine and rosemary roast leg of lamb.
The main event buffet covers zesty coconut kingklip, butter chicken curry, melanzane alla parmigiana and wild mushroom gnocchi, with herb-roasted potatoes, a cauliflower and broccoli bake, savoury rice and cinnamon-roasted butternut.
Desserts include a chocolate yule log, mince pies and assorted tartlets. Children under 12 pay half price.
Cost: R750 per person | R375 for children under 12. Book on Dineplan.
When: Friday, 25 December 2026 | From 12pm
Where: Klok Restaurant, ONOMO Hotel Cape Town: Inn on the Square, 10 Greenmarket Square, Cape Town City Centre
Christmas Menu at Weltevreden Estate
Weltevreden 1692, a historic Cape Dutch estate in Stellenbosch at the foot of the Simonsberg, serves a festive three-course menu built around gathering at the table. Guests arrive to a glass of sparkling wine.
The starter is a buffet of breads, pâtés, dips and marinated olives, with a rosemary and olive baguette, homemade farm buns and breadsticks. A Christmas salad of pesto bocconcini, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds sits alongside ox tongue with cherry dipping sauce and fresh raspberries.
The main course arrives family-style at the table, with roasted leg of lamb and a honey-herb glazed chicken roulade, served with butternut wedges and Mediterranean vegetables such as baby marrow, green beans, tenderstem broccoli and rainbow carrots.
Dessert is a plated selection to share, with a mini New York cheesecake and a meringue nest with cream and fresh berries, followed by coffee and a gingerbread man cookie.
Cost: R750 per person | R365 for children under 10. Reserve via [email protected].
When: Friday, 25 December 2026
Where: Weltevreden 1692, Welgevonden Boulevard, Stellenbosch
Festive Buffet at London Road Bistro at Hyde Hotel
London Road Bistro at The Hyde Hotel serves a festive buffet with a welcome drink. The meal begins with a Chef’s Harvest Board of seasonal cured meats, cheeses, preserves and accompaniments.
The buffet offers red wine-braised oxtail, Cape Malay bobotie with yellow rice and chutney, glazed gammon and stuffed roast turkey. Sides include a roquette and beetroot salad with goat’s cheese mousse, potato dauphinois, Brussels sprouts with crispy pancetta, honey-glazed heirloom carrots with feta and a pasta salad.
Dessert is Amarula panna cotta, sticky toffee pudding with whipped cream, and a chocolate-covered cherry pyramid.
The bistro is family-friendly and has a jungle gym for children. Children under 3 eat free, and bookings are by email only.
Cost: R695 per adult | R350 per child aged 3 to 12. Reserve via [email protected].
When: Friday, 25 December 2026 | From 12pm
Where: London Road Bistro, The Hyde Hotel, 13 London Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Christmas Lunch at Jack@Skye Rooftop
This festive season, the Hyde Hotel also serves a three-course Christmas lunch with a welcome drink on its rooftop, with views of Table Mountain and the Atlantic.
Starter options include mackerel, tomato and basil caprese; an oyster served with caviar-style fish roe; arancini with a festive seasonal filling; and a duck croquette with apricot gel and charred apricot.
Mains are crisp pork belly with apple purée, black garlic mash and broccolini, miso-glazed kingklip with beurre blanc and a watercress salad, a braised lamb shank with cauliflower purée and baby carrots, and a black rice and butternut risotto.
Dessert choices are a classic crème caramel, an apple tart with whipped goat’s cheese, and a homemade koeksister with vanilla ice cream.
Cost: R749 per adult | R365 per child aged 3 to 12 | Free for children under 3. Reserve via [email protected].
When: Friday, 25 December 2026 | From 12pm
Where: Jack@SKYE Rooftop, 6th Floor, The Hyde Hotel, 13 London Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Christmas Buffet at Bistro31
Bistro31 serves its Christmas Day buffet as a single sitting, with staggered arrival times from 12.45pm so that nobody has to rush.
The spread opens with a farmers table of smoked Overberg cheese, gorgonzola and aged camembert, duck liver pâté, smoked snoek pâté, muhammara, a Spanish charcuterie selection and fresh breads. Tapas tables follow, with smoked hoisin beef brisket tacos, orange duck bao buns, brie and pistachio praline spring rolls and grilled calamari with yuzu aioli, plus a salad bar.
The carvery serves beef fillet medallions with gorgonzola and walnuts, slow-roasted leg of lamb with a pomegranate and molasses glaze, a bourbon and smoked pineapple glazed gammon and black truffle chicken supremes. Hot sides include miso buttered napa cabbage, leek and cauliflower gratin and Yorkshire puddings.
Dessert covers pear and tonka bean frangipanes, a matcha tiramisu, red velvet and Kirsch cherry trifles, peppermint crisp Yule logs and chocolate Nemesis. Parking is free and secure, and Wi-Fi is complimentary.
Cost: R1,145 per person | R572 per child aged 5-11. Book now via [email protected].
When: Friday, 25 December 2026 | From 12.45pm (staggered arrival times)
Where: Bistro31, DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Town Upper Eastside, 31 Brickfield Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
Christmas Lunch at Cattle Baron Blouberg
Cattle Baron Blouberg serves a two-course Christmas Day lunch where guests choose a main course and a dessert, and can add a starter for R89.
Main courses include a 200g Chateaubriand, the restaurant’s signature fillet steak flambéed at the table with brandy and served with mushroom and béarnaise sauces, as well as a 300g sirloin, a 200g Argentinian fillet with chimichurri, 440g lamb chops with mint jelly, ribs and wings, chicken parmesan and a surf and turf. Mains come with chips, savoury rice, mash or baby potatoes, and vegetarian options are available from the main menu.
Dessert choices are a chocolate fondant, chocolate mousse with Kahlua, a peppermint crisp tart and a salted caramel bacioni. Optional starters include peri-peri chicken livers, buffalo wings, calamari strips and crumbed mushrooms.
Menu prices exclude drinks and gratuity. Tables are available for two hours, and a 10% service fee applies to tables of eight or more.
Cost: R495 per person for two courses. Book now on Dineplan.
When: Friday, 25 December 2026 | 11am – 1pm & 3pm – 4.30pm
Where: Cattle Baron Blouberg, 5 Porterfield Road, Table View, Cape Town
Christmas Buffet at Pepperclub Hotel
Pepperclub Hotel serves a festive buffet in its COPA restaurant on Christmas Day, built around local ingredients and the familiar Christmas favourites. Guests begin with a welcome drink before moving through artisan breads, fresh salads, charcuterie and seafood.
A live carving station serves lamb, roast beef, glazed gammon and turkey, alongside a range of hot dishes and sides. Dessert covers festive sweets, Christmas cake, trifles and chocolate pudding.
The lunch is pitched as family-friendly, with children under 12 paying half the adult price. Seats are limited, and bookings are essential, made by email or phone with the restaurant. The hotel also runs a Christmas Eve feast and a New Year’s Eve dinner, both priced separately.
Cost: R1,350 per adult | R675 per child under 12. Book now via the website.
When: Friday, 25 December 2026
Where: COPA Restaurant, Pepperclub Hotel, corner of Loop Street and Pepper Street, Cape Town City Centre
Christmas Lunch Buffet at 12 Apostles
Indulge in the Christmas spirit as each dining venue at the 12 Apostles Hotel hosts a gourmet Christmas Lunch, complete with all the trimmings and a welcome drink upon arrival.
At Azure, the menu features artisan bread, local charcuterie, a selection of seasonal salads (beetroot, oven-baked butternut & grilled halloumi), and sustainable seafood (including smoked Atlantic trout and Cape Malay prawn, alongside a festive tartare sauce). Hot dishes include kingklip curry, Cape paella, pasta bakes, Greek-style pork neck steak, roast sweet potato, and white-wine free-range chicken.
The main attraction is undoubtedly a dedicated carvery station with Christmas turkey, stuffed with sage and mushroom; Karoo leg of lamb, with fynbos herbs and confit garlic; and mustard & peppercorn-crusted Kalahari beef fillet. The festive dessert list is just as diverse, with everything from spiced ginger pudding and tiramisu to Christmas-inspired chocolate brownies and key lime tartlets.
The entire festive calendar can be found on their website. Enquiries can be made on the website.
When: Friday, 25 December 2026
Where: 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, Victoria Rd, Camps Bay, Cape Town
Christmas Dinner at Cape Grace
For a Christmas Day dinner experience, look no further than the decadent Heirloom Restaurant at the Cape Grace Hotel, where a warm atmosphere, festive flavours and a live pianist come together for a truly special evening.
Starters include premium Cape Grace favourites like Saldanha oysters, roasted quail, and live sushi. Mains include pistachio free-range turkey, glazed gammon, beef Wellington, and wild mushroom tortellini. Finally, dessert is a truly festive feast, featuring mince pies, summer fruit trifle, and Christmas pudding served with brandy butter.
Those who prefer a more traditional Christmas Day lunch can enjoy the exact same menu earlier in the day, opening Heirloom’s doors open to many guests wanting to make the most of the holiday season.
Cost: R2500 per person, excluding beverages (dinner) | R3000 (lunch). Enquiries can be made on the website.
When: Friday, 25 December 2026 | 12pm – 3pm (lunch) | 6.30pm – 9.30pm (dinner)
Where: Cape Grace Hotel, V&A Waterfront, W Quay Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town
Christmas Lunch at MIKO, Mont Rochelle
Take the stress out of Christmas dinner and get treated to a festive feast in the Cape Winelands with MIKO at Mont Rochelle.
The Festive Feast Buffet begins with rustic home-baked breads and rolls, paired with local cheeses, preserves, and a touch of charcuterie. A colourful build-your-own salad station allows guests to enjoy some light bites before the main event.
The Family-Style Harvest Platter brings festive favourites to the table, from chicken roulade and sustainably-sourced fish to rooibos-glazed gammon, with sides like maple butternut and crispy potatoes. To finish, guests taste classic Christmas desserts like gingerbread, eggnog tartlets, and summery popsicles. Vegan feasters have their own separate menu, with dedicated, plant-based alternatives to the main offering.
Meanwhile, guests enjoy live music from Lionel Beukes, a South African jazz musician and composer who grew up in District Six, Cape Town. He started playing professionally in 1970 and performed and recorded albums with the renowned South African pianist, Abdullah Ibrahim.
Cost: R1750 per person. Bookings can be made via email ([email protected]) or phone (021 876 2770).
When: Friday, 25 December 2026
Where: Mont Rochelle, Dassenberg Rd, Franschhoek
Christmas Feast at the President Hotel
The President Hotel has released a dedicated programme for the entire Christmas period, with feasts on all of the important holidays.
Christmas Eve takes guests on a culinary journey through the Cape, bringing together locally sourced farm-fresh produce, West Coast seafood and the smoky flavours of a traditional South African braai. Expect Farm to Table, Taste of the West Coast, a Shisanyama Braai Experience, Cape Malay Flavours, a taste of the Winelands, Bo-Kaap sweet treats and a Gelato Bar.
Christmas Day is a celebration of Cape favourites and festive traditions, with a generous feast served from 13:00. Highlights include a carvery trolley, whole salt-baked salmon, oysters, oxtail potjie, Cape Malay curry and a Christmas-themed sweet table, alongside an Eggnog live beverage station, jazz trio and a dedicated kids’ party in one of our venues.
Boxing Day is a relaxed poolside gathering with lamb-filled ciabatta, cheese and charcuterie, a bagel bar, build-your-own salads and picnic selections, set to a DJ.
Cost: R2950 per adult (Christmas Day) | R1950 per adult (Christmas Eve) | From R650 per kid. Bookings can be made via email ([email protected]).
When: Thursday & Friday, 24 & 25 December 2026 | From 7pm (Christmas Eve) | From 1pm (Christmas Day)
Where: President Hotel, 4 Alexander Rd, Bantry Bay, Cape Town
Infinity Christmas Lunch at Hotel Sky
Celebrate Christmas with spectacular views of Cape Town and a festive feast at Infinity Restaurant, Hotel Sky. Once again, guests are treated to panoramic views, real Christmas traditions, and Mother City flavours.
A selection of cocktail starters kicks off the festivities before moving on to the carvery, featuring turkey breast, biltong-spiced sirloin, roasted lamb, and smoked kassler, all served with warm Christmas sauces and condiments. The hot selection has a more worldly influence, with beef rogan josh, tandoori chicken, and line fish (served with raisin salsa).
For a sweet end to the afternoon, guests enjoy Christmas pudding, Charlotte cake, chocolate mousse, yule logs, a macaron Christmas tree, and even a Black Forest cake.
Cost: R1100 per person | R395 (kids aged 6-12) | R195 (kids aged 0-5). Bookings can be made on Dineplan.
When: Friday, 25 December 2026
Where: Hotel Sky Cape Town, 4 Lower Long St, Foreshore, Cape Town City Centre
Get ready for these Festive Markets coming to Cape Town
