Some people think Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a big old roast cooked at home. Okay, the turkey might be a little dry and the gravy might be a bit lumpy, but that’s what Yuletide is all about. Others, however, like to splurge on a big fancy meal out, with some people forking out hundreds of pounds for lunch on the big day.
But how much are people actually spending? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that London has some absolute stonkers when it comes to pricey Christmas menus. While coughing up £200 for a Christmas lunch with wine is actually pretty standard, some places are asking people to shell out upwards of £500.
According to Your Local Guardian, London’s most spenny Christmas dinner is apparently at none other than The Ritz. Costing 600 big ones, the price of this six course menu at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant doesn’t even include booze. But Father Christmas, a caricaturist and a jazz musician, will be there, if that’s your thing.
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in Mayfair will set you back £525, also not including drinks, while Christmas lunch at Claridge’s, also in Mayfair, is a whopping £495. Other extortionate festive lunches can be found at Marcus at The Berkeley for £450, Hélène Darroze at the Connaught for £395 and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal for £320.
You won’t be getting the traditional meat and two veg roast at any of these joints, as all of them are serving up elaborate tasting menus with up to six courses. A truly gluttonous Christmas lunch.
You can read more about Your Local Guardian’s ranking here.
Expensive eats on Time Out
Dining out in the city is getting pretty pricey. We recently reported that London now has more ultra-expensive restaurants than ever, and we also covered that there’s an exorbitant piece of steak in the capital going for an eye-watering £900.
If these prices are sending shivers down your spine, here are some restaurants with great festive menus that won’t cost the same as your rent.
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