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Christmas restaurants in London to get you into the festive spirit

Christmas is a time for culinary indulgence and, with the big day fast-approaching, it's a great opportunity to visit the capital's top restaurants.

London has truly decked the halls with treats this winter, with restaurants offering everything from festive afternoon teas to apres winter terraces.

Whether you’re catching up with friends or spending time with family, there’s a whole host of Christmassy spaces to settle into.

So, listen up Scrooges — these are the London restaurants guaranteed to get diners in the yuletide spirit.

Roux at Parliament Square

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Head chef Steve Groves and his team at Roux at Parliament Square are combining the Roux family's French heritage with seasonal ingredients to form a super festive four-course menu. Everyone knows that Christmas is a time for giving, so the restaurant is serving each course in a large tureen, designed for divvying out amongst the party. The first course is a Saucisson Lyonnais en brioche, followed by a whole salt-baked trout with a dill butter sauce. The main event is a roast duck with traditional Christmas trimmings and a unique marmalade stuffing. Rounding things off is a festive spiced pear and mincemeat dartois, which will be served with brandy crème anglaise.

11 Great George Street, SW1P 3AD, rouxatparliamentsquare.co.uk

The Promenade at The Dorchester

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Who says afternoon tea has to be a summer pastime? Those who clearly have never had it at Christmas — that’s who. The Promenade at the Dorchester are laying on a quintessentially British tea with a festive twist. A selection of seasonal treats will be on offer including freshly-baked scones and festive pastries created by executive chef Sarah Barker. Guests can also toast to Christmas and the New Year with a chilled glass of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée NV Champagne. Heavenly.

53 Park Lane, W1K 1QA, dorchestercollection.com

Dalloway Terrace

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Whatever the season, this trusty terrace delivers all year round. This winter, it's undergone an icy transformation with crystallised white, pink and silver petals forming a beautiful flower display. But the menu is far from frosty. It offers two different types of fondue — a traditional Swiss cheese and an indulgent truffle cheese — as well as a heartwarming pigeon pie. For sweet tooths there’s a candied pumpkin and cinnamon chantilly and a spiced pumpkin pie. Winter warmers come in the form of hot cocktails made with vermouth. To keep frost bite at bay, Dalloway Terrace offers guests hot water bottles and cosy woollen blankets.

16-22 Great Russell Street, WC1B 3NN, dallowayterrace.com

The Quality Chop House

A Christmas Carol is a Christmas classic, so what better way to spend the festive season than by dining at this Dickensian-style restaurant. The former 19th-century eating house has a seasonal set menu running throughout December, with starters like pastrami cured salmon and smoked cod roe. The main course comes in the form of Galloway beef accompanied by sprouts with bacon and pommes boulangère. A Neal’s Yard cheese course follows along with a traditional Christmas pud with brandy custard.

88-94 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3EA, thequalitychophouse.com

Orrery

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Orrery has turned to its home country for inspiration for its winter season with an Alps-themed rooftop featuring fir trees and pine cones. In the kitchen, Chef Igor Tymchyshyn is serving up French classics like steak with a gruyere fondue sauce and Jambon de Savoie with a quail egg and a white truffle vinaigrette.

55 Marylebone High St, W1U 5RB, orrery-restaurant.co.uk

Laurent at Café Royal

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Winter treats are coming in thick and fast on this Christmas menu — which is available from November 15 until December 30. It starts with warm popovers (the American version of a Yorkshire pudding), followed by smoked salmon on warm crumpets and continues with either a ribeye or grilled poussin and finishes with a chocolate tart or a sticky toffee bananas pudding. The venue is decked out with a diptyque Christmas tree featuring bespoke ornaments inspired by Parisian designer Pierre Marie and his baroque-like illustrations.

68 Regent Street, W1B 4DY, laurentatcaferoyal.com

Jimmy’s Lodge on the River

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Back for its annual pop-up, Jimmy’s Lodge boasts an upstairs dining room, a warming bar on the river and, let's not forget, those Insta-worthy private dining snow globes. Upstairs, the wooden cabin will house the Refuge, a restaurant boasting all kinds of seasonal bites including a gooey cheese fondue, with a vegan mushroom-based one available too. Guests can cook steak on hot stones and enjoy with a number of homemade sauces and charcuterie will be available courtesy of Garcia’s father in Spain.

Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX, jimmyslodge.com

Aviary

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From one igloo to another, Shoreditch’s Aviary is hosting domed beauties on its winter terrace. It’s offering packages for the Nordic-style dining experience, which include a bar tab and a selection of small plates like pigs in blankets, mac and cheese balls and mini cheeseburgers as well as a roast dinner, which is available in the most expensive deal at £350. It's also pouring cocktails made with lava rock-filtered vodka and seasonal spices and fruits.

22-25 Finsbury Square, EC2A 1DX, aviarylondon.com

Margot

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This place is giving traditional Christmas classics an Italian twist with its hearty menu. Festive starters get a taste of Italy with plates such as a beef carpaccio with pickled mushrooms and a crispy pecorino and root vegetable warm salad. Mains include a turkey feast with all the trimmings as well as other winter classics like pumpkin gnocchi and Italian sausage risotto. If that wasn't enough, there's a signature Margot trifle with Italian panettone and a traditional tiramisu with a rich Amaretto sauce.

45 Great Queen St, WC2B 5AA, margotrestaurant.com