Brining the turkey and stuffing it in the fridge. Peeling the carrots, potatoes, parsnips and whatever else you’ve got in. Washing the sprouts that no-one wants. Yorkshire puddings or not? Yep, prepping Christmas dinner can be a lot.
There is another way. These lovely places open on Christmas Day for those that can’t, won’t or don’t cook. Christmas Day lunch in Leeds made for you? No pots to wash or dishwasher to stack? It can happen – get a load of these Christmas crackers.
Quick picks: Where to go for Christmas dinner in & around Leeds
The Adelphi
Whether you dine upstairs or down, The Adelphi is a lovely, traditional pub that always opens its kitchen on Christmas Day. Pre-book your taxi or nag someone else to be the designated driver so you can enjoy a five-course Christmas lunch with a couple of pints.
There’s sourdough to begin, your pick of four starters, then the ever-traditional turkey. If you’re not a fan, there’s also pan-seared sea trout, blade of beef, duck breast and a veggie wellington, with copious classic sides. The real puzzle is what to order for dessert – we vote the sticky toffee Christmas pudding. To finish, it’s mini mince pies.
The price: £90 for five courses.
The veggie option: Two veggie starters, plus a root vegetable wellington for main.
Find it: The Adelphi, 1-3 Hunslet Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1JQ.
Weetwood Hall
If it’s a white Christmas, we can’t imagine a more splendid place to do your festive dinner than Weetwood Hall. A Jacobean house with gorgeous grounds and a sprinkling of the white stuff outside? Bliss. Even better when you arrive to be greeted with a glass of champagne and canapés. And this year, dining in the Manor House is adults only.
The menu reads beautifully, with prosciutto-wrapped chicken and pistachio terrine, Whitby lobster bisque and more to kick things off. The main event is roast turkey with all the trimmings, with seared fillet of seabass and salt-baked celeriac also on the menu. For pud, classic figgy pudding with brandy sauce keeps things classic.
The price: £145 for champagne and canapés followed by four courses.
The veggie option: Salt-baked celeriac steak with olive oil and herb potato cake.
Find it: Weetwood Hall, Otley Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS16 5PS.
The Deer Park
The Deer Park Christmas Day lunch must be one of the most luxurious in Leeds. Tuck into rustic breads on arrival, then indulge in the likes of baked seafood Thermidor or crisp pork belly and rhubarb ketchup to start.
Turkey comes with a moreish chestnut & pork stuffing and all the usual palaver, while there’s also braised ox cheek, pan-roasted halibut, venison haunch steak, 21 day-aged fillet steak, or a delectable sweet potato & chestnut roast. There are five puds to choose from, from Christmas pudding through to Cointreau crème brûlée. Yes, please.
The price: £110 for adults, £54.95 for kids.
The veggie option: French onion soup to start, and a sweet potato & chestnut roast for main.
Find it: The Deer Park, 68 Street Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2DQ.
The Barnbow
If you don’t want to take out a new mortgage in order to have Christmas dinner out in Leeds, The Barnbow is a great choice. Pull a cracker, put on the obligatory hat and then tuck into smoked salmon & prawn duo, caramelised red onion tart or crispy breaded brie with hot honey and cranberry sauce to start.
There’s a carvery for main, so you can mix up the turkey with gammon, beef or pork. Pescatarian? The smoked salmon and prawn parcel comes wrapped in puff pastry. For afters, there’s a no-nonsense Christmas pud, apple crumble or a tempting chocolate & cherry ganache torte served with lashings of Belgian chocolate sauce.
The price: £64.99 for adults, £32.49 for kids under 12.
The veggie option: Three starters and two mains, including baked vegetable lasagne and a vegan mushroom bourguignon suet pudding.
Find it: The Barnbow, Austhorpe Road, Cross Gates, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS15 8EH.
The Cow & Calf
Wondrous winter views of Ilkley Moor, anyone? The Cow and Calf occupies an enviable spot, and the roaring fire and delicious food make it a popular Christmas Day lunch choice in north Leeds. Kick things off with starters, ranging from the classic duck liver parfait to baked figs with blue cheese and prosciutto.
The turkey comes with sausage, cranberry & Madeira stuffing, while there’s also 50 day-aged black Angus beef, noisette of lamb and pan-fried monkfish tail on the menu. For afters, it’s going to be hard to choose between the apple, redcurrant and cranberry crumble, Christmas pudding or cheese and biscuits.
The price: £92.95 for adults, £42.95 for kids.
The veggie option: A couple of starters followed by a truffled mushroom wellington.
Find it: The Cow and Calf, Hangingstone Road, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 8BT.
Miller & Carter
You can have turkey at Miller & Carter on Christmas Day, but why go to a steakhouse and not eat steak? The Steak Experience gives you the option of fillet mignon or surf and turf ribeye with sautéed scallops. Add your choice of sauce – the rich red wine fits the brief – and you’re laughing.
That’s after you’ve started out with prawn & smoked salmon cocktail, duck, port and brandy parfait or vegetable tart, and before you get to a classic Christmas pudding, honeycomb & salted caramel delice or even a selection of cheeses. You’ll need to loosen your belt a notch, believe us.
The price: £104.95 for adults, £47.95 for kids.
The veggie option: You’ve got three starters to choose from, then a butternut squash & chestnut roast main.
Find it: Miller & Carter Steakhouse, 56-58 The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 8TL.
Malmaison
The Chez Mal Brasserie inside the Malmaison Hotel feels suitably swanky for a faff-free Christmas Day dinner, and the menu delivers on quality ingredients and big flavours. From the beef fillet carpaccio to seared tuna with truffle mayonnaise, it’s not the kind of thing you’re going to make at home.
The roast turkey breast is present and correct, or there’s dry-aged beef fillet with thyme rosti and mushroom and black truffle sauce, alongside roast stone bass with crab and caviar. Christmas pudding is back on the menu this year, but with black forest trifle, vanilla cheesecake and a cheeseboard to contend with, does it get your vote?
The price: From £119 for adults.
The veggie option: Burrata to start followed by root vegetable and chestnut mushroom pithivier for your main.
Find it: Malmaison, 1 Swinegate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4AG.
Browns
The serene surroundings of Browns makes it a lovely, relaxing place to enjoy Christmas day lunch in Leeds, without you having to worry about the dog stealing the pigs in blankets. There are hors d’oeuvres to start, then on to starters like brie & fig salad, prawn cocktail and duo of duck.
As for mains, there’s turkey of course, but the beef wellington is sure to turn heads. With a pick of six desserts, including everything from crumble to a chocolate trio, followed by a cheeseboard or coffee, truffles and mince pies, you’ll be leaving happy.
The price: £105 per person.
The veggie option: Three starters, then a beetroot & mushroom pithivier for the main event.
Find it: Browns, 70-72 The Headrow, The Light, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 8EQ.
The Roundhay Fox
The Roundhay Fox is a gorgeously atmospheric pub in a storied building, and the roaring fires reassure you that you’re in the right place for a festive feed. Kick back without the stress of getting everything cooked at the same time while indulging in a butternut squash & sage soup or the trio of baked scallops.
The turkey breast with all the trimmings is sure to please, but if you’re turkeyed out, how about roast duck or roast cannon of Black Angus beef? As for the pud? The winter pavlova is a delight.
The price: £83.95 for adults, £38.50 for kids.
The veggie option: Two starters and a truffled mushroom wellington main course.
Find it: The Roundhay Fox, Princes Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2EP.
The Fox
Credit: The Fox at Menston
Crackling fires, cosy nooks and a delicious menu – Christmas Day dinner in Leeds doesn’t get much better than this. The Fox opens with baked seafood Thermidor or orange & fennel smoked salmon and then a comforting range of mains, from turkey to ox cheek, halibut to fillet steak.
Their bourbon apple tatin with salted caramel sauce and ginger ice cream may be enough to tempt you away from the Christmas pudding, but that’s not the only option for the sweet-toothed. Our tip? Book early and ask for the window nook table.
The price: £99.95 for adults, £50.95 for kids.
The veggie option: French onion soup to start and a sweet potato & chestnut roast main course.
Find it: The Fox, 129 Bradford Road, Menston, Ilkley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS29 6EB.
