Though cooking and cleaning may be an unglamorous aspect of Christmas Day lunch, Melbourne may have the solution. Spanning across the city are plenty of places to have Christmas lunch, ranging from all you can eat smorgasbords to multi-course meals. Whether you're craving seafood, roasted meats, sweet desserts, or anything in-between, Melbourne holds plenty of restaurants open on Christmas Day to satisfy every member of the family.
Eager to uncover some exciting Christmas lunch ideas? This article will provide a list of places to have Christmas Day lunch in Melbourne.
Are you located in Melbourne, Victoria, planning a Christmas lunch idea? When you are planning for an occasion like this, you probably want everything just perfect. One of the best ways to make sure that it all turns out the way you dreamed it to select the place or restaurant yourself personally. This way, you can choose the ultimate location, the best entertainment and the most delicious food and craft your ideal Christmas lunch.
Ultimate Christmas Lunch Ideas in Melbourne, Victoria
Enjoy bayviews and Christmas Lunch At The Brighton Savoy Hotel Melbourne
Visit their website at brightonsavoy.com.au
Christmas Day is about joining together with good friends, family and loved ones. Recommended by Domain Review as 'one of the best places for Christmas Lunch in Melbourne', share in traditional Christmas fare, sip a festive drink and celebrate in style with the Brighton Savoy.
Traditional Christmas Day Lunch – 12.30pm - 4.00pm
CHRISTMAS LUNCH MENU
ENTREE
Seafood tasting plate prawn cocktail with a whole prawn garnish smoked salmon rosette on a blini with a horseradish cream virgin mary oysters.
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Freshly carved roast breast of turkey & smoked ham served with roast potatoes, vegetables and cranberry sauce.
DESSERT
Christmas plum pudding topped with hot brandy custard and a berry garnish.
FRUIT MINCE PIES, CHOCOLATE MINTS, TEA & COFFEE
BEVERAGES INCLUDE
- De Bortoli Willowglen Sem. Sauvignon Blanc
- De Bortoli Willowglen Shiraz Cabernet
- De Bortoli Willowglen Sparkling Brut
- Carlton Draught and Cascade Premium Light
- Soft Drinks and Iced water
CHRISTMAS LUNCH
- $169.00 Adult Private table
- $ 99.00 Children 12 & Under
- $ 59.00 Children 4 & Under
- $ 59.00 High chair
Bookings available in the following event space:
- Gala Ballroom– The hotel's main ballroom with elegantly decorated tables with crisp white linen, Christmas centrepiece & Bon Bons with ambient background music.
- Seaview Room– Spectacular Bay views, elegantly decorated tables with crisp white linen, Christmas centrepiece & Bon Bons with ambient background music.
- Wellington Room– A quieter space, elegantly decorated tables with crisp white linen, Christmas centrepiece & Bon Bons with easy listening and Christmas music by Freddy Gulino.
- Seaview Terrace- Premium intimate space with 180 Degree views of Port Phillip Bay. Premium Christmas Lunch Dining - Every table has a bay view, bookings of tables from 8-10 Adults only. Be quick before these premium tables disappear. No other table combinations available in the Seaview Terrace.
Lunch At Bistro Guillaume Melbourne
Put a French spin on your Christmas this year with Bistro Guillaume. Its set five-course menu could come with a glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne, Fraser Isle spanner crab, Lakes Entrance John Dory with smoked mussel and kombu butter, Mayura Station wagyu with pommes Anna and a truffle vinaigrette, La Luna Holy Goat with honeycomb and brioche and a classic pav to top it off with.
Inspired by Paris's popular neighbourhood cafes, Bistro Guillaume offers a menu rich with French classics in a stylish setting on the Crown Riverwalk. Relax in the modern, airy dining space and watch the world go by with views of the Yarra as you savour acclaimed chef Guillaume Brahimi's exquisite bistro fare.
Bistro Guillaume is open and ready to welcome you back.
Book your reservation!
Call 03 9292 5777
Celebrate Christmas Lunch at Meat Market South Wharf
Sit down for a three-course lunch at Meat Market. Check out views of the Yarra in South Wharf as you saunter over to the raw bar containing Coffin Bay oysters and more, or enjoy your choice of prominent, including cider-brined free-range organic turkey with macadamia and apricot stuffing. There are multiple sittings, and each lasts for two hours.
A range of tasty small plates, larger mains, rustic sides & sharing platters influenced by the flavours of eastern Europe, the middle east, Morocco, India, South Korea & south America form a menu focusing on re-imagined popular dishes highlighting a modern blend of traditional flavours.
Not just about meat, the meat market also offers a range of flavoursome vegan and vegetarian options from the earth, showcasing our rich local produce.
Head straight for the steaks at this riverside venue
There's nothing quite like the taste of meat cooked over an open flame. Eat as much flame-grilled meat as your carnivorous heart desires at Meat Market. They've got beef, chicken, lamb, kangaroo, pork and seafood, all of which Meat Market strives to source from ethical producers and Victorian farmers.
The restaurant's open kitchen means you can watch your steak sizzle before sitting down and enjoying it by the river – Meat Market is right on the Yarra. There are classic bistro meals like steak fries, burgers and calamari, and more inventive plays like kangaroo tataki. And while meat naturally takes centre stage (there are seven types of steak alone), feel free to invite your veggo friends as well with substantial vegetarian dishes on offer (like spice fried cauliflower).
Love a deal? Meat Market has a few. Mondays are butchers night with steak and shiraz specials. Tuesdays mean T-bone steaks (500g with a glass of shiraz for $65 or a hefty kilogram and a carafe for $90) while Thursdays are for Tomahawks ($95 including sides and a carafe of wine). Take advantage of happy hour as well – it's on from 4-7 pm during the week and from 2-6 pm on the weekend.
Book a table now!
Call (03) 9008 8953
Chinese Lunch at Da Long Yi Melbourne
Da Long Yi offers steaming, swirling and spicy hot pots with various sauces, soups and ingredients to select from.
All soups are made from scratch, with authentic Sichuan peppercorns, onions and garlic.
There's a choice of base soups, including mushroom, spicy Sichuan, oxtail tomato, chestnut chicken and pumpkin. Pile your plates high with ingredients and fossick for freshly cooked morsels with your chopsticks.
Ensure that you have a dipping sauce that you blend from sesame oil, large amounts of chopped garlic and salt, and scald your food in the broth.
Szechuan Spicy Hot Pot – originated from ChengDu, China.
DaLongYi started in 2013 by bringing a genuine classic Szechuan style, deep-spiced soup bases and healthy foods. We promptly became one of the leaders in the hot pot market. People have been waiting in lines for hours, just for a bite of sensation.
It also became the choice of celebrities. Just to name a few: G-Dragon, Fan Bingbing, Huang Xiaoming, Zheng Kai, Aaron Kwok, Nicholas TSE, JJ Lin and many more.
We now have over 210 franchised stores in China, the USA, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. Our slogan 'Let the world fall in love with Chengdu flavour' is realised.
Book your reservation now.
Call 03 9041 8191
Spend the Afternoon at Aria Lounge in Langham Hotel Melbourne
The Aria Lounge will reopen in early December. Keep an eye on their website for updates on Christmas plans.
The Langham Hotel's Aria Lounge delivered families a sweeter Christmas Day lunch, with a spectacular high tea dining experience. The menu was available from 12 pm and 3 pm and included sandwiches, scones, roast turkey, quiche, pudding, tarts, and much more. Otherwise, the Melba Restaurant was open for Christmas Day breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with an extensive menu to suit every family member.
Fittingly for Melbourne, a city known for its many fine restaurants, dining at The Langham Melbourne hotel is always an experience to look forward to. We'll delight your discriminating palate with cuisines prepared from the fresh harvest of Victoria's bountiful farmlands and the rich Tasman Sea.
ARIA BAR & LOUNGE - A SYMPHONY OF CLASSICAL TASTES
Our discreet bar and lounge is the perfect setting for social engagements and post-event nightcaps.
During the day, the ARIA bar & lounge presents an extensive selection of teas, coffees, light meals, and Afternoon Tea with Wedgwood.
In the evening, classic cocktails and fine Champagnes are served alongside artisan wines from the fertile Yarra Valley.
Book your afternoon here.
Call 1800 641 107
Lunch at the Conservatory in Crown Melbourne
The Conservatory is known for offering a classy buffet experience in its elegant space. Still, it's switching it up for Christmas lunch and offering a set five-course menu with a glass of Piper Heidsieck Champagne per adult and live entertainment on offer. Expect the likes of blood orange and gin cured ocean trout with oscietra caviar, Moreton Bay bugs, wild mushroom tortellini, turkey breast wrapped in serrano ham and a golden chocolate dessert that looks like a bauble filled with popping candies and nougatine honey parfait.
Conservatory is Crown's upmarket buffet restaurant. There's seafood, sushi, Indian, salads and mod Oz faves in at least three sittings per day, so you can choose your own adventure for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Book a table.
03 9292 8888
Lunch at Alluvial Restaurant Melbourne
Located within the Intercontinental Melbourne, the Alluvial offered their Christmas Day buffet lunch from 1 pm to 4 pm in 2018. Visitors could look forward to an extensive seafood buffet, with prices starting from $275 for adults and $150 for kids. Otherwise, the Christmas dinner option was on offer from 6 pm, with roasted turkey to accompany the seafood buffet.
Book your reservations now
Call (03) 8627 1400
Try Melbourne Cruise for Lunch
Do you want a unique and memorable dining experience? Melbourne River Cruises proudly offers stunning Melbourne dinner cruises for many different occasions. Whether you want to organise a laidback Sunday dinner cruise or more rambunctious Christmas dinner cruises, or even a New Year's Eve dinner cruise, we can provide delicious foods, refreshing beverages, enjoyable music, stunning panoramic views, an appropriate atmosphere and an unforgettable experience.
Families can enjoy a delicious Christmas Day lunch while floating along the Yarra River with Melbourne River Cruises. Running from 12 pm to 3 pm, prices for the experience are $189 for adults, $119 for teenagers, and $99 for kids under 13 years of age.
Visiting the same restaurants or settling for a takeaway can get boring and unsatisfying after a while. Fortunately, our Yarra River dinner cruise options allow you to do something different with loved ones or colleagues. We have multiple cruise options for you to choose from, all of which take dining to new levels of pleasure::
- Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruises – An all-inclusive 4-course dinner cruise that passes by major Melbourne landmarks, perfect for romantic first dates and anniversaries
- Sunday Dinner Cruises (Winter Special) – Wrap up your Winter weekend in style with our all-inclusive 2-hour Sunday dinner cruises that let you see the city from a new perspective
We also offer Christmas dinner cruises, New Year's Eve dinner cruises and corporate dinner cruises.
Try this experience now.
Call (03) 8610 2600
Hot Pot Lunch at JiYu Thai Hot Pot
JiYu brings together Thai soup dishes and the modern Chinese hot pot concept.
Jiyu is s famous for its distinctive secret soup, fresh seafood and divine dessert.
The menu includes tom yum and Tom Kha Gai (coconut soup), but their focus is on seafood. You can enjoy a variety of seafood experiences, with hot pot, curry and grilled choices. There are vegetarian choices, too.
Originating in Phuket, Thailand, JiYu translates to 'get all the fish together.
Enjoy their hotpot here.
Call 03 9639 3669
Lunch At No. 35 Melbourne
The No 35 Restaurant of the Sofitel Melbourne has offered an impressive dining experience throughout Christmas Day in the past. Kicking off the festivities is a breakfast buffet from 6:30 am for $45 per person. Otherwise, the Christmas Day lunch runs from 12:30 pm to 3 pm, serving a buffet with seafood, meats, and dessert, plus a visit from Santa.
Contact them now!
Call 03 9653 7744
Lunch at St Ali Melbourne
Located in South Melbourne, St Ali is open from 7 am to 3 pm on Christmas Day, making it the perfect breakfast, lunch, and dinner option for Melbourne families. The menu includes plenty of flavours, with a little something for everyone to enjoy. Head over to the St Ali website for potential updates or announcements for their Christmas Day trading hours.
Check their availability.
Call (03) 9132 8966
Try Ludlow Bar Melbourne
Also located in Southbank is Ludlow Bar. Check out the views of the Yarra and sit down to a three-course menu featuring classic Christmas staples like turkey ballotine served with creamed silverbeet, potato fondant and green peppercorn jus, or a seasonal berry pavlova with honeycomb and chantilly cream. There's even a separate children's menu for the little ones.
The Ludlow Lunch is Back! $25 and choose from Beef, Chicken or Veggie Burger, Fish & Chips, Pasta of the Day or Chef's Salad of the Day with a pint of local beer, cider or glass of wine.
Try Ludlow Bar Lunch.
Call 03 9699 1676
Spend your Christmas Lunch at The Westin Melbourne
For those on the hunt for a Christmas Day dinner, the Westin restaurant may be a suitable option. Feast on a generous selection of cuisine created to be shared amongst your table. Revel in kingfish ceviche with summer flowers, baked Murray cod in a salt crust, and for dessert, traditional Christmas pudding with cognac crème anglaise, to name a few. Prices start at $199.
Escape to an urban sanctuary located in the heart of Melbourne and awaken your senses with a series of exceptional dining experiences sure to delight.
Unwind for the afternoon with friends or family and revel in a delicate selection of sweet and savoury treats. Indulge in the sophisticated surrounds of the Lobby Lounge or enjoy a takeaway in the comfort of your home.
Visit them here.
Call (03) 9635 2222
Afternoons at State Of Grace Melbourne
Twelve months after the State of Grace served its last drinks on Collins Street, shutting up shop along with its secret cellar bar Fall From Grace, the city hot-spot has made a triumphant return. Resurrected in style — and this time sporting a new King Street address — the well-loved venue has made one hell of a comeback. Here, old-world decor meets contemporary flair with a touch of the experimental.
Conveniently located in the heart of the city, enter State of Grace Melbourne - back as you once knew and loved (oh, the things we got up to). The new residency offers a bustling restaurant on street level with a little European flavour, hidden cellar bar Fall From Grace, and Rooftop.
Book your table.
Call (03) 8563 0020
Matilda 159 Melbourne Christmas Lunch Experience
The Matilda 159 Domain is open for Christmas Day lunch every year. They've designed a special Christmas lunch set menu featuring both signature favourites and new dishes to try. Enjoy your Christmas with them at one of two sittings.
Matilda is a visual and sensory journey and a true labour of love for me – it's named after my daughter, after all. The kitchen is fuelled by the open fire and hot coals, delivering great food, strong design and a feeling of comfort and warmth.
The restaurant is a bit more relaxed than my usual style of cooking. It's somewhere guests can often visit and be guaranteed a local piece of meat cooked exceptionally well over live flames and open grills and paired with seasonal produce.
Being across the road from the Botanic Gardens, designers Projects of Imagination have brought the space to life by incorporating earth, fire, nature and water into the interior of the space.
Call (03) 9089 6668
Lunch Celebration at Sunda Melbourne
Acclaimed Southeast Asian fine diner Sunda is bringing native Australian and Asian flavours to the Hotel Windsor. Executive chef Khanh Nguyen has dreamt up a decadent six-course menu featuring over 15 dishes. Some of which will include a spin on the classic prawn cocktail, glazed ham, turkey, roasted potatoes and glazed carrots. There will be a free flow of drinks, including wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages, and you can make it for a 12 pm or 1pm sitting with the advice of allowing three hours' time for each.
A great restaurant cannot rest on its menu alone. Sunda has emerged fully-formed with one of the more interesting fit-outs of 2018 (the best descriptor is construction site-chic; the combination of red brick walls and scaffolding giving the impression of dining in a gallery space), and the switched-on team of staff are armed and dangerous with a wine list that swings naturally without being obnoxious about it. Sunda has burst out the blocks demanding our love and receiving it. Pass the funky rosé, and toast to its future.
Book your reservation here.
Call 03 9654 8190
Ways To Celebrate And Enjoy Christmas In Australia
Explore The Nightlife
Perth is a wonderful place to celebrate Christmas in July. But if you plan to wear a Christmas jumper here in December, you will not have a pleasant time. Jumpers hold a special place when it comes to Christmas outfits in Australia, and you can have fun with them when you celebrate Christmas in Australia date in July. The city's pubs are decked out, giving you a chance to see amazing lights and ornaments. This is one of the best cities to experience Australian Christmas in summer.
Enjoy a Sicilian Themed Party
Do you want to see Christmas decorations in Australia that you do not often come across? Make your way to the Ballandean Valley in Queensland, where you can enjoy a Sicilian-themed Christmas in Australia 2020 party hosted by a winery every July. Owned since 1946 by the Costanzo family, the winery makes sure that the event is a very Italian affair. It even includes an appearance by La Befana, the Italian Christmas witch! With so much to do during the festival in Queensland, you don't need to worry about where to spend Christmas in Australia?
Go On A Cruise
If you are not in the mood to cook or clean when celebrating Christmas in Australia, make sure that you head to Melbourne for the festivities. The city is one of the best places to celebrate the holiday during your stay. You can relax as you enjoy your Christmas Day and slowly sail past the city's most famous sights.
Visit Wellington Square
Are you looking to do something meaningful this Christmas? Then Perth is the perfect place to go. You can help put up Christmas ornaments in Australia in Wellington Square and give them to those who are less fortunate to make sure that they celebrate the festive season too. You can serve lunch and lend your support to those in need with other volunteers.
Check Out The Christmas Lights
There may not be snow in Australia during the holiday season, but there are just as many lights as anywhere in the world. Australians go all out when Christmas comes and decorate stores, little shops and the streets with beautiful bright lights. Residential areas also look amazing, with bright, festive lights everywhere. Make sure that you take the time in the evening to check out the lights.