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Go to: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dining in Boston 2011.
It's time to make your reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas day meals if you're planning to dine at one of Boston's fine restaurants.
What's open on Christmas Eve?
While many place close early on Christmas Eve, others are known for special Christmas Eve celebrations-- like the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes at Grotto.
"The seven wonders of the world, seven days in the week, the seven sacraments, seven days of creation, or seven is just a lucky number ... no one is certain about the exact origin of The Feast of Seven Fishes, a traditional meal served on Christmas Eve throughout Italy. The Feast dates back centuries and the common belief is that partaking in the Feast will bring good luck and fortune in the year to come. Grotto's Feast of Seven Fishes is served over four courses and utilizes the great abundance of seafood available to us in Boston, and is 65 dollars a person (dessert not included). Grotto will also offer a four course limited menu for 60 dollars which will feature many of Grotto's signature dishes. Grotto begins serving The Feast of Seven Fishes at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and reservations are required, to make a reservation please call 617.227.3434. "
Dante in Cambridge also has a Christmas Eve, 4-course menu featuring the traditional Italian Seven Fish Feast and classic American choices.
Sel de la Terre on State Street has the menu for their feast available on their site. (see our detail section below.)
Other places, like Upstairs on the Square in Cambridge are simply open that evening. We mention Upstairs because with it's holiday decor and roaring fireplaces, it would be the perfect place to dine on Christmas Eve.
Or, to turn a lunch or dinner into a gift, make a reservation at "L'Espalier and make that meal the highlight of someone's holiday memories. They are open for both lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve.
Updated: 12/23/08 - Boston chefs has added a list
http://bostonchefs.com/news/event/2008/12/24/christmas-eve-2008-boston-restaurants/
What Boston Area Restaurants are Open on Christmas?
Hotel restaurants, since they must serve the hotel's guests are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this includes some excellent choices including:
- Asana at the Mandarin Hotel is open both the 24th and 25th.
- Aura at the Seaport hotel with chef Rachel Klein open both the 24th and 25th.
- Brasserie Jo the Colonnade Hotel
- Taj Boston Cafe is open and they have a Christmas Buffet in the Grand Ballroom
Other places open on holidays would include chains like Legal Seafood (as you can see from the photo) and many restaurants in Chinatown.
Update: 12.15.08- Here's a conversation on Chowhound.com about Christmas in Chinatown.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/580200#4249035
Master lists of Boston restaurants open for Christmas
Update 12.15.08: The food loving folks over at the Boston Chowhound.com site have started a list of place that are both open and have great food.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/580262#
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/582138#4268423
The reservation site, Open Table, is not maintaining a separate list of its member restaurants with Christmas menus. But, you can input information on the reservation you want and come up with a list of restaurants that are open at that time. It's a place to start.
http://www.opentable.com/start.aspx?m=7
Updated: 12/23/08 Boston chefs has added a list
http://bostonchefs.com/news/event/2008/12/25/christmas-2008-boston-restaurants/
Details:
Here are the places we mentioned above:
Grotto
37 Bowdoin Street, Boston, MA
Dante
40 Edwin H Land Blvd, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.restaurantdante.com
Sel de la Terre
255 State Street, Boston, MA
Upstairs on the Square
91 Winthrop Street, Cambridge, MA
www.upstairsonthesquare
L'Espalier
774 Boylston Street, Boston MA
(We'll update this entry as we find more information. Please add your finds in the comments below.)
For other information on what is open or closed on Christmas in Boston see this entry posted yesterday.
http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/12/whats-open-on-christmas-in-boston.html
