8 great last-minute Hanoi Christmas dinners

Yes, Christmas is the time of the year we sit back, reflect on the past hectic 12 months, express gratitude to loved ones, and attend a myriad of fun events during this festive season, but here at Chào we are fully aware that some of you (quite a lot of you in fact) have one clear priority that trumps them all: to stuff your faces as much as you possibly can. For those of you that plan everything a bit last-minute, here are a few of our top picks for an epic feed and booze-up this Christmas. Goodwill to all men!

The Bottle Shop Xmas BBQ

With their friendly pub-garden vibes, The Bottle Shop promises a family-friendly affair this year with pets welcome and no charge for children under 10, and a bottomless Xmas BBQ in their backyard on Christmas Day: smoked specials (chicken beef brisket, pork ribs and seabass), pork belly, gourmet sausages, oysters, asparagus wrapped in bacon, a frittata station as well as free flow craft beers, house wines, prosecco, bloody marys & soft drinks. Billed as a three-hour affair, don’t be surprised if proprietor and local gadabout Dan Dockery lets things slide on a little longer.

Dec 25. 12-3 p.m.
1,500,000 VND including free flow

Hanoi Cider House (Christmas Feast)

With Christmas Day fully booked, Hanoi Cider House still have spots on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Genial boss and pommelier Guy Dickson has never been one to cut corners and so it is proving with an incredible Xmas platter for four, including 24-hour cranberry cider brined roast chicken with garlic & rosemary butter, sticky marmalade roast ham, chicken fat roasted potatoes with garlic & rosemary, sausage meat stuffing with sage, onion, dried apricots & chestnuts, roasted carrots & pumpkin with honey & thyme, pigs in blankets, braised red cabbage with apple, proper chicken gravy, cranberry & orange sauce, as well as drink of choice (mulled wine or cider, red or white wine, Hanoi Cider, Platinum Beer). Oof!

6 p.m. and 8 p.m. sittings
2,395,000 VND for 4

Fabrik – Festive Menu

One for the foodies as one of Hanoi’s most celebrated chefs Oliver Genique cooks up superb menu at Fabrik, which runs all the way through to Jan. 9 for thouse that want to eat something festive, you know, every day! With starters ofrom either cured salmon, pickled beetroot & daikon, smoked sour cream, dill, black bun, seaweed butter or duck macaron, foie gras mousse, confit leg, smoked breast, sweet & sour plums gravy, pistachio; a main course of baked scallops (quenelle), Canadian lobster thermidor toast, truffle foam, bisque reduction or roasted black angus picanha, alongside potato – truffle cake, porcini cream, burnt leek, red wine sauce; for dessert take your pick from, “Optic Illusion” Mushroom Chocolate Swiss roll, pear mousse and compote and cacao crumble. High end food at mid range prices.

Dec. 21 to Jan. 9
3 courses: 650,000 VND per person
Degustation 6 courses menu 990, 000 VND per person
16 Tran Vu, Ba Dinh

7 Bridges Taproom Christmas Buffet

This Christmas, the taproom is bringing together an exciting line-up of festive dining offerings including an all-you-can-eat Christmas buffet on Dec. 25, with over 10 Xmas dishes such as Haivan Haze free range chicken, imperial baked ham, rosemary roasted lamb leg and beef Wellington; as well a sit-down 4 course dinner on Dec. 24/25. Free flow wine and craft beer 500,00 VND (13 different craft beers: blonde ale, IPAs, red ale, stout and porter, white and red wine).

500,000 VND special buffet
900,000 VND for 4 people Xmas dinner
104 Xuan Dieu, Hanoi

Fat Pig Christmas Event

The Fat Pig are more than happy to be back this December, offering an epic day of festive eating, drinking and live music on The Fat Pig terrace with awesome view of Hanoi’s West Lake. The Christmas feed-up is a 5-course meal with complimentary drink on arrival. Dinner includes starters of cold cuts and homemade-pickles or vegetable crudités with hummus and chargrilled flatbread; main of either slow smoked turkey and honey mustard glazed ham with all the trimmings or meatless mushroom wellington; tea, coffee and truffles; and a final choice of apple and cinnamon crumble with toffee apple and whiskey ice-cream; or European cheeses with pickles, chutney, fruit and crackers.

3 sittings: 11.30- 2 p.m. / 2.30 – 5 p.m./ 7 p.m.- 9.30 p.m.
74 Quang An
750,000 VND per adult/ 395,000 VND per child

The Republic – Christmas Celebration

The Republic are offering both a standard package four course meal or premium six course meal, all coming with a three-hour drink free flow! Dishes include starters of pea and ham soup, pumpkin soup, mushroom pate and chicken liver pate; mains from roast turkey, baked glazed ham, and nut wellington; and desserts of chocolate log cake, cheeseboards, and Christmas pudding.

Standard menu 1,600,000 VND per person/ Premium menu 2,300,000 per person
3 sessions: Dec 24 dinner, Dec 25th lunch, and Dec 25th dinner.
12 Quang An

Koto Villa Christmas Eve Dinner

The delightful Koto Villa are offering a Christmas Eve dinner with a set five courses (excluding beverages) with starters of five spice duck breast paired with red cabbage and tamarind sauce served on rye toast, chilled pea soup with wasabi cream & crispy bacon, a salad of salmon tartare with capers, pickled cucumber, tabasco and dill; main course of smoked turkey ballotine with pistachio, rosemary, leek & onion served with ricotta, bacon, zucchini, pureed carrot and basil cheese sauce; and dessert of Christmas Pudding with brandy Crème anglaise & vanilla ice cream.

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
22G 31/46 Xuan Dieu
650,000 VND per person

Moose & Roo Smokehouse and Pub & Grill

If anyone in the city has ever given the Moose and Roo a bad food review then we are yet to hear it. Christmas will be no different with both the pub and the smokehouse putting on a traditional christmas dinner with all the trimmings. The menu will see roasted squash soup, turkey with gravy, honey smoked ham, bread stuffing, sweet potatoe puree, roast potatoes greens beans and carrots, cauliflower gratin, cranberry sauce, not to mention bread pudding with custard for dessert.

Servings on Dec. 24 and 25.
650,000 VND per adult/300,000 kids under 12
Vegetarian option 425,000 VND
36 Xuan Dieu
19/21 Hai Ba Trung

*Most of these events are booking only, so please do call ahead. Here at Chào, we wish everyone in the city and beyond a Very Merry Christmas!

Main image courtesy of threesixtyguides.