Autumn is here already, which means Christmas is just around the corner! But don't worry if you haven't booked your Christmas day lunch or festive celebrations for 2023 yet, we've got a great selection of venues for you to choose from.
Festive Feasts
Treat yourself to some luxury this Christmas with a delectable and delicious Festive Afternoon Tea at Summer Lodge Country House Hotel in Evershot. Indulge with dainty finger sandwiches, cakes, pastries and freshly made scones with a seasonal twist. Available daily between 1st December 2023 and 8th January 2024, priced at £40 per adult or £20 per child under 12 years old.
Available for lunch or dinner from the 1st December, and also catering for corporate and group bookings up to 40 people, Italian restaurant Al Molo in Dorchester is offering a 3 course menu for £36 per person. Celebrate in Italian style with choices such as chestnut filled ravioli or aubergine parmigiana sitting alongside traditional roast turkey.
For November and December, party on the pier at Key West Bar and Grill in Bournemouth. At £42.50 per person your ticket includes a festive three-course feast and crackers, followed by a DJ to continue the merriment until late in a fully decorated restaurant with giant disco ball. Suits all group sizes, big and small! Private hire and Join-a-Party nights available.
In both Bournemouth and Dorchester, Côte Brasserie offer their Menu de Noël for lunch or dinner from 23rd November until 24th December. Full of French flavours, this 3 course menu starts at £34.95.
Choose from festive lunches, dinners, disco nights and even a Christmas Eve Brunch at the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club. Lunches are available from 1st to 23rd December with festive dinners on Friday nights and disco nights on Saturday nights. Small and large groups catered for with panoramic views across Poole Harbour. Prices start at £30 per person.
The Ollerod in Beaminster will be offering a delicious 3 course meal, cocktails and crackers for up to 24 people. The price is £39 per person and you can add a festive cocktail for £8.
Over in the picturesque village of Corfe Castle, the luxurious Mortons Manor Christmas Menu is available from 1st to 23rd December for either lunch or dinner. The menu includes 4 courses plus tea or coffee and a mince pie for £49.50 per person.
For a Festive Menu with flavours from around the world, head to the Grosvenor Arms in Shaftesbury. Available from 27th November, you'll enjoy 3 courses with choices including Korean fried turkey schnitzel, spiced monkfish tail and sticky figgy pudding for £40 per person.
Priced at an affordable £24.95 for 2 courses and £28.95 for 3 courses per adult (child prices available) including complimentary coffee and mints, The Green Man pub in the pretty town of Wimborne Minster is the place to be. The menu is available from 1st to 23rd December.
Located in the county town of Dorchester, choose the festive menu at The Kings Arms restaurant. Priced at £40 for a 3 course menu including choices such as pork scrumpet, braised beef brisket and chocolate & sour cherry Christmas pudding, the menu is available from 27th November.
For groups of 8 or more people, there are two festive feasts to choose from at the Oyster and Fish House in Lyme Regis. Opt for the Mixed Fish Feast at £39 per person or the Roast Duck Feast at £60 per person.
Rockfish seafood restaurants in Weymouth and Poole will be serving a festive 3 course menu between 1st -23rd December for groups of 12 or more, including delights such as potted smoked salmon, firecracker prawn cocktail and Norwegian Rockfish Fillets. The price is £34.95 per person.
Enjoy a festive three course a la carte menu at Thirteen in Poole. Whether you crave the creamy Jerusalem artichoke velouté, the savory Turkey leg terrine, or the sweet indulgence of Chocolate stout mousse and Bay leaf panna cotta, their offerings cater to a diverse range of palates. The Festive lunch menu is available between Wednesday 29th November and Saturday 23rd December. Exclusive hire also available for up to 22, for both lunch or their exceptional evening 13 course tasting menu served prepared by their award winning chef.
Available from 20th November at The Ship Inn near Shaftesbury, you can choose a 2 course menu for £30 or a 3 course menu for £34 per person. Set in a rural village, this traditional country pub is full of history and was built in 1750.
Dorset's coast is not just for summer. Delight at the amazing sea views from The Heights Hotel on the Isle of Portland. Enjoy their Festive Afternoon Tea menus at their Bistro or Café. Party Nights take place on 2nd, 8th and 16th December including a buffet menu and themed music for £25 per person. Other Christmas food and drink events take place on 7th, 8th, 10th and 15th December. Visit the Heights Hotel website for more information.
At the George Albert Hotel, tables for 2 to 10 people are available for their Back To The 80s Christmas Party Night on Friday 1st December. Enjoy a 2 Course Christmas Dinner, followed by a night of 80s disco and dancing for £30 per person. Overnight accommodation is available in the hotel at £95 per room for double or twin on a bed and breakfast basis.
Christmas Day
Including delicious choices such as winter mushroom parfait, turkey roulade and chocolate & cherry Christmas pudding, the 3 course Christmas Day Menu at the stylish Grosvenor Arms in Shaftesbury costs £98 per person.
The 3 course Christmas Day menu at The Kings Arms in Dorchester includes baked Somerset camembert, roast free range turkey and white chocolate, passionfruit & coconut trifle. Relax in contemporary surroundings within the county town of Dorset for £98 per person.
For £80 per person, enjoy the 3 course Christmas Day Menu at the historic Ship Inn in the village of West Stour. Including a selection of canapés and a festive drink, menu choices include poached lobster tail, venison wellington and chestnut mont blanc.
Enjoy the ultimate five-course feast to delight the taste buds at Summer Lodge Country House Hotel in Evershot. With tables available from 1pm until 2:30pm, the menu is a real treat for the senses and is priced at £199 per person.
Boxing Day
Perhaps Boxing Day is your day of celebration, or maybe the thought of washing up is just too much to bear! There are a few options available for set menus on 26th December and other pubs and restaurants will be open but offering their normal menu.
With panoramic views of Chesil Beach and The Fleet Lagoon, enjoy Boxing Day lunch in the Bistro at The Heights Hotel on the Isle of Portland. The menu includes 3 courses as well as tea, coffee and chocolates priced at £42 per adult and £22 per child (aged 2-12 years).
At Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, choose from a Boxing Day Brunch or Buffet Dinner. Brunch is available from 8:30am until 2:30pm and is £45 per person. The Buffet Dinner is priced at £75 per person and served from 6:30pm until 8:30pm.
