New York City, New York is the capital of the good-eating universe. Almost every country in the world is represented here by an ethnic eatery and this is where some of the world’s best chefs play with fresh ingredients and create edible art. New Yorkers love eating out and know how to recognize good meals and interesting décor, whether elegant or rustic. While many stay home for a Christmas Eve dinner with their families, there are those who are still tired of preparing the Thanksgiving feast and so might prefer to go out and see what their favorite restaurants have for them on that special evening. Whether they want to dress up and dine in the lap of luxury or savor a meal in a more casual setting, they will find that, just as always, New York City knows how to have fun.

Unique Restaurants for a Christmas Eve Dinner in New York City
   Tavern on the Green
   Hearth
   Salinas
   L'Amico
   Traif
   Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

Tavern on the Green

Tavern on the Green

© Tavern on the Green

One of the most romantic places to have Christmas dinner in NYC is Tavern on the Green, a beautiful old villa that has greeted celebrities, royalty, artists, and regular people since 1934. From the moment you approach the tavern through enchanting Central Park and see the magical Christmas tree in the restaurant courtyard, to when you are seated in one of the plush, luxurious dining rooms sparkling with holiday decor, you will feel engulfed in opulence and comfort.

When the food comes, you will be treated to one of Executive Chef Bill Peet’s legendary and unforgettable three-course prix fixe meals, whether you opt to come for brunch or dinner. As has already happened to so many people, it might just become your holiday tradition.

Tavern on the Green, 67th Street & Central Park West, New York City, NY 10023, Phone: 212-877-8684


Hearth

Hearth

© Hearth

Marco Canora's elegant, renovated upscale East Village restaurant is known for its Tuscan-American cuisine focused on seasonal ingredients from local suppliers, which is decidedly healthy yet no less delicious for that. The beautiful dining room is organic and simple with brick walls, soft lighting, shiny copper pots and pans hanging on the wall, a jade marble bar, and long communal tables fronting soft leather banquettes by the wall.

The atmosphere is lively but upscale enough to merit a celebratory Christmas dinner. Like so many other restaurants, chef/owner Marco Canora will offer the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes with dishes such as marinated calamari, classic baccala montecato, and linguine with clams.

Hearth , 403 E 12th St, New York City, NY 10009(1st Avenue), Phone: 646-602-1300


Salinas

Salinas

© Salinas

At Salinas, they are taking Christmas dinner seriously and Chef Luis Bollo, from Spain, is busy preparing a traditional Basque Christmas dinner. This San Sebastian style (his home town) six-course meal includes black bread soup with poached duck egg, a Basque risotto with razor clams, and a walnut pudding with buttermilk chocolate gelato.

If you have not been to Salinas before, you will love the patio with its retractable roof and cozy fireplace. There is also a lovely lounge and bar as well as their elegant dining room with limestone walls and walnut floors. There are flowers everywhere, as it should be in the Mediterranean, even though outside there is nothing but freezing New York weather.

Salinas , 136 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011, Phone: 212-776-1990


L'Amico

L'Amico

© L'Amico

A wall of glass lets L’Amico’s dining room be awash with light, and the ceiling beams and the many green plants give it lovely rustic vibe. It is comfortable and spacious, tucked into the lobby of the Avanti Hotel in Chelsea, but it is not the décor that draws people in large numbers – it is what comes out of the wonderful wood-fired copper ovens – spectacular pizzas and delightful pastas.

Owner/chef Laurent Tourondel has a lovely surprise for those of his fans who want to celebrate Christmas Eve at L’Amico – he is offering a five-course meal with wine pairing containing such delights as parmesan sformato with wild mushroom marsala duxelle and seafood stracci with sea urchin, rock shrimp, blue crab, and roe butter. Every course has fine selected wine to go with it.

L'Amico, 849 Avenue of the Americas, Eventi Hotel, New York City, NY 10001-4101, Phone: 212-201-4065


Traif

Traif

© Traif

A young crowd usually hangs out at Traif for their fun cocktails and divine small plates and nobody really cares that it is all ‘non-kosher’, which Traif means, loosely translated. There is a lot of shellfish and pork, such as pig’s tails, and meat mingled with dairy, but there is also truffled egg toast and blistered shishito peppers with marconas, cantaloupe, feta, orange and mint.

The place is tiny and always packed, and their patio is lovely, surrounded by lush plants, and almost like a jungle. This is probably not the place to have your Christmas dinner, but you can, and will, come back once you get hooked on the tiny pieces of art Chef Jason Marcus calls ‘small plates’. For Christmas dinner, he is cooking Jewish-Chinese dishes he remembers eating for Christmas as a child, such as General Tso's-style sweetbreads, ginger-scallion lobster sliders, lemon chicken-style fried quail cockles with fermented Chinese black bean sauce, and spicy foie gras soup dumplings,

Traif, 229 S 4th St, between Havemeyer St & Roebling St, Brooklyn, NY, Phone: 347-844-9578


Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

© Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

With exposed brick walls, tiled floors, cozy banquettes, long communal tables, and food and wine as décor, Il Buco brings to mind a village market in Umbria where people share wonderful store-baked breads, cured meats, and large plates piled with fresh pasta.

Il Buco is a great place to bring a bunch of friends who are not in the mood to cook a Christmas feast and together you can indulge in Il Buco’s traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes – a five course meal with delights such as agnolotti with lobster, black trumpet mushrooms, and black truffles (optional), salt-cured baccala, and fruity homemade panettone for dessert. Their wine list is exceptional, and they have many wines by the glass as well as a good selection of beers on tap.

Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria , 53 Great Jones St, New York City, NY 10012-1118(Lafayette & Bowery), Phone: 212-837-2622


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