1. Christmas lunch in the City, Pyrmont, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo O Bar and Dining will offer both lunch and dinner. A five-course meal with your choice from 4 entrees and mains and 3 desserts, added to this a starter course of oysters and to finish petit fours. Vegetarian options are available, and there is also a children’s menu.
2. A pinnacle of modern design that harmoniously brings together an opulent hotel, prestigious apartments, signature restaurants, premium gaming areas and a lavish spa, Crown Sydney is the new sanctuary for the city by the harbour.
3. Sydney’s multicultural heritage, a local passion for food, and the fresh produce and seafood on its doorstep come together to create one of the world’s best places to eat and drink. Discover an array of delicious experiences, from gourmet restaurants to alleyway cafes, bustling markets, glamourous cocktail bars and classic neighbourhood pubs.

Whatever your usual festive traditions are—whether your family does a roast, a BBQ or platters of fresh seafood on Christmas day—it's completely unavoidable that the person responsible for getting it all onto the table doesn't tend to have the most relaxing of Christmas mornings. So this year, why not sit back and let somebody else worry about filling your little elves' tummies?

Good Food Guide - One Hat 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. AFR Australia’s Top 100 Restaurants 2015, 2016, 2018. Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Awards.

Here are our top picks for Sydney venues putting on a great 'do for families this Christmas Day 2020. Oh, and a heads up, due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place, bookings are absolutely essential across all of our recommendations. Get in quick!

Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel

A true ellaslist favourite, the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel team are busy concocting a menu for their alfresco Beach Club Christmas Lunch (the premium seating option is already sold out.) The package will include a 3-course family-friendly Christmas feast that's perfect for sharing, plus a premium 4-hour beverage package that's...not so perfect for sharing.

Cost: Lunch in the Beach Club: Adults $199, kids cost and menu TBD.
Stay tuned for menu and information updates here.

Pomelo Online - Restaurant quality Christmas at home

What if you could relax at home on Christmas Day without sacrificing fine dining, indulging in a decadent chef-prepared feast without leaving the house. No cooking. No dishes. Heaven! Well, you can. Pomelo Online is a luxury service offering restaurant quality, pre-prepared meals delivered. They have curated two limited edition Christmas menus full of premium family favourites. The Traditional Christmas Pack features a festive feast of ready to roast boneless leg ham and whole chicken roulade stuffed with pistachio and cranberry, and the Seafood Christmas Package includes a stuffed roasted salmon fillet and spencer gulf king prawns. Both packs also has an array of delicious mains, sides and dessert and comes in two sizes for 4-10 people. Each Christmas pack includes home delivery, instructions and Christmas colour-in kits to keep kids entertained. It's like all your Christmases have come at once!
Cost: Starting at $199 for up to six people
Find out more and order your Christmas package at Pomelo Online.

Mode Kitchen & Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel

Gather family and friends on December 25th and celebrate the festive season with a gourmet family-style lunch or dinner at Mode Kitchen & Bar.

Boasting a delicious range of specially created dishes by Head Chef Francesco Mannelli and his team, the Christmas Day Sharing Menu is bursting with seasonal festive creations such as truffle chicken ballotine with foie gras and mashed potato, along with saffron risotto and Western Australia marron. Oh, and make sure you save room for Mode's famous mango, coconut and passion fruit Pavlova!

The kid's set menu is just as impressive—with dishes like mac and cheese or lasagne for entree, fish and chips or risotto for main and of course the pavlova or a chocolate hazelnut sundae for dessert.

Cost: $220 per person, $60 per child (up to age 12).
More information here.

Q Station

An ever-popular pick in Manly, this historical Sydney site is the perfect backdrop for a memorable Christmas lunch with your nearest and dearest. You can choose to dine at the Boilerhouse Restaurant & Bar for a six-course degustation, or in the P27 Governor Bourke Ballroom for a family seafood buffet (which, unsurprisingly, is our pick!) While you fill your bellies you can gaze across stunning views of Sydney Harbour, and there is plenty of space for the kids to play while they wait for a visit from a surprise festive guest.

Cost: $200 per adult (18+) / $160 per teen (13+) / $90 per child (5 +) / $35 per infant (1+)
Find out more here.

A Very Langham Christmas

Dial the indulgence up a notch with Kitchens On Kent's mouthwatering Christmas celebration. Whether you're keen to indulge in a Christmas High Tea, want to book something on Christmas Eve or go the whole hog with a Christmas Day Lunch, Kitchens On Kent will deliver with their decadent Langham Christmas feasts.

Cost: Prices start from $49 per child and $98 per adult.
Check out A Very Langham Christmas for more details and to book.

Captain Cook Cruises

Why stay on land when you can float around the harbour on Christmas Day! Captain Cook Cruises want your family to take in the sights from their open observation deck and enjoy the feast on one of three restaurant decks. There are 3 different packages to choose from, from a premium menu and drinks package with upper deck dining to a platter-style lunch at water-level and standard bar package.

Cost: from $179.
Find out more here.

Sir Stamford Hotel at Circular Quay

The true spirit of Christmas comes to Sir Stamford at Circular Quay in the heart of Sydney, and the hotel turns into a festive wonderland for a beautiful Christmas Day lunch. We're talking a bountiful seafood buffet bursting with Christmas delights—salads, antipasto, soup, hot buffet options, carvery and dessert. Drool!

The Christmas Lunch includes unlimited access to the Christmas Fare; live entertainment and a gift from Santa himself for the kids!

Cost: Adults $249 per person, Children (6-12 years) $145, Children (under 5) Free
More information here.

Kingsleys Woolloomooloo

Celebrate Christmas Day by the water with a stunning 3 course set menu at Kingsleys Woolloomooloo. Their offering promises shared hot and cold seafood platters to start, followed by your choice of main and dessert.

Cost: $179 per adult and $45 per child 10 and under.
Find out more here.

Other Christmas Day Options In Sydney

While dining out for Christmas Day is a lovely option - it isn't everyone's cup of tea, or in everyone's budget. Luckily, plenty of Sydneysider favourites remain open for Chrissy Day, so you don't have to miss out on the festive fun.

Needless to say, beaches are a hotspot for family-friendly frivolity and many people flock towards Bondi for an iconic Christmas-on-the-beach snap. Alternatively, a stroll around Sydney Harbour and through the Botanic Garden will truly allow you to soak up the city. Much of Chinatown remain open on Christmas Day, so yum cha could well be on the menu! And while many cafes close, a lot do remain open - so you should be able to pick up a coffee and a sanga before hopping on a ferry and visiting Manly, Taronga Zoo or other iconic Sydney locations.

More Christmas Cheer

The Best Gifts That Give Back This Christmas
Top Christmas Gifts To Get The Kids Outdoors This Summer
Best Christmas Markets

Sydney Casino Lunch Buffet

Have you signed up to our newsletter? Join ellaslist to get the best family and kid-friendly events, venues, classes and things to do NEAR YOU!