Christmas is almost upon us. It's usually one of the few days out of the year that even restaurants close to allow employees time with family and friends.
But, since we're in a major city, there are still a host of establishments that remain open to feed hungry tourists (and locals) who prefer to let someone else stuff the goose and make the figgy pudding. Here are some of Miami's best restaurants serving up delicious Chiristmas meals. Best to call ahead to confirm special hours and to make reservations.
See also: Shaquille O'Neal Bakes Holiday Cakes in an Easy Bake Oven (Video)
BLT Prime
BLT Prime at Trump National Doral Miami will offer a special blackboard menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Options include butternut squash bisque with spiced cream and pumpkin seeds; or hamachi crudo with blood orange, celery and yuzu. roasted striped bass with cauliflower and a truffle vinaigrette; Delmonico with bone marrow chimichurri and smoked sea salt; buche de Noel with eggnog ice cream and pistachio; and caramel pecan tart with brown butter ice cream and bourbon sauce. BLT Prime's Christmas Eve blackboard specials are available from 5:30 - 10:30 p.m. Christmas Day hours are 3 - 10:30 p.m. . An a la carte menu will also be available.
Enjoy a three-course meal with options that include Spanish octopus tiradito with kimchi miso sauce; housemade porcheta de porcelet with prune mostardo; Prime 10 oz spinalis steak with green romesco and cilantro-mint salad; pan roasted local black grouper with blood orange beurre blanc and baby brassica; and ginger snap bread pudding with toasted pecans and cardamom ice cream. $65 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.
De Rodriguez Cuba offers some special themed buffet menus including "American Comfort" and "Cinco de Mayo". Starting at $14 per person, the buffet offers carving stations; pasta; stir fry; and a taqueria. The restaurant opens at 7 a.m. for breakfast and last seating is at 9 p.m.
Chef de Cuisine Conor Hanlon is preparing quite the holiday feast for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining. In addition to the regular menu, he is offering roast pheasant roulade ($42) accompanied by spiced sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, bacon and pickled cranberries. Desserts include warm bourbon bread pudding and chocolate gingerbread pie with cranberry sauce and egg nog ice cream. Christmas Eve dinner is served from 6:30 - 9 p.m.; Christmas Day lunch is served from noon - 4 p.m. and dinner is served from 6:30 - 11:30 p.m.
Christmas Day Brunch is served from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. and features holiday specials like a turkey carving station, spiced rotisserie lamb with yogurt and salsa verde, and a a ricotta and lemon angnolotti station. $110 for adults; $32 for children (5-12), plus tax and gratuity. Santa will make a special appearance at brunch.
Edge also offers Christmas Day dinner from 6 - 11 p.m. The four-course dinner includes parsnip and chestnut soup; smoked beef belly; Hudson Valley foie gras and port roasted figs; and Key West pink shrimp toradito. Dinner is $85 per person plus tax and gratuity.
A special Christmas brunch is priced at $55 for adults; $27.50 for kids. Offerings include crepe Suzette; cooking stations; seafood; French pastries; and more.
Michael Mina 74 offers a four-course prix-fixe dinner for $75 per person. The menu includes roasted Chestnut and foie gras soup with vanilla brown-buttered parsnip and white chocolate; lobster salad with hass avocado, pamplemousse rose and truffle vinaigrette; duo of roasted Christmas birds featuring crispy pan-seared duck breast, goose leg confit croquette and braised cherry and port gastrique; and profiteroles with milk chocolate, pecans and holiday spice ice cream.
For many people Christmas means only one thing...Chinese food and a movie. Some say the tradition started because those were the only restaurants open on the holiday. Others say it's because Chinese food is so damn delicious. In any event, Monty's Sunset is offering a Chinese food Christmas with an Asian-fusion menu that includes sweet and sour whole snapper, served with white rice, and Sichuan style lobster, served with stem broccoli and white rice. Call (305) 672-1148 for reservations.
This casual South Miami restaurant offers a la carte sushi meals, perfect for a Christmas celebration with friends after spending the morning with family. Open Christmas day from 4 - 11 p.m.
In addition to the full a la carte menu, chef Peter Vauthy will offer Kuruge Wagyu served with tataki and sliced over Himalayan pink salt, honeydew, and croquante Kusshi oysters; black truffle risotto; Dover sole poached with garden nage and lemon thyme; beef rossini; and la buche de Noel with chestnut and black currant and hazelnut rum, and chestnut ice cream.
The iconic Miami waterfront restaurant is the perfect place to gather your family and have a memorable holiday meal. Rusty Pelican is open on Christmas Day from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. A three-courseprix fixe menu is $45 per person.
Scott Conant's Fontainebleau restaurant offers a four-course menu ($75 per person) on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 6 - 11 p.m. Offerings include Mediterranean octopus with potatoes, capers and olives; squash raviolini with sage brown butter and amaretti; local snapper with fregola, shrimp, and a mushroom fennel brodetto; and a poached pear 'carpaccio' with white chocolate mousse, crystallized walnuts and holiday spice gelato for dessert. The restaurant's a la carte menu will also be offered.
Serendipity 3 has a host of holiday favorites for Christmas Day including chile brined fresh ham, butternut squash basmati rice, and stuffing and cornbread. Of course, there are festive cocktails like the candy cane martini and the s'mores martini for a before or after dinner treat. The restaurant is open from noon - 10 p.m. Call (305) 403-2210 for reservations.
Have yourself a very jazzy Christmas at the Setai. Enjoy a holiday buffet while you listen to a modern jazz trio. The buffet, served from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. includes dishes like turkey, ham, leg of lamb; as well as an array of seafood including Alaskan King crab legs, snow crab claws, blue point oysters and shrimp. Brunch is $95 per person. Added bonus: Santa will make a special appearance via jet ski.
A four course Italian dinner with wine pairings includes octopus carpaccio, king crab ravioli, and pan seared branzino. $85 per person. $35 additional for wine pairing.
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On Christmas Day (and Christmas Eve), enjoy a four-course holiday menu that includes kacinato kale with marcona almonds, cranberries, sunchoke and ginger vinaigrette; ricotta cavatelli with duck confit, black trumpet mushrooms and butternut squash; American wagyu flat iron with parsnip purée; granny smith apple and fresh horseradish; and a poached Bosc pear with gingerbread, caramel and eggnog ice cream $75 per person.
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