Ready or not, Christmas is two weeks away. Perhaps you have grand plans to cook a Christmas goose, but if not, there are plenty of local restaurants that will be open and ready to serve you on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, whether you desire the more traditional route of prime rib and popovers, the super-traditional route of traditional English pudding and mincemeat pies, or something a little different like oysters on the half shell and Beijing wings. Here, we've mapped a baker's dozen of options for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining.
Popular Longfellow neighborhood pub Merlin's Rest will be open from 4 pm to 2 am on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, serving the regular menu (and the whiskey bible and mulled wine!).
This Longfellow standby is open every day of the year, including regular hours on the 24th and the 25th (11:30 am to 3 pm for lunch and 5 pm to 10 pm for dinner). They'll be serving the regular menu with some specials. Reservations are recommended for large parties (6 or more).
No Christmas dining guide would be complete without a Chinese restaurant, but Szechuan Spice would earn its place regardless for its Beef Big Bowl alone. It's open 11 am to 10 pm both days for delivery, take-out, and dine-in.
The classic downtown holiday destination will be open on both Christmas Eve (4-8 pm) and Christmas Day (6-11 am for breakfast and 11 am - 8 pm for lunch and dinner). They'll be serving the entire regular menu. Plus, the downtown location will be doing a roast goose dinner and the Mall of America will have popovers Reservations recommended.
Cosmos will be open regular hours (6:30 am - 10 pm) with the regular menu on Christmas Eve. On the 25th, it's open 11 am to 8 pm with a menu from their new chef, James Beard Award nominee Tim Fischer.
Nicollet Island Inn will be open on Christmas Eve for dinner with its regular menu (5:30-9 pm). On Christmas Day, it will serve a special three-course menu ($75/person) with choices including lobster bisque and seafood mixed grill (10:30 am - 8 pm). Reservations recommended.
One sneaky tip for finding an open reservation during a holiday is to hit up the hotels. Although, nothing about the food inside downtown Minneapolis' Marin says "hotel food." Fresh ingredients are elegantly and healthfully prepared. No matter how tired we are of kale, their version is like no other. Slip into the library bar for one of the coziest drinking spots in the cities. Marin is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Christmas Eve and day.
While they won't be open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Day, they will at that time be serving the hearty mix of burgers, beer, cocktails, wine, oysters and whiskey that The Lowry has built a reputation upon. For extra hearty comfort foods, order a plate of the mac and cheese, one of the best in the Twin Cities.
This classic Minneapolis eatery makes a beauty of a dirty martini plus some of the best chicken wings in town. They will be open for lunch and dinner serving Caesar salads, oysters on the half shell and all the dishes we love in this lux throw-back dining room.
Nothing fights the chill in the air like a shot of horseradish vodka with a gherkin chaser. Cathedral Hill's Moscow on the Hill is open for lunch and dinner on Christmas Even and dinner service Christmas Day.
Some may want to go all fancy for a holiday, but the cozy, comfortable neighborhood ease of Groveland Tap with their burgers and beautiful beer selection might be more up your alley. Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve and at 6 p.m. on Christmas Day. Don't worry, the staff here won't judge if you'd like to dine in your footie pajamas. They won't, but we might.
Look at you! You're tiny. We need some meat on those bones. Tuck into a monster sized sandwich and a bowl of matzoh ball soup at Cecil's. Open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Cozy is a plate full of perfect schnitzel on a cold, winter day. Brasserie Zentral is open for Christmas Eve (although, closed Christmas Day). Zentral's sister restaurant Meritage in St. Paul is also open Christmas Eve, although reservation space is limited.
Popular Longfellow neighborhood pub Merlin's Rest will be open from 4 pm to 2 am on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, serving the regular menu (and the whiskey bible and mulled wine!).
This Longfellow standby is open every day of the year, including regular hours on the 24th and the 25th (11:30 am to 3 pm for lunch and 5 pm to 10 pm for dinner). They'll be serving the regular menu with some specials. Reservations are recommended for large parties (6 or more).
No Christmas dining guide would be complete without a Chinese restaurant, but Szechuan Spice would earn its place regardless for its Beef Big Bowl alone. It's open 11 am to 10 pm both days for delivery, take-out, and dine-in.
The classic downtown holiday destination will be open on both Christmas Eve (4-8 pm) and Christmas Day (6-11 am for breakfast and 11 am - 8 pm for lunch and dinner). They'll be serving the entire regular menu. Plus, the downtown location will be doing a roast goose dinner and the Mall of America will have popovers Reservations recommended.
Cosmos will be open regular hours (6:30 am - 10 pm) with the regular menu on Christmas Eve. On the 25th, it's open 11 am to 8 pm with a menu from their new chef, James Beard Award nominee Tim Fischer.
Nicollet Island Inn will be open on Christmas Eve for dinner with its regular menu (5:30-9 pm). On Christmas Day, it will serve a special three-course menu ($75/person) with choices including lobster bisque and seafood mixed grill (10:30 am - 8 pm). Reservations recommended.
One sneaky tip for finding an open reservation during a holiday is to hit up the hotels. Although, nothing about the food inside downtown Minneapolis' Marin says "hotel food." Fresh ingredients are elegantly and healthfully prepared. No matter how tired we are of kale, their version is like no other. Slip into the library bar for one of the coziest drinking spots in the cities. Marin is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Christmas Eve and day.
While they won't be open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Day, they will at that time be serving the hearty mix of burgers, beer, cocktails, wine, oysters and whiskey that The Lowry has built a reputation upon. For extra hearty comfort foods, order a plate of the mac and cheese, one of the best in the Twin Cities.
This classic Minneapolis eatery makes a beauty of a dirty martini plus some of the best chicken wings in town. They will be open for lunch and dinner serving Caesar salads, oysters on the half shell and all the dishes we love in this lux throw-back dining room.
Nothing fights the chill in the air like a shot of horseradish vodka with a gherkin chaser. Cathedral Hill's Moscow on the Hill is open for lunch and dinner on Christmas Even and dinner service Christmas Day.
Some may want to go all fancy for a holiday, but the cozy, comfortable neighborhood ease of Groveland Tap with their burgers and beautiful beer selection might be more up your alley. Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve and at 6 p.m. on Christmas Day. Don't worry, the staff here won't judge if you'd like to dine in your footie pajamas. They won't, but we might.
Look at you! You're tiny. We need some meat on those bones. Tuck into a monster sized sandwich and a bowl of matzoh ball soup at Cecil's. Open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Cozy is a plate full of perfect schnitzel on a cold, winter day. Brasserie Zentral is open for Christmas Eve (although, closed Christmas Day). Zentral's sister restaurant Meritage in St. Paul is also open Christmas Eve, although reservation space is limited.
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