Christmas 2024: 15 set meals, afternoon tea and buffets for different budgets 

SINGAPORE – It is less than a month to Christmas and you have not made plans for your festive meal out, much less reservations.

No need to pout or cry. Just scan the list below for the right meal vibes that fit your budget. 

Offerings range from a $30++ two-course menu at Market Bistro in the Central Business District to a $188++ four-course spread at Origin Grill at Shangri-La Singapore. If you are in the mood to splurge, indulge in epic Big Brunch buffets at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore and InterContinental Singapore on Christmas Day. 

High teas are trending in 2024, with new editions launched at the likes of Carlton Hotel Singapore, Jumbo Seafood at Ion Orchard and Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, which has a themed one in collaboration with French luxury crystalmaker Baccarat. 

They pack in a decadent sweet and savoury spread under $100++ a person while offering some mid-afternoon cheer to both hotels and patrons in a difficult F&B year.

The Straits Times picks 15 Yuletide meals – under $50++, under $100++, under $200++ and above $200++ for every budget.

Under $50++

Market Bistro 

What: For a budget-friendly festive business meal, head to the Wall Street-inspired Market Bistro. 

It offers a $30++ two-course meal or $38++ for three courses – available for both lunch and dinner. 

Start with a choice of roasted pumpkin soup with chive and pide bread (Turkish flatbread) or roasted pumpkin and feta salad with pumpkin seeds and red fruits. 

For the main course, plump for the Turkey Piccata – battered turkey pan-fried in turkey jus – served with wilted spinach, mushroom, roasted potato and turkey jus. There is also an option of the classic Steak Diane (add $6) served with broccolini and brandied mushrooms, and finished with mustard cream.

Finish with a Christmas Chocolate Truffle Cake, paired with a glass of warm, spiced mulled wine (add $8) for that extra holiday glow. 

Where: 01-03 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, 12 Marina Boulevard
When: Dec 1 to 31, 11am to 9pm, Mondays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays 
Info:

www.marketbistro.com.sg 

Mosella 

What: Go Mediterranean this Christmas at Pan Pacific Orchard hotel’s Mosella restaurant. 

Its festive lunch, priced at $48++ for two courses, offers a choice of starter – Norwegian salmon ceviche with passionfruit, confit grapefruit and yellow endive; or cinnamon-infused butternut squash veloute with ginger croutons, pecan crumble and sage oil. 

The main course options are either the Lubina Plancha (grilled sea bass) with truffle celeriac, ratatouille, saffron potato and verde clam olives emulsion; or turkey and duxelles mushroom rouleaux (roll) with caramelised chestnut, foie gras stuffing and brussels sprouts.

The three-course menu, at $58++, is crowned with a chestnut mont blanc dessert.  A vegetarian menu is available too. 

Where: Level 2 Pan Pacific Orchard, 10 Claymore Road
When: Till Jan 5, noon to 3pm, weekdays only except Dec 24, 25 and 31 and Jan 1 
Info: Call 6991-6875 or e-mail

mosella.ppsor@panpacific.com

Carlton Hotel Singapore

What: Tuck into a leisurely Noel Afternoon Tea for two ($78++ for two people, includes a choice of coffee or tea) at Carlton Hotel Singapore’s Tux Bar & Lounge or Tuxedo Cafe & Patisserie.

Savoury items such as mushroom quiche and tuna sandwich, as well as the quintessential scones and a variety of sweet treats such as mini matcha financier with yogurt cream and blueberry cheese tartlet, feature.

Along with Tuxedo’s range of signature cakes on rotation, there are also options such as chocolate raspberry cake and strawberry passionfruit cake. 

Where: Tux Bar & Lounge or Tuxedo Cafe & Patisserie, Level 1 Carlton Hotel Singapore, 76 Bras Basah Road
When: Till Dec 29, 1 to 4pm, weekends only 
Info: Call 6311-8839 or go to

str.sg/yJ2R 

Tanglin Cookhouse 

What: Tanglin Cookhouse’s seasonal specials feature in its $48++ three-course menu, offering a choice of appetiser, main and dessert. 

Starter options include borscht soup with sour cream or pepper-crusted duck and orange salad, followed by mains such as roasted turkey roulade with cranberry jam, Yorkshire pudding and roasted potato or Irish Guinness-braised beef cheek with potato mousseline and braised red cabbage. Vegetarian options are available too. 

Sweet endings include a warm Christmas pudding with sticky toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream or Christmas Biscoff tiramisu.

Where: Tanglin Cookhouse outlets at 01-106 Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Road, or 01-07 PLQ 3, 2 Tanjong Katong Road
When: Till Dec 13 (weekends only), Dec 14 to 31 daily, 9am to 10pm 
Info:

www.tanglincookhouse.com.sg 

Under $100++

Jumbo Seafood Ion Orchard

What: This one is for those tired of the typical turkey and ham for Christmas, and anticipating – and manifesting – Chinese New Year. 

Have a Chinese-style afternoon tea at Jumbo Seafood’s Ion Orchard outlet, priced at $59++ a person (minimum two to a set, with a choice of tea). 

Highlights include dragonfruit lobster salad with lumpfish caviar, scallop wrapped in yam ring and chilled sliced 10-head abalone with chef’s special sauce, as well as dim sum items. 

Where: Jumbo Seafood, 04-09/10 Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn 
When: Till Jan 27, 3 to 4.45pm daily 
Info:

str.sg/7WoL

Boeuf 

What: Savour Boeuf steakhouse’s seasonal beef wellington this Christmas, as part of its sharing set for two ($118++). 

The black angus tenderloin MB3 is wrapped in a thin layer of beef bresaola (air-dried cured beef) and coated in a mixed mushroom duxelles and crushed hazelnuts. 

Pair the meat with a choice of side and sauce from the a la carte menu such as truffle fries, sauteed asparagus, chimichurri or pepper sauce. 

Where: 159 Telok Ayer Street 
When: Till Dec 31, noon to 10.30pm daily 
Info: Book three days in advance at

str.sg/eX9w

Pacific Emporium

What: Pan Pacific Singapore’s executive chef Andy Oh and his culinary team’s festive creations are showcased in its afternoon tea (from $78++ a person on weekdays, from $88++ a person on weekends, Dec 24, 25 and 31 and Jan 1). 

Savoury items include hickory-smoked pulled pork slider, Scottish salmon pumpernickel, and honey baked ham and brie. Sweet treats include Sicilian pistachio choux puffs with lemon gel, peppermint milk chocolate tart, and traditional chocolate logcake with brandied cherries. 

On weekdays, diners can also choose a main course including stuffed lamb saddle with winter vegetables or Penang prawn noodle soup. 

On weekends, there are additional live stations serving salmon wellington, traditional roasted turkey breast and assorted crepes. 

Where: Level 1 Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard
When: Till Jan 1, 1 to 3pm, 4 to 6pm daily 
Info: Call 6826-8240 or e-mail

dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

Prego

What: Have your fill of hearty Italian fare at Prego at Fairmont Singapore. 

Priced at $88++ for an adult (including free-flow Botter Prosecco DOC) and $44++ for a child, the Sunday buffet brunch includes a seafood and salad bar, as well as cheese, charcuterie and bread stations offering freshly baked bread and pizza by chef Davide Bizzarri. 

Indulge in meats and whole baked barramundi at the carving station and freshly cooked pasta and risotto at the pasta station. 

There is, of course, an unmissable spread of desserts including ricotta cannoli and citrus fennel panna cotta. 

Add on to the experience with private Vespa tours available at $60++ for 20 minutes or $100++ for 30 minutes a person.

Where: Level 1 Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road
When: Till Dec 31 (except Dec 22), noon to 3pm 
Info: Call 6431-6156 or e-mail

dining.singapore@fairmont.com

Under $200++  

Bedrock Bar & Grill and Bedrock Origin 

What: This one is for celebrations with fellow Christmas carnivores. 

Gather two to four other meat-loving friends to share Bedrock Bar & Grill’s Steak Grazing Platter, priced at $499++ (good for three to five people). 

It features a USDA prime tenderloin (250g), citrus-fed wagyu striploin (250g), Australian grass-fed ribeye (300g) and a Mangalica pork tomahawk (300g). The platter also comes with grilled asparagus and the restaurant’s signature Mac ‘N’ Cheese. 

Over at its sister Bedrock Origin in Sentosa, its Meadow and Marine Platter ($499++, good for three to five people) offers a surf and turf combo. 

Feast on the signature aged barramundi tail (1kg), F1 wagyu tomahawk steak (1.2kg), glazed hamachi collar and baked oyster mornay (eight pieces). It is served with miso-glazed heirloom baby carrots and fully loaded smashed potatoes. 

Both platters come with Bedrock’s apple crumble, as well as a bottle of Bedrock x Brothers in Arms No. 6 2019 Shiraz Cabernet. 

Where: Bedrock Bar & Grill, 01-05 Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, 96 Somerset Road, open: noon to 3pm daily, 6 to 10.30pm (Sundays to Thursdays), 6 to 11pm (Fridays and Saturdays); Bedrock Origin, 01-02 Oasia Resort Sentosa Hotel, 23 Beach View, Palawan Ridge, open: noon to 3pm, 6 to 10.30pm daily
When: Till Jan 5 
Info:

www.bedrock.com.sg 

Mandarin Oriental, Singapore 

What: The 2024 Christmas edition of Mandarin Oriental, Singapore’s afternoon tea ($88++ a person) showcases a glittering collaboration with French luxury crystalware house Baccarat. 

Highlights include foie gras with Christmas berries, Grand Marnier spiked Nougat de Sainte-Maure and Dungeness Crab Gateau with xeres sherry-infused watermelon, as well as decadent desserts of red wine granite, and Moss, a green tea cake coated in dacquoise.

All items are displayed on Baccarat’s crystal tiered trays, dessert plates and glasses, including the special Baccarat Gem cake – a confection comprising rosemary cream, wild strawberry compote, eglantine coulis, and a delicate layer of Earl Grey tea mousse. This limited-edition cake is also available at The Mandarin Cake Shop for $18+ a slice.

Where: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, Lobby Lounge, 5 Raffles Avenue 
When: Till Jan 5, 1 to 5pm daily 
Info:

str.sg/jECo

Origin Grill 

What: Shangri-La Singapore’s Origin Grill may be well known for its steaks, but it is the non-steak dishes that shine in its festive four-course meal ($188++ a person, including three glasses of wine). 

Starter choices include smoky josper-fired Tsarskaya Oysters with barbecue sauce and beef carpaccio, grain-fed Portoro tenderloin with charcoal mustard, cornichons, cured egg yolk and pepper leaf.

Sweet corn soup with fresh crab meat and cherry tomato follows before the main course, which includes options such as roast turkey roulade or signature crispy pork belly.  

If you must have beef, the Little Joe Angus Ribeye MB4+ or Kagoshima A4 Craft Wagyu Striploin is available at an additional $40 to $70.

End on a festive high with a Santa dessert – shaped like Santa’s hat – a joconde sponge cake with almond, streusel and marshmallow, or passionfruit pavlova. 

A weekday festive set lunch is also available – from $42++ for two courses a person. 

Where: Origin Grill, Tower Wing Lobby, Shangri-La Singapore, 22 Orange Grove
When: Dec 24 and 25, 11am to 3.30pm
Info: Call 6213-4398 or e-mail

dining.sls@shangri-la.com

Peppermint 

What: Festive delights take centre stage at buffet restaurant Peppermint, which has halal-certified kitchens and stations. 

Highlights include a new salt meringue baked festive turkey with chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce and black truffle sauce; a turducken, turkey stuffed with chicken which is stuffed with duck; baked lobster with sea urchin gratin; and honey baked chicken ham. 

A salmon wellington with yuzu and smoked caviar sauce is the showstopper for lunch on Dec 31, as well as lunch and dinner on Dec 25. 

Prices start at $72++ an adult for lunch buffet from Mondays to Thursdays, and from $82++ an adult for lunch buffet from Fridays to Sundays, excluding Dec 24, 25 and 31 and Jan 1. 

Where: Peppermint, Level 4 Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore, 6 Raffles Boulevard
When: Till Jan 1, noon to 3pm, 6.30 to 10pm 
Info:

str.sg/fcPw

Wild Blaze 

What: Three-month-old steakhouse Wild Blaze serves up its first Christmas menu at $128++ for three courses. 

Pick from three starter options – veal sweetbread vol au vent with porcini sauce, foie gras terrine with black truffle and shallot compote or butternut squash soup with crab meat. 

Next, opt for roasted pigeon served with pan-seared potato pave and brussels sprouts sauteed with bacon; salmon coulibiac, salmon fillet wrapped in puff pastry with long grain rice, chopped mushrooms and dill, served with a beurre blanc sauce; or beef tenderloin pithivier (250g), paired with buttery potato puree and a perigueux sauce of sweet Madeira wine and truffles. 

End on a sweet note with a white chocolate lychee rose logcake for dessert. 

Where: 66 Tras Street
When: Dec 1 to 31, 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6 to 10pm daily 
Info:

Above $200++

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore 

What: East meets West at the hotel’s Christmas Day Big Brunch (from $275++ an adult, $128++ a child aged six to 11), which sees its buffet hot spot Town Restaurant working with Chinese restaurant Jade to turn out a sumptuous spread. 

This is the one time you get to have both Jade’s signature Peking duck and Town Restaurant’s roasted Christmas turkey – carved at live stations – in one sitting. 

There will also be an array of seafood, charcuterie and cheese, as well as Indian specials and dim sum. 

Between both restaurants, the North Courtyard will transform into a dessert wonderland offering Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, cakes, tarts, assorted Nonya kueh and a raspberry chocolate fountain. 

Make a beeline for the dessert stations offering Cassis Mont Blanc with candied chestnut and Speculoos biscuit or “Enchanted Forest”, a chocolate cremeux and raspberry creme with liquid nitrogen “soil”, cocoa-dusted meringue mushroom and kirsch-steeped morello cherries.

The best part? While the adults feast, the children can play at the bouncy castle and kids’ corner. 

Where: Town Restaurant and Jade, Level 1 The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, 1 Fullerton Square  
When: Dec 25, 12.30 to 3.30pm 
Info:

str.sg/eUGB

InterContinental Singapore 

What: InterContinental Singapore’s signature Big Brunch makes a return with a grand celebration across its Italian restaurant Luce, The Lobby Lounge and Cantonese restaurant Man Fu Yuan. 

Available on Dec 25, it is priced from $208++ an adult, $88++ a child (aged three to five), $118++ a child (aged six to 11) for lunch; and from $158++ an adult, $58++ a child (aged three to five), $78++ a child (aged six to 11) for dinner. 

Indulge in oysters, snow crab, lobster claws and live stations with Tonnarelli ai Gamberi (tiger prawns with squid ink egg pasta) prepared in a cheese wheel; Branzino al Cartoccio (baked whole seabass en papillote) with braised fennel; and Guancia di Manzo al Vino, braised beef cheek in Amarone wine.

Before rolling out, have your fill of desserts such as passionfruit ginger Yule log, mont blanc, Christmas cheesecake and traditional Italian panettone.

Where: Luce and The Lobby Lounge, Level 1 InterContinental Singapore, 80 Middle Road
When: Dec 25, 12.30 to 3.30pm, 6 to 10pm 
Info: Call 6825-1008 or e-mail

InterContinental.Dining@ihg.com