Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love this special occasion that never fails to gather all my family and friends together. As of date, my entire schedule from 22 December is filled with Christmas dinners, from potluck with the Eatbook team to dinner with my friends in a swish restaurant. And because of my job, I’m always designated to choose the restaurant for our Christmas dinner! So, in the spirit of giving, I’m here to gift you guys my suggested list of Christmas dinners spots under $30++ per person for you to celebrate this Yuletide season with your mates and good food.
Image credit: MeatMarket’s Facebook page
Gather your posse for an unforgettable Christmas dinner at newly opened smokehouse, MeatMarket. If “anything, lah” is your motto when it comes to food, then stick to their house platters such as Ocean’s Catch ($28.90++ for two people) that consists of prawns, salmon, scallop, squid and two sides. Or go for their Meat Feast ($50.90++), which can feed up to four diners and comes with grilled chicken, pork chop, pork collar, ribs, sausage, sirloin and four sides. Alternatively, you can build your own plate or platter by choosing a carb or veggie base ($3.90++), meat ($7.90++ to $14.90++), side ($2.90++/$6.90++) and sauce ($1.90++).
Address: Hougang Street 91, #01-40, Hougang 1 Mall, Singapore 538692
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 10pm
Tel: 6581 9080
Website
Image credit: @wittynniffy
Christmas is never complete without a massive metre-long cheeseboard at my house. A great place for a festive, cheesy bite is The Cheese Artisans. A dish worth sharing here is their luscious Vacherin Mont d’or ($39). Known as the holy grail of raw milk cheeses, this seasonal cheese is available until early April, and is lightly baked with white wine, garlic and thyme before being served with artisanal bread. Alternatively, get a Fromager’s Cheeseboard ($27 for small, $40 for large) to savour a range of cheeses specially picked by the in-house formager. Complete your meal with their selection of hot nosh, including Wagyu Corned Beef Crostini ($12 for three pieces) and Duroc Pork Belly ($16). They also have a retail section, where you can take home festive goodies like panettone.
Address: 18 Greenwood Avenue, Singapore 289212
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9am to 10pm
Tel: 6463 2711
Website
Menu
Celebrate Weihnachten – Germans’ version of Christmas Eve – at Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant. Available from now until 2 January 2018, sink your teeth into an array of meaty delights such as Brotzeit’s signature oven roasted pork knuckle, braised veal shank, grilled venison and veal sausages, and roasted pork roulade when you order the Christmas Platter ($138++) that can feed up to six carnivorous eaters. Another great dish to share is the Christmas Dessert Medley ($29++), which comes with toasty apple strudel, chocolate cake and gingerbread-infused crème brûlée.
Address: 1 HarbourFront Walk, #01-149/151, VivoCity, Singapore 098585
Opening hours: Mon-Thur 11:30am to 12am, Fri 11:30am to 1am, Sat 11am to 1am, Sun 11am to 12am
Tel: 6272 8815
Website
Full list of outlets
Image credit: Oxwell & Co’s Facebook page
Swing by Oxwell & Co for a hearty English Christmas dinner. Roasting chestnuts is a Christmas tradition, so what better dish to spread the Yuletide cheer with than their Wellington of Chestnuts, Leeks and Spinach ($22++) with blue cheese sauce. But if you must have meat in your meal, their Rolled Organic Turkey Breast ($28++) with a fricassee of mushrooms and house cranberry jam will do the trick. If you’re going Dutch and have cash to spare, be sure to order their snacks, which start at $7++ for a plate of crisp pork scratchings.
Address: 5 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069688
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 12am
Tel: 6438 7036
Website
Menu
Image credit: @nowonderyourefat
Celebrate Christmas at IKEA with their Christmas buffet dinner. Held on 22 December, the two-hour long buffet offers your favourite IKEA eats, from free-flowing meatballs to marinated salmon. The only catch is that you have to be an IKEA family member – membership is free – to get a ticket. Be sure to register your seat before 17 December, to enjoy the buffet at $30; otherwise it’s $40 per head. Alternatively, swing over for their a la carte meals featuring Christmassy eats like Turkey Leg with mixed vegetables, broccoli and soup ($15.40) and Cheese mousse with lingonberry filling & almonds ($3).
Address: 60 Tampines North Drive 2, Singapore 528764
Buffet hours: 22 Dec, 5:30pm to 7:30pm or 8pm to 10pm
Opening hours: Sun-Thur 9am to 10pm, Fri-Sat 9am to 10.30pm
Tel: 6786 6868
Website
Menu
Details of IKEA’s Alexandra Outlet
Image credit: @audacesg
Invite your loved ones for a fine treat at Audace. It’s not cheap, but if you come in a bigger group, you have leeway to order more to share and still stay under $30++ for the night. Located within Wanderlust Hotel, the kitchen is helmed by a talented Michelin-starred French chef, so you can expect quality French bistro fare. One appetiser that impresses is the braised parsnip, coppa ham, basil and orange paste ($16++). Meant for two diners is the decadent 500g pork belly served with black and yellow carrot ($42++).
Address: 2 Dickson Road, Singapore 209494
Opening hours: Mon-Tue 7:30am to 10:30am, Wed-Sun 7:30am to 10am, Tue-Sat 11:30am to 11:30pm, Sun 11:30am to 2:30pm
Tel: 6298 1188
Website | Menus
Image credit: @codygarett
Have yourself a merry Italian Christmas at Al Forno. Set up in 1995, this quaint little restaurant is jampacked even on weekday nights, so reservation is highly recommended. Break bread over hand-stretched pizzas such as their Pizza Diavola ($25++) topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, salami and chilli. A pasta dish worth splurging on is the Farfalle Al Granchio ($25++), where bow-tie pasta is tossed with shreds of crab meat and garlic in a sumptuous tomato-cream sauce with chilli. Portions are huge, and a pizza alone can easily fill up two diners.
Address: 400 East Coast Road, Singapore 428996
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 2pm, 6:30pm to 10pm
Tel: 6348 8781
Website
Menu
Image credit: @amorestaurantsg
Pay a trip to Michelin-starred Beppe de Vito’s casual Italian arm, Amò. Even though prices are set lower to accommodate everyone’s budget, the taste of their dishes and service quality are still on par with its higher-end siblings. For a nice family meal, pick the Grilled Seabass with Spring Vegetables and Mint Casserole ($58++, serves two) and Butter Roasted Golden Chicken with Grilled Corn Custard ($58++, serves two) to share when you’re there. Alternatively, order their pizzas boasting unique toppings such as the Bone Marrow, Wild Garlic Pesto and Anchovy Salsa Verde ($29++).
Address: 33 Hong Kong Street, Singapore 059672
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm
Tel: 6723 7733
Website
Menu
Rejoice this festive season with Kith Cafe’s Kithmas Menu! Featuring a range of luxurious dishes, tantalise your taste buds with delights such as the Pumpkin Capelle Langoustine ($24++) featuring orange capelle filled with pumpkin, langoustine, mixed capsicum champagne cream sauce, and chilli black beans. Create warm and fuzzy feelings as you sip back their Honeycomb Whisky Mocha ($7.80++). Do note that the Kithmas Menu is only available at Kith Millenia Walk, Marina Square, Bukit Timah, Ascott Orchard and Winsland House II.
Address: 9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-44/45, Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596
Opening hours: Daily 7:30am to 10pm
Tel: 6333 4438
Website | Full list of outlets
Antoinette’s Chef Pang has come up with two scrummy creations this Christmas! Available for both dine-in and takeaway, their Laksa Roast Chicken ($55++) with pineapple pilaf rice and achar salad is a delight that will please both the young and old with its fusion flavours. A great dish you must order is the tantalising Coffee Glazed Ham ($65++), which you must order four days in advance. Prepared from scratch, fresh pork loin is brined for 24-hours before being roasted and glazed with a house-made coffee syrup to make this dish.
Address: 30 Penhas Road, Singapore 208188
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 10pm, Sun 10am to 2:30pm
Tel: 6293 3220
Website
There’s nothing like a sumptuous dinner to bring on the festive spirit. Alternatively, head to these spots serving giant meat platters, or giant hawker dishes that won’t cost you more than $10 per person.
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