We know that for some of us, it’s the best of times, and for the rest of us, it’s the worst. Yes, we’re talking about how there are suddenly a billion people who want to “meet and catch up” because it’s the festive season. 

As people who’ve survived decades – you heard right: decades – of this, here’s our best tip: arrange to meet for a meal, then make sure the food is good. At least there’s one less thing to worry about!

And what’s good? Well! You’ve asked the right people. We’ve got tips for the most:

• Delicious Dine-In Delights
• Tantalising Takeaways 
• Spectacular Sweets

THE MOST DELICIOUS DINE-IN DELIGHTS

Exciting Festive Food Options

L-R: Xmas my Deer at Birds Of A Feather; Roasted Whole Lamb Shoulder at Fireplace

Birds of A Feather 

If you’re looking for something a little out-of-the-‘nest’ this Christmas, Birds of A Feather is serving up a brand new Xmas my Deer ($58++). The 8-year-old restaurant presented a new culinary approach this year; an evolution into Contemporary Cuisine with Sichuan influences, with new East-meets-West creations by Head Chef Eugene See. The update is rooted in Chef Eugene’s culinary sensibilities and his increasing knowledge of Sichuan cuisine, deepened by multiple in-person trips to Chengdu. The a-la-carte Christmas special is personally created by Chef Eugene, and stars venison loin, coated in spiced pistachios, and accompanied by poached figs, red wine jus, onion blancmange and caramelized endive. Like all his dishes, this uses refined techniques to build and layer familiar flavours with Sichuan elementsto create a dish with fresh perspectives on flavour, intriguing and harmonious.

Fireplace by Bedrock 

One of the simplest – and perhaps one of most pleasurable – indulgence may be from Fireplace’s festive special: a Roasted Whole Lamb Shoulder ($168++/3kg). Marinated in salt and white wine, then slow cooked for four whole hours before being baked and finished on the applewood-fired grill, the lamb is presented with a variety of accompaniments that complement its deep savoury flavour such as fragrant pilaf rice cooked with lamb stock, mushrooms and peas; roasted vegetables; and a chimichurri garnish. Available in limited quantities for both dine-in and takeaways from 15 November 2024 to 5 January 2025, pre-orders are required – one day in advance for dine-in, and at least two days for takeaway.

A Bite Here, A Sip There

When the festive options come with a (lot of) drink!

1-Flowerhill

If you’re looking for romance this Christmas, then look outwards and upwards to 1-Flowerhill. Already a dream dining destination inspired by Monet’s Île aux Fleurs where land, sea and flower blossoms come together in beauty, the team has gone further to create magic on 24 and 25 December with romantic candlelight at The Lookout. Set up as a private dining space, guests can savour a French-Japanese Christmas 5-course dinner (from $388++ per couple prepared by Camille’s culinary team during their very own Night of A Thousand Candles. Think creative indulgence such as the Textures of Asparaguswhere frozen asparagus parfait is paired with parmesan snow and buckwheat crisps, all served with a complimentary bottle of wine or Champagne, and all while taking in the awe-inspiring views of Sentosa and the Singapore Straits. Fine food, fine wine and a fine view – what else would you need for an unforgettable evening?

Bedrock Bar & Grill

Make it a meaty celebration at Bedrock Bar & Grill! This year, the restaurant offers a generous Steak Grazing Platter ($499++, good for 3 to 5) as a Christmas dine-in special. Featuring four distinct types of meat, each meticulously sourced and expertly prepared, we’re especially excited about the inclusion of two featured meats from 2024 World Meat Series: the Citrus-fed Wagyu Striploin (250g, MBS 8/9) – an exquisite cut from Sir Harry Australian Wagyu, a stockyard renowned for its unique orange-feed diet which results in a unique flavour and tenderness in each bite; and the Mangalica Pork Tomahawk (300g), featuring Mangalica pork from the pristine fields of Hungary, dubbed the “Kobe beef of pork”. The meats are accompanied by a variety of fresh vegetables and housemade sauces as well as sides such as Bedrock’s signature Mac ‘N’ Cheese – a favourite with its flavourful blend of gorgonzola, parmesan, and truffle cheese, lushly coating al-dente maccheroni pasta. And in the spirit of celebration, Bedrock gifts a bottle of Bedrock x Brothers in Arms No.6 2019 Shiraz Cabernet with each platter. Available from now until 5 January 2025, it’s so nice, you can celebrate Christmas twice!

L-R: Bedrock Bar & Grill's Steak Grazing Platter; Bedrock Origin's Meadow and Marine Platter

Bedrock Origin

Or hop over to sister restaurant Bedrock Origin in Sentosa for a relaxed coastal Christmas celebration under bright blue skies and gentle sea breezes. Bedrock Origin at Oasia Resort Sentosa offers the Meadow and Marine Platter ($499++, good for 3 to 5), combining fine produce from land and sea such as the Signature Aged Barramundi Tail (1kg) from Kuhlbarra, one of the largest producers of premium quality and sustainable barramundi in the world. Meat lovers will also enjoy the juicy corn-fed F1 Wagyu Tomahawk Steak (1.2kg, MBS 4/5), simply seasoned and grilled over an applewood fire. The hearty platter is accompanied by sides such as the Miso-glazed Heirloom Baby Carrots where the natural sweetness of baby carrots are heightened with the depth of a housemade miso glaze. Naturally, the Bedrock team will also toast the season with a complimentary bottle of Bedrock x Brothers in Arms No.6 2019 Shiraz Cabernet with each platter. Available from now until 5 January 2025, there’s no better way to have a merry, merry Christmas!

LeVeL33

Still one of the most popular destinations when you want a special place for a celebration, LeVeL33 naturally offers a stunning selection of festive promotions – and those who want to start the party a little earlier should take a look at their "Shirazmas" Festive 3-Course Wine Pairing Menu ($158++ per person), running from 1 to 24 December. All three courses of this exclusive menu thoughtfully crafted by Executive Chef Jake Kowalewski himself is paired with a different style of Shiraz. The starter is even paired with a sparkling Shiraz, made according to méthode traditionelle by legendary Australian winery, Rockford Wines – an unusual toast for Christmas, perhaps – but absolutely memorable! Their Family-Style 4-Course Christmas Lunch ($128++ per person), available on Christmas Day from 12noon to 2:30pm, also looks absolutely delicious with Freshly Shucked Oysters and Westholme Wagyu Sirloin paired with a LeVeL33 Stout and truffle jus. Better yet, exclusively available to this lunch is a festive $88++ free-flow beverage package from 12noon to 3pm. Guests can freely imbibe LeVeL33’s freshly brewed craft beers, prosecco, wines, soft drinks, filtered still and sparkling water, and LeVeL33’s signature Mulled Wine—a comforting blend of Heideboden Rot Red Wine, Mancino Rosso Vermouth, House of Cane Dark Rum, cinnamon, and cloves. 

THE MOST TANTALISING TAKEAWAYS

For the Intimate Dinners (up to 4)

The Gyu Bar

If what you crave for Christmas is the smooth buttery richness of high-quality Japanese wagyu, The Gyu Bar presents a specially crafted gourmet bento that’ll fulfil all your beefy desires. From 1 December 2024 to 1 January 2025, the restaurant presents the Festive A4 Miyazaki Sirloin Bento Set ($48++) that you can further customise with a selection of add-ons (from $10++) to make it the ultimate Christmas wagyu pleasure. 

On its own, the bento is both a visual and gustatory delight: rice, whimsically arranged into a Christmas tree shape; surrounded by large cubes of premium Miyazaki A4 sirloin; and topped with ikura, diced takuan, tamagoyaki, and cucumber. But who would deny extra deliciousness? If it were us, we would choose French Foie Gras ($10 for for 30g) to make it the most decadent bento; or turn it into super-luxe “surf and turf” with delicate morsels of Hokkaido King Scallop in Aburi style ($12) as well as the Unagi Kabayaki ($10), featuring grilled eel glazed in a rich, sweet-savoury tare sauce!

L-R: Fat Cow's Osechi Box; The Gyu Bar's Festive A4 Miyazaki Sirloin Bento

Fat Cow

Splendid and sumptuous, Fat Cow’s Osechi Box ($500, good for 4) is a glorious three-tiered treasure box specially prepared by Japanese head chef Shingo Iijima. Brimming with 50 house-made Japanese dishes carefully selected for their auspicious meanings, this is the perfect choice for a spectacular celebratory meal. Think an elegant lacquered box, slowly revealing layer after layer of intricate, traditional Japanese morsels such as the crispy Tazukuri baby sardines, representing a bountiful harvest, and the Komochi Ayusweetfish, embodying hope and prosperity. Available for pre-order from 1 November to 22 December 2024, with self-collection only on 31 December 2024, this luxurious Osechi Box is a showstopper in every sense!

For the Larger Groups (between 5 to 12!) 

Da Paolo Gastronomia

Sometimes it isn’t that you want to have a big party – but that the friend/family group is just that big! For busy hosts wondering what to do, Da Paolo Gastronomia presents the Christmas Roast Bundle (from $328). Designed specially for parties of up to 12, the bundle includes a roast, couscous salad and roasted pumpkin and a sweet finish to the meal with flourless Valrhona Chocolate Log Cake. Head straight for the golden-brown Stuffed Boneless Roast Turkey (a-la-carte price $388, approx. 4kg), a unique take on a ‘turducken’.  The masterfully deboned turkey is stuffed with a luscious mix of shredded confit duck leg meat, roasted chestnuts and minced Italian black truffle and a second farce of minced marinated chicken breast with sauteed shiitake and button mushrooms, leeks and onions – all seasoned with warm spices and herbs. Effortlessly delicious food? Check!

L-R: Da Paolo Gastronomia's Stuffed Boneless Roast Turkey; Rempapa's Festive Bundle

Rempapa

If nostalgia is the flavour of your Christmas, then Rempapa steps up with a special Festive Bundle ($128+, good for four to six). The star of the bundle is the luscious Debal by heritage food papa, Chef Damian D’Silva, who has fond recollections of his granddad’s version – the aroma of which would spread for miles as it simmered for hours on the stove, prepared just for the family to serve on Boxing Day. Chef Damian’s version of the Eurasian classic is made with tender siew yoke (roast pork belly), pork sausages, and achar pickles; richly flavoured with bacon bones and a rempah of shallots, Bombay onions, ginger, and dried chilli. It comes accompanied by a wonderfully textural Sunday Salad; and a lightly spiced, rich and buttery Bread Pudding. With every order of the festive bundle, guests can also enjoy a full bottle of red or white wine from The Winery of Good Hope for just $40. The bundle is available for pre-orders from 1 December, via email or WhatsApp until sold out; and for collection from 16 to 31 December.

The Marmalade Pantry

The Marmalade Pantry presents a wonderful series of Christmas delights every year, and this year is no exception. The gourmet highlights from their ‘A Festive Feast to Remember’ will transform hosts from hapless to happy, and their parties from tragic to inspirational! The aptly named Holiday Splendour bundle ($520+, good for 8 to 10) brings together their Mesquite Marinated Roasted Whole Turkey (4kg, a-la-carte price $169+) – a whole turkey is marinated in smoky ground mesquite, smoked paprika and chilli powder and other spices, then sous-vide and roasted to juicy perfection; the Chilli-Lime Coriander Glazed Slow Baked Salmon (700g, a-la-carte price $98+), where Norwegian salmon is marinated with chilli coriander and lime, then slow baked and finished with a subtle citrus glaze; and the buyer’s choice of their new Yuzu Marmalade Glazed Honey Baked Ham (2kg, a-la-carte price $128+)  - a whole ham roasted to sweet-savoury perfection with a housemade yuzu marmalade or the new BBQ Gochujang Pork Ribs (1.2kg, a-la-carte price $108+)  -  tender, moreish slow-cooked Canadian pork ribs coated in a sweet-spicy housemade Gochujang glaze. All that protein comes further accompanied with four sides of the hosts’ choice as well as a Chocolate Coco Yule Log Cake! Both guests and host would probably roll out the door at the end of the meal – but that’s the mark of a good holiday meal, isn’t it? 

THE MOST SPECTACULAR SWEETS

Tis the season to offer sweets to the sweet!

AMI Patisserie

Exquisite, sophisticated, thoughtful – if those are the qualities you’re wanting for your festive sweets this season, AMI Patisserie’s pastries should be in your shortlist. Their handmade panettones, for instance, makes a statement whether as a gift or a sweet ending to a party. The Original Panettone ($72nett, 600g)offers a plush, delicate crumb enriched with dried fruit soaked in Grand Marnier and Cointreau for weeks before baking, or indulge in a new flavour – the Pistachio Panettone ($76nett, 600g). For something a little simpler but no less luscious, look no further than their Tochiotome Strawberry Shortcake (from $98nett), layers and layers of fluffy almond sponge, fresh cream blended with Cointreau and Tochiotome strawberries, in season for winter and brought in fresh from Japan. Tochiotome strawberries come from Tochigi, often known as the ‘Strawberry Kingdom’ in Japan; and are beloved for a rich flavour perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, a naturally bright red colour and the perfect pointed strawberry shape. 

The Marmalade Pantry

For something a little out of the ordinary, look to the new Pumpkin Spice Gateau ($80+, 8inches) by The Marmalade Pantry. Every warm and comforting bite brings brown vanilla butter cake, coffee-infused hazelnut praline, and pumpkin parfait. Presented as a whole round cake, the look is charmingly rustic thanks to a topping of chocolate meringue shards spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Baker X

Baker X’s next resident, Cassia Canelés, presents adorable Festive Canelés that perfectly capture the essence of the festive season – sure to bring “oohs” to those who see them, and perfect as gifts or potluck contributions! The whimsical Strawberry & Cream Canelé ($5.50 per piece) is artfully arranged to resemble Santa’s hat and infused with sweet strawberries and cream, topped with a fresh strawberry and a swirl of whipped cream. The Peppermint Mocha Canelé ($5.50 per piece) combines rich espresso and cocoa with a creamy peppermint chocolate ganache for a taste of winter wonder. Gift boxes are available: a box of 4 for $22, a box of 6 for $32.50, and a special festive box of 9 for $45, designed exclusively for Christmas. 

L-R: Srrawberry & Cream Canelé by Cassia Canelés at Baker X; Strawberry Cheesecake Log Cake by Da Paolo Gastronomia

Da Paolo Gastronomia 

Still desiring a log cake to finish your dinner table? Da Paolo Gastronomia introduces a beautiful roll this year: their new Strawberry Cheesecake Log Cake ($98, approx. 900g) offers a core of strawberry white chocolate ganache, layered and rolled with an airy vanilla sponge cake and a light strawberry-infused cream cheese frosting. A digestive biscuit base adds a clear textural contrast. Vibrant yet also comfortingly familiar, this pretty-in-pink choice will catch the eye and palate of all the guests!

1-Flowerhill: 6 Imbiah Rd, Singapore 099696

AMI Patisserie: 27 Scotts Rd, Singapore 228222

Baker X: Orchard Central #04-29, Singapore 238896

Bedrock Bar & Grill: Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard, #01-05, Singapore 238163

Bedrock Origin: Oasia Resort Sentosa Hotel, #01-02 Palawan Ridge, Singapore 098679

Birds of A Feather: 115 Amoy St, #01-01, Singapore 069935

Da Paolo Gastronomia: Multiple locations including Great World, #01-163, Singapore 237994

Fat Cow: Camden Medical Centre,  #01-01/02, Singapore 248649

Fireplace by Bedrock: One Holland Village, #03-27, Singapore 275748

LeVeL33: Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 1, #33-01, Singapore 018981

Rempapa: Park Place Residences at PLQ, #01-01/02/03, Singapore 409053

The Gyu Bar: 30 Stevens Road, #01-08, Singapore 257840

The Marmalade Pantry: Multiple locations including Oasia Hotel Downtown, #01-01, Singapore 079333