By Steve Dinneen
We all know what we’ll be eating over the next couple of days – turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, consumed in quantities such that the effects will still be visible around your midriff come February. But what happens once the leftovers have been hoovered up on Boxing Day? While many restaurants remain closed, some central London establishments are throwing open their doors during “twixmas” to offer respite from the gravy-boats and Christmas pudding – here are a few of our favourites.
Bubala
If you’re looking for a meat-free fix after indulging over Christmas then Bubala could be for you. Inspired by Tel Aviv’s modern cafés, the vegetarian menu is designed for sharing and centres around the bold flavours of the Middle East. Both the Soho and Spitalfields restaurants are open between 28-30 December.
15 Poland St, W1F 8QE, bubala.co.uk
Fallow
A short walk from Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street, Fallow is the perfect antidote to a long day of shopping. Chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft’s menu focuses on ‘root to stem’ and ‘nose to tail’ dishes, with an emphasis on ingredients usually discarded by restaurants, including salmon bellies and leek tops. Fallow is open for lunch on 28 December and through to the new year.
52 Haymarket, St. James’s, SW1Y 4RP, fallowrestaurant.com
Kudu and Kudu Grill
For something a little different to turkey and stuffing, try the South African inspired dishes at neighbourhood restaurants Kudu and Kudu Grill. Try the Kudu bread with melted bacon butter and the cod’s roe crumpet, parsley and salty fingers. At Kudu Grill most of the food comes off the Braai (a South African barbecue), with dishes including grilled potato flatbread, lardo, wild garlic and pork chop with monkey gland sauce (don’t worry, it doesn’t contain any actual monkey glands). Both restaurants are open durint twixmas from dinner on the 29 December.
119 Queen’s Rd, SE15 2EZ / 57 Nunhead Ln, SE15 3TR, kuducollective.com
Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill
For those looking for a special treat in between Christmas and the New Year, Richard Corrigan’s Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill is perfect for a plate of native Irish oysters and a glass of English sparkling wine. Whether perched at the oyster counter or out on the restaurant’s heated terrace, there’s no batter place to enjoy the famous Bentley’s fish pie or lobster spaghetti. Bentley’s is open from 26-31 December.
11-15 Swallow St, W1B 4DG, bentleys.org
The Coach Makers Arms
Located close to Marylebone High Street, The Coach Makers Arms is a great pub for a pint of ale and something hearty from the upstairs restaurant. Cubitt House’s chef director, Ben Tish has created a fantastic menu, with dishes that are more than your typical gastropub fare, including sugar pit bacon chop, sweetcorn puree, kohlrabi and parsley slaw, and beef shin suet pudding and fried oyster, mash with beef and ale gravy. You can visit from 26 December right the way through to 1 January.
88 Marylebone Ln, W1U 2PZ, cubitthouse.co.uk
Kricket
Sit at the counter at Soho’s Indian-inspired restaurant Kricket and let the heat from the open grill warm your cockles while enjoying dishes including beef keema, laccha onions, salli potatoes and grilled duck leg. If you don’t want the night to end, head to SOMA, the subterranean cocktail bar below Kricket, which is accessed via its own entrance next door. Both Kricket and SOMA are open during twixmas between 28–31 December.
12 Denman St, W1D 7HJ, kricket.co.uk
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