Xmas lunch Qld: Top 9 places to eat out
With more Queenslanders than ever choosing to eat out on Christmas Day, we’ve rounded up the best places to do it.
QLD Taste
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More Queenslanders than ever are choosing to eat out this year on Christmas Day rather than dine at home, with restaurant bookings up a whopping 60 per cent on last year and 166 per cent on pre-Covid 2019.
The figures, from online reservation website OpenTable, found it was mostly couples dining out, with almost one in four bookings for parties of two, while more than a third of bookings were for tables of three or four.
Only 4 per cent of bookings were for groups of 10-plus.
The most popular cuisines, according to the data, were Modern Australian/Australian (40 per cent), Italian (9 per cent), seafood (7 per cent), bistro restaurants (5 per cent) and Asian (4 per cent).
While many restaurants booked out for Christmas Day in record time this year, there are still some eateries open to serve up a festive feast. Here is where you can get a last-minute table.
MODA RESTAURANT
The Barracks, 61 Petrie Tce, Brisbane City
3221 7655
12pm, $195 per adult
Share-style feast, including octopus, lobster, oysters, spanner crab, tiger prawns, salads, tomahawk steak, pavlova and cheese, plus a glass of N.V. Cava Mas Pere Brut Penedes Cataluna. All dietary requirements catered for and a kids’ menu is available.
CRYSTALBROOK VINCENT
Level 3, Crystalbrook Vincent, 5 Boundary St, Brisbane City
12–3pm, $289 per adult, $150 per child 4-18
This three-course, Italian, share-style feast features prawn salad, porchetta, sides, and mango, passionfruit and panettone parfait for dessert. It’s paired with a three-hour premium beverage package including six varieties of wine, local and imported beers, and spirits. There will also be live entertainment (inset).
BISOU BISOU
Hotel X, 458 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
3131 8900
From 12pm, $169 per adult, $89 per child 13 and under
This four-course lunch includes a selection of entrees, such as sugar-cured salmon, mains of porchetta and rotisserie-roasted turkey, a wealth of sides and plum pudding for dessert.
INTERCONTINENTAL SANCTUARY COVE RESORT COVE CAFÉ
Manor Circle, Sanctuary Cove
5530 1234
8pm-10pm, $169 per adult, $79 per child 13-17 years, $49 6-12 years, free 5 and under
The extensive buffet includes local seafood, antipasto, traditional Christmas roasts, gourmet salads and desserts.
PACIFIC RESTAURANT INTERCONTINENTAL HAYMAN ISLAND RESORT
Hayman Island, Whitsundays
From 12pm, $250 per adult, $125 per child 12-17 years, $60 11 and under
A traditional Australian seafood buffet lunch with all the festive trimmings, including roast carveries and Christmas desserts. Plus a three-hour beverage package for adults.
GUSTO DA GIANNI
Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules St, Hamilton
3868 2011
12pm, $179 per adult
Four-course festive feast, including tuna tartare, prawn risotto, wild barramundi, lamb and passionfruit semifreddo.
BELVEDERE BAR & GRILL
Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules St, Hamilton
3630 0411
12pm, $179 per adult
Four-course lunch beginning with oysters and antipasto, and followed by your choice of four mains and two desserts, including roast turkey, Cape Grim beef and Christmas pudding.
SEBEL BRISBANE
Cnr Albert and, Charlotte St, Brisbane City
3224 3500
Lunch and dinner options, $179 per adult, $99 per child 12-17 years, $69 5-11 years, free 4 and under
A four-course menu of Queensland produce, plus a two-hour beverage package in either the Croft House restaurant or Event Suite. There are three lunch sittings, and one dinner sitting, with dishes including smoked and cured meats, seafood, ham, turkey, sides, plum pudding and pavlova. The drinks package includes a spritz on arrival, premium Australian wine and beer, soft drink, juice, tea and coffee.
VINTAGE BAR AND GRILL,
Hilton Brisbane, 190 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City
3231 3265
12pm-3pm or 6pm-9pm, $235 per adult
A three-course menu, including shared tiers of fresh Australian seafood, charcuterie and antipasto for entree, a choice of main, such as roast turkey, baked salmon or grilled beef, and a dessert buffet. Beverage packages are also available for $39 and $79 per person.
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