The best Boston restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

A little more than a 3-point shot from the Garden, fans pack Alcove before and after games for the well-chosen wine list and versatile menu of upscale contemporary fare. The kitchen merges New England-sourced ingredients with Mediterranean techniques and flavors. On Christmas Day, the restaurant is open from noon–8pm. Alcove is also open Christmas Eve from noon–9pm with holiday specials, including owner Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli's famous house-made eggnog.

If dining al fresco on crudo and lobster sounds like a smashing Christmas dinner, look no further than Mare in the North End and its fire pit-equipped patio with retractable roof. Mare will be open on Christmas Eve from noon—11pm and on Christmas Day from 4—11pm, for those eager to celebrate the season with oysters, ambiance and a seafood-centric Italian meal.

This Boston classic reopened last year, and it remains a standard for celebratory meals. On Christmas Day from 1–7:30pm, the restaurant is offering a three-course menu for $95. The prix fixe features holiday favorites, classics and seasonal chef–inspired dishes (note that drinks are an additional charge). You’ll also find a special kid’s menu and festive sides.

Have a very North End holiday at Italian favorite Bricco, which will be open on Christmas Eve from noon—2am and on Christmas Day from noon—11pm. On the menu? Bricco specialties, seafood and steak entrees, Italian desserts and, of course, the famous espresso martini. 

Enjoy a rustic French meal to celebrate the holiday at the South End bistro, open Christmas Day for brunch 11am – 3pm, and dinner from 3:30–7:45pm. Expect classics like roast half chicken, steak frites and fantastic cheese plates. 

Nestled in the first floor of the Fairmont Copley, OAK Long Bar + Kitchen will be open serving  their regular menu and Christmas Day only special of spiced Vermont maple ham. Also on the menu? The Wish Maker cocktail with Beefeater gin, homemade cranberry syrup, lemon juice, ginger beer, with $1 per order going to Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The restaurant is open Christmas Day 7am – 12pm.

Celebrate Christmas at this classic, luxurious waterfront hotel with two dining options for guests and locals. On Christmas Day, the hotel will be serving a lavish brunch buffet from 11am–3pm, featuring a raw bar, Wagyu short ribs, Faroe Island salmon, and much more. Or, enjoy dinner at Rowes Wharf Grille, from 11am–4pm, featuring hearty classics like Yankee pot roast, Vermont organic turkey breast, and baked stuffed lobster.

This classic chophouse and bar is one of Boston’s favorite special-occasion restaurants, so celebrating with sirloin seems natural. The restaurant is always decked out for the season, and will be serving their full menu on Christmas Day from 4–9pm.

Christmas Day is also the first night of Hanukkah, and both the Kendall Square and Brookline locations of Mamaleh’s will be open. Come and get your fill of their house made latkes. They’ll also have their annual “Jewish Christmas” menu available on Christmas Eve—think: Reuben egg rolls and miso matzoh ball soup. Both locations will be open regular hours.

The newly opened restaurant located at the Porter Square Hotel will celebrate its first Christmas with special holiday hours. Visit on Christmas Eve for breakfast from 8:30am–noon, or dinner from 4:30–9pm. Christmas Day hours are 4:30–9pm. Expect elegant vibes and New England bites with a Southern twist, such as pork chops and shrimp and grits.

Don’t have Celtics tickets? Or any other plans? Head to the Seaport to catch the game, along with the holiday's NFL games, at the swankiest sports bar in town. The Sporting Club (located at the massive Omni hotel in the Seaport) will be open from 4pm–midnight on Christmas Day, serving its usual menu of upscale bar bites like warm pretzels with honey mustard, cheese boards and more.

Skip the holiday ham and head to Legal Harborside in the Seaport—or Legal locations in Chestnut Hill, Framingham, Burlington and Braintree—for an oyster and lobster feast on Christmas Day. Legal is a great choice if you have a big group, especially if they’re from landlocked states. All locations are open 11am–10pm.

After you take in the Liberty’s famous upside-down Christmas trees, head to Clink for a holiday meal. The restaurant will be serving its regular brunch and dinner menus in addition to festive specials for the holidays. Clink will be open for Christmas Eve brunch from 10am – 2pm and for dinner from 5:30–10pm, and on Christmas Day, CLINK. will be open for brunch from 10am to 2pm and for dinner from 4pm to 8pm. 

You can get the full menu of this restaurant's seafood classics on Christmas, along with some holiday specials like clams casino, cioppino and Nantucket Bay scallops with Japanese sweet potato, roasted mushrooms and Champagne beurre blanc. Save room for dessert, if a slide of gingerbread yule log with chantilly whipped cream sounds celebratory to you.

Sometimes Christmas calls for Taiwan-style pan fried dumplings and savory oyster pancakes. If that’s the case for you, get some of the best dumplings in town at this Chinatown stalwart. It's open dining and delivery daily, including on Christmas Eve and Day, from 11am–1am.