Ignis KL's Festive Meat Platter brings together all-time favourite cuts including short ribs, beef brisket, lamb shoulder, lamb rump, sausages and a side of black pepper gravy (Photo: Ignis Kuala Lumpur)
Mention “Christmas” and what springs to mind — aside from promises of presents and lavishly decorated trees — is the food. Roasted turkeys, mashed potatoes, hams and panettone are certainly staples, but these establishments also offer fresh flavours in spirited settings to make this season one to remember.
The RuMa Hotels and Residences
Whether you seek Yuletide magic or are excited for the New Year, The RuMa Hotel and Residences’ Fairyville experience reimagines both with a Malaysian touch. Until Dec 31, guests can tuck into Festive set lunches and dinners, curated with local flavours and seasonal indulgence at modern Malay restaurant Atas. The Chapters of Celebration Afternoon Tea gives midday treats an elegant spin, while the Seven Lobby Bar serves whimsically-named drinks for late-night delights. Usher in 2026 with a special New Year’s Eve buffet and New Year's brunch, or join the countdown event at Santai Pool Bar and Lounge, complete with live DJ sets, decanter cocktails, and BBQ platters.
Elevate your festivities at Annabell, where vibrant dining, seasonal tipples and live music meet in the heart of the city. The bistro presents The Enchanted Table, which comes with an appetiser, a main, two sides and a dessert. Diners can select between assorted bread and dips or Santa’s croquettes to start. The mains include options of roasted free-range chicken with cranberry jam, roasted leg of lamb with mint chimichurri or Australian Angus ribeye with red wine jus. Meanwhile, quintessential sides such as balsamic highland brussel sprouts, lamb fat-roasted potatoes and cheesy shepherd’s pie are sure to please. Close off the evening with a refreshing peach sorbet with Christmas crumble or hearty butter bread pudding. The set starts from RM188++ and will be available until Dec 31.
The Chow Kit Kitchen & Bar promises a Christmas to remember, serving a Sunday roast every weekend until Jan 2, 2026. The menu incorporates Malaysian elements with dishes such as udang bakar salad, smoked duck pai tee and a rendang wagyu roast. A special Christmas Sunday Roast on Dec 21 brings together live music, gastronomy and art in an afternoon of fun for both adults and children. Singer-songwriter and musician Nicolaz will sway you with renditions of Noël jazz, while the young ones can unlock their inner artist by decorating gingerbread cookies.
Only available on Dec 24, 25 and 31, Terra Dining’s festive spread adds a twist to its signature dishes, which spotlight local produce. The one-Michelin-star eatery’s extensive tasting menu opens with an amuse-bouche trio, which includes a paper-thin pai tee filled with shima aji tartare, guava and ensabi. Appetisers such as slipper lobster with otak-otak and heirloom tomato with rasam oil tantalise the taste buds before the mains — a choice of duck breast with chai buey jus, festive duck rillettes and fig or (with a RM200 top-up) pureblood wagyu with rendang beef cheek and Thai basil palak. Desserts are no slouch either — look forward to light pandan sponge with caramelised banana; white corn with sablé breton and century egg; snowkin ang ku with cashew “char siew” praline and beetroot; as well as a selection of Malaysian chocolates. The menu is priced at RM688++ per pax.
Christmas at home gets an upgrade with takeaway dishes from The Butcher’s Table. Until Dec 31, the restaurant will deliver orders of its signature crackling English roast pork, kampung chicken, sliced smoked Gammon ham, and homemade sausages — slow-roasted, seasoned and ready to share — straight to your doorstep. Once your lunch or dinner party has put away a juicy oven-roasted New Zealand lamb rack or polished off the turkey, bring out the crunchy garden green salad and refreshing coleslaw. Better yet, the restaurant also sells a rum-infused fruitcake to top off your merry meal.
If you are yet to find a holiday feast that blends modern European and Asian flavours, Ignis KL offers an extensive woodfire grill selection perfect for the carnivores in your party. Expect comforting classics, such as Beef Wellington, Slow Cooked Guinness Beef Stew and Smoked Lamb Ribs, alongside the restaurant’s Festive Meat Platter ideal for family-style feasting. Wash it down with a Cinnamon Carol cocktail — a concoction of Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Cabernet Merlot, lemon and cinnamon — which is also available in a 1L-pitcher. For the teetotalers, the Spiced Snowfall mocktail, a refreshing blend of apple, lemon and cinnamon, will pair just as wonderfully with dinner.
The views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline are not the only treat Fritz at Troika Sky Dining has to offer. Their Festive Menu features poached Gillardeau oysters, seared Hokkaido scallops and roast cod until Dec 23, while a three-course feast of smoked scallops, lobster quenelle and pan-seared aged wagyu will be served on Dec 24. Christmas Day begins with festive breads, followed by a seafood platter and clam chowder. A trio of starters — egg meurette, foie gras and chicken liver parfait, and a smoked salmon and feta puff pastry tart — lead to a final flourish of lamb shoulder or seared turbot, with a delightful dessert trolley after, where you can pick out your preferred way to end the meal.
A refreshing take on lavish Christmas feasts, Jhol delivers equally hearty noshes with its coastal Indian cuisine. The KL restaurant’s seasonal servings this December, dubbed Coast to Coast, feature Chettinad lamb ribs, butter garlic grouper and duck mappas. Vegetarians and vegans can partake in flavourful substitutes such as eggplants roasted in ghee and curries infused with pumpkin and Alleppey jackfruit. For a truly wine-derful evening, Jhol offers pairings of Cuvée Crescendo champagne or a robust glass of Clos de Gamot Cahors. Take things up a notch with picks from the exclusive wine flight: perhaps a sip of Chanson Mercurey or Bollinger’s Brut Rosé to complete your sensory journey?
