The Four Seasons' elegant dining room transforms into a festive retreat during the holidays, with executive chef Jason Morris showcasing his refined approach to seasonal cooking. Marcus is open on December 25, offering both their regular menu and the chance to settle into one of the city's most polished dining rooms while the rest of the city goes quiet. The space overlooks the Golden Square Mile, and the service is exactly what you'd expect from a hotel restaurant that knows what it's doing.

A Chinatown fixture since 1989, Beijing serves the kind of Cantonese cooking that keeps regulars coming back despite the worn décor and no-frills service. The menu is vast—sweet and sour pork, peanut butter dumplings, off-menu items like cockles and snails in black bean sauce. The real move is the jeh jeh gai bo, chicken in a clay pot with gizzards and wings, the kind of dish that separates those who know from those who don't. The atmosphere is loud, the bathroom situation is questionable, but the food is what matters here. On December 25, it's open and reliable, which is all you really need.

This Parisian-style brasserie has been holding it down near Concordia for years, and Christmas Day is no exception. Chef Josserand Valiquette is serving a Paris-style Christmas dinner on December 25—think classic French cooking with enough richness to justify skipping your usual holiday guilt. The space feels like the kind of neighbourhood brasserie you'd stumble into on the Left Bank, and the execution is reliable in all the right ways.

Since 1972, Chez Lévêque has been serving classic French brasserie fare on Laurier Avenue West, and half a century later, it's still getting it right. Chef Michel Servières keeps the menu focused on the staples—foie gras pâté, coq au vin, fresh oysters, and a lobster bisque that regulars swear by. The atmosphere is warm and authentic, the kind of Parisian-inspired spot that feels timeless without trying too hard. On December 25, it's one of the few places open where you can settle into a French classic and trust that nothing's changed because nothing needed to.

Chef Olivier Perret and pastry chef Paul Peyrat bring French precision to the Sofitel, and on December 25, they're serving a six-course Christmas menu that showcases local ingredients with the kind of finesse that makes you forget you're eating in a hotel. The dining room is elegant without being stuffy, and the execution is consistently sharp. If you're looking for a meal that feels special without trying too hard, this is it.

One of the year's best discoveries, this Syrian restaurant in the Plateau is open on both December 24 and 25. The cooking is warm, generous, and rooted in tradition—exactly what you want when you're looking for comfort with a little sophistication. It's charming without being precious, and the fact that they're open when most spots are closed makes it even more valuable.

A Chinatown fixture since 1982, Mon Nan serves Cantonese classics from family recipes that haven't changed much over the decades. The purple neon lights set the tone, and the menu delivers—salt and pepper shrimp, Peking duck with homemade pancakes, perfectly steamed Dungeness crab. It's the kind of place that works for late-night cravings or daytime dim sum runs, and on Christmas Day, it's a reliable option when most of the city has shut down. The Lee family knows what they're doing, and it shows.

Set inside the former Mount Stephen Club mansion, Bar George brings proper English dining to downtown Montreal—all dark wood, preserved historical details, and a menu that doesn't apologize for its Britishness. Open on December 25, it's the rare spot where you can get a proper Sunday roast or fish and chips in a room that feels like stepping back a century. The space alone is worth the visit, but the kitchen knows what it's doing too.

Originally built in 1688 and licensed as North America's first inn in 1754, Auberge Saint-Gabriel is a piece of living Montreal history. Co-owned by Swiss restaurateur Marc Bolay and Québécois singer Garou, the space blends original stone walls, wood beams, and cozy fireplaces with elevated gastronomy. The menu focuses on seasonal Québec ingredients—rotisserie chicken, wood-fired aged beef, and Bolay's traditional Swiss fondue. The wine list leans into Canadian and Québec selections, and the charm extends beyond the dining room to private rooms and a historic terrace. It's a landmark that earns its reputation.

Daniel Boulud's Ritz-Carlton outpost doesn't need to prove anything—it's a Michelin-starred chef cooking in one of Montreal's most storied hotels. On December 25, they're offering both brunch and dinner service. The Ritz goes all out with holiday decorations, and the kitchen delivers the kind of polished French technique you'd expect from the Boulud name. It's a splurge, but if there's a day for it, this is the one.

This elegant Syrian restaurant is offering a festive tasting menu created exclusively for the season—dishes you won't find any other time of year. Chef Fuad Alneirabeie brings together festive flavours and reimagined Levantine traditions, blending warmth and refinement in a way that feels special without losing the thread of what makes Syrian cuisine so compelling. At $130 per person with limited availability, it's a splurge, but the execution and exclusivity make it worth considering for a Christmas meal that feels truly different.

Thomas Vernis built Mignon as a love letter to the now-closed L'Entrecôte Saint-Jean, and the concept is refreshingly simple: AAA Angus steak, crispy frites, and a house-made secret sauce. The table d'hôte keeps it tight—salad or soup, steak-frites, and a rotating dessert. The wine list leans organic and natural, and the cocktail program is a martini lover's playground. The 30-seat Little Burgundy space feels like a retro Parisian bistro, intimate and warm. Sometimes all you need is a perfect cut of beef and a well-mixed drink.

Inspired by the culinary traditions of Catalonia and the Basque Country, Pyrénées brings paella, cassoulet, and slow-braised lamb to a Montreal dining room that feels rooted in the Pyrenees. The menu leans into fresh, market-driven ingredients, and the plates are colorful and generous—French and Spanish flavours meeting somewhere in the middle. It's the kind of place that feels celebratory without being overly formal, perfect for a Christmas meal that breaks from the usual suspects.

Montreal's original charcoal-grilled yakitori spot, Otto has been serving skewers of chicken in every cut imaginable since 2016. The izakaya vibe is warm and buzzing, with wild wall art and a menu that extends beyond yakitori into sashimi, uni chawanmushi, and ramen. The sake, beer, and cocktails flow until close, and the spot has that late-night energy that makes it feel like you're in on something good. On December 25, it's a great option if you're looking for something that doesn't scream "Christmas dinner."

This isn't your typical sports bar—Muni is an 8,000-square-foot golf clubhouse in Pointe-Saint-Charles that ditches the country club snobbery for something far more accessible. High-tech simulators, a Southern-inspired menu of fried chicken and biscuits, and a cocktail program influenced by New Orleans classics make it a solid option if you want to spend Christmas Day doing something other than sitting around a table. The name—short for "municipal"—says it all: everyone's welcome, whether you golf or just want a drink.

Long before the Old Port became cocktail central, Philemon staked its claim in a 19th-century warehouse on rue Saint-Paul. A decade later, it's still holding down that balance between casual and elevated—moody lighting, exposed brick, smart wines curated by Whine Mom, and a food program from sister spot Bon Service that leans into share plates and house pasta. It's the kind of bar that works whether you're killing time before dinner or settling in for the night, and on December 25, it's one of the few places open when you need it.

Dim sum service runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day at Kim Fung, and Christmas is no exception. This bustling Chinatown staple is all about the cart service—steamers piled high with dumplings, buns, and turnip cakes making their rounds through a dining room that never seems to slow down. It's chaotic in the best way, the kind of place where you point at things you can't quite identify and trust the process. If you're looking for a low-key Christmas meal that's more about the food than the fuss, this is it.

A Montreal institution that needs no introduction—L'Express has been serving some of the city's most consistent French bistro cooking for decades. This year, they're open for lunch on December 24 but closed for dinner and all day December 25. They'll reopen December 31 and January 1 with regular hours. It's the kind of place where the menu rarely changes because it doesn't need to, and the wine list is exactly what a French bistro should have. If you can't get in on the 24th, mark your calendar for the 31st.

This vegetarian spot in northwestern Montreal serves authentic Indian cuisine with the kind of flavour that makes you forget there's no meat involved. It's open on December 25, and while we can't guarantee every Indian restaurant in the city will be, Pushap is a safe bet. The cooking is straightforward, the spices are on point, and it's proof that vegetarian food doesn't have to announce itself—it just has to be good.