Bring on the festivities with themed afternoon teas, Christmas displays and general cocktail merriment! This is The Luxe List December 2021 and it is MASSIVE.

The Biltmore’s Ballerina Afternoon Tea

Available throughout the month of December at The Biltmore, Mayfair, an incredibly special Afternoon Tea is being offered which includes a 30 minute rendition from The Biltmore’s in house prima ballerina who will dance a 30 minute rendition of highlights from The Nutcracker (4^th, 11^th and 18^th December only).  Priced at £55 for adults and £35 for children, there will be a gorgeous selection of finger sandwiches, Christmas themed nibbles and hot chocolate complete with marshmallows!  Book here.

The Alice Afternoon Tea at The Randolph Hotel, Oxford

New, at the newly launched The Alice at The Randolph Hotel (from Graduate Hotels), and curated by Chef Chris Emery (formerly of Pollen Street Social), is a gorgeous new Afternoon Tea offering priced at just £29.50pp, or with a glass of glass of Palmer & Co. Brut or Coates & Seely English sparkling wine priced at £39.50pp.

Expect delights like smoked salmon with creme fraiche on wholemeal bread, cucumber with cream cheese on white bread, chicken slider with spiced coleslaw and sausage roll with black pudding.  Sweet treats include raspberry and earl grey macaron and salted caramel tart with chocolate bon bon, with scones, jam and cream on the side.

New: Shutters, Canary Wharf

Shutters, Canary Wharf’s newest restaurant has opened at One Canada Square on the ground floor.  Offering the best of Cornish produce in a space inspired by sun drenched Southern California, you can expect a delicious menu which includes Steak and Eggs and Smoked West Coast Haddock Kedgereee for breakfast, and for mains, Surf (Lobster, Prawn and Scallop Dim Sum, Braised and Griddled Octopus, and Whole Baked Cornish Sole) and Turf – The Big Sur Burger, Vegan Cali Sur, and Cauliflower Crust Pizza.

Upstairs, Mexican inspired cocktail bar Cartel offers a global menu with tasty tipples and tacos, while the SuperNatural counter offers smoothies, juices and coffees.

GREY GOOSE Duet Martini Cocktail Pop Up Series

How about a swanky four course dinner paired with playful martinis?!  BRIT award nominated musician Rina Sawayama and British-Filipino chef Luke Selby have launched a pop up series in collaboration with GREY GOOSE which will include a live performance from Rina.  Taking place on the 26^th and 27^th November and the 3^rd and 4^th of December, check out the whole menu and get your tickets here.

Festive Installation and Limited Edition Cocktails at Granary Square Brasserie

Granary Square Brasserie always feels like a special occasion and right now it’s feeling even more magical with a special festive installation and gorgeous cocktails in collab with Edrington UK.  Hold-Up Ginger (£10.25), features a blend of Haku Vodka, Aperol, pineapple, lime, and gingerbread, or for festive drinks vibes, Christmas Star (£10.25) includes refreshing Roku Gin, star anis, pineapple, lemon and Crème de Mure.  New warm winter dishes will see roast pumpkin and butternut squash soup along with goose shepherd’s pie appear on the menu.

Cinderella Inspired Wonderland at The Langham, London

You’ll be memerised by The Langham, London’s incredible Christmas tree this year, in the shape of Cinderella’s ball gown!  With glittering glass slippers and shimmering pumpkins, guests will be able to tour Regent’s Park in a horse drawn carriage, or visit the Gillian Lynne Theatre for a night of musical theatre.  Christmas cocktails are being served in Artesian, while Afternoon Tea is an affair fit for a princess  (From £79pp for adults and £40pp for children).  Meanwhile, The Curling Club will see the hotel’s courtyard transformed into a winter wonderland with three ice rinks especially for curling.

Enjoy a Festive Three Course Set Menu at Steak Gastro Pub Moo Cantina

Moo Cantina in Pimlico celebrates the very best of Argentinian steak and wine, offering simple dishes from ethically raised grass fed Black Angus cattle.  Standout dishes include the delicious ribeye steak, along with triple cooked chips, chargrilled chorizo with black pudding and charcoal sourdough and a selection of home made empanadas.  The Moo Moo is the must-order – a sharer plate which includes rump steak, rib eye steak, chargrilled chicken, chorizo and chimichurri, served with two portions of chips for £50.  There’s also a sheltered beer garden, happy hour from 4pm – 6.30pm Tuesday to Friday and an incredible cocktail list.  For the festive season, Moo Cantina will have a special three course set menu on offer.  Check out the website here.

One Night Records Immersive Experience

Make musical memories this Christmas with an incredible immersive show in the arches of London Bridge.  With a live music experience that will take you from rock n roll Christmas classics to seasonal jazz, performances will take place on Fridays and Saturdays from 26^th November.  Tickets from £35, find out more here.

Yauatcha City’s Winter Terrace with Moët & Chandon

Open until March 2022, Yauatcha City’s Ice City will see the winter terrace transformed with a light display replica of the city of Harbin, twinkly lights, faux fur rugs and Moët Brut Imperial and Moët Brut Imperial Rosé served by the glass and the bottle. What’s more, there’ll be warming winter cocktails on offer  including the Golden Spice Warmer with Hennessy VSOP cognac, Akashi-Tai sake, Samurai black tea, cinnamon, lemon, orange and Angostura bitters. Find out more here.

Rockwell’s New Concept and Cocktail List

Trafalgar Square’s hottest new cocktail bar – Rockwell at The Trafalgar St James has unleashed its list of 11 expertly crafted cocktails which focus on sustainability and tell the story of the local area.  ‘Miranda’ will draw its inspiration from Virginia Woolf’s In the Orchard, while Spring Garden is named after the street Rockwell calls home with a blend of woody tones, port, and Italicus for a sweet and floral spiced drink.  There’s also some gorgeous small dishes like Devon crab brioche bun with Bloody Mary sauce, while main courses include pan roasted lemon sole with mussels and champagne velouté, and a 48 hour cooked ox cheek bourguignon.

The Nyetimber Routemaster Bus

From 26^th November to 2^nd December, the Nyetimber Routemaster Bus will stopping off at iconic London landmarks on an epic Christmas journey which will include the opportunity to win some brilliant prizes.  With dinner at Bluebird Chelsea, and a magnum of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage up for grabs, all you need to do to enter is, take a picture of the Nyetimber Bus during its journey between 26 November and 2 December 2021 and upload that image to Instagram, follow Nyetimber and tag Nyetimber in your post.  Check out all of the details and small print here.

Willows on the Roof

For a magical experience this Christmas, why not head up to John Lewis Oxford Street’s Willows on the Roof?  From the Night Tales team, this hidden winter wonderland will be decked out with pretty lights and heated chalet cabins available for hire.  There’s also a special Christmas menu available for £35pp.  With delicious cocktails on offer and food from Giz ‘n’ Green (stuffed crust pizza pies) it’s the perfect hangout this December.  Check out the magic on Instagram here.

Sex and The City Apartment Immersive Pop-Up

 ‘…And Just Like That’ we’re gearing up for the long awaited landing of the new Sex and the City series on HBO!  To celebrate, you’ll be able to set into Carrie Bradshaw’s closet with an awesome immersive experience which will see her famous apartment re-created.  Popping up at Carriage Hall, Floral Street in Covent Garden on the 11^th and 12^th December, grab your besties and get ready to live your best life a la SATC style.  Sign up here for pre-sale tickets which go on sale on the 18^th November.

Champagne Brunch at Coravin Wine & Bubbles Bar

Launching on Saturday 27^th November,  Mayfair’s awesome pop-up Coravin Wine & Bubbles Bar will be offering up a free flowing bubbles experience with two hours of unlimited fizz between 12-3pm on Saturdays.  For just £60pp, you’ll be able to sample a range of Champagnes and sparkling wines from Henriot, Nyetimber, Exton Park and J Sparkling along with small plates like seasonal burrata and English-cured charcuterie and cheese boards.  Book here.

The Raclette Bar at The Secret Winter Garden at The Regent Balham and The Treehouse at The Clapham North

If winter wonderlands and secret gardens are your thing, then you’ll love the igloos, twinkly lights and general cheese feast that’s happening down at The Raclette Bar at The Secret Winter Garden at The Regent Balham and The Treehouse at The Clapham North.  Priced at £27, for The Raclette Bar menu, book your table no

The Cadagon Arms

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at The Cadagon Arms on the Kings Road.  Celebrating its first Christmas since re-opening, there’ll be plenty of festive offerings including a new seasonal set menu priced at £60pp with delights like beef wellington and goose for mains and of course, Christmas pudding with brandy butter sauce, along with warming winter cocktails (fancy a hot toddy with lemon and honey?! There’ll also be a thanksgiving menu and Christmas Day menu priced at £200pp and including bubbles on arrival.

Seven Dials Market

Seven Dials Market is gearing up for a Winter Weekender with Moët Hennessy.  The Winter Feast will feature DJs and festive fun on Friday 17^th December with Morgan Hislop 6-11pm, and on Saturday 18^th December, Vinyl Reggae with Tiny T & The Might Cloudburst 12-5pm and DJ Larry Sun from 6-11pm.  There’ll also be a Deck the (Food) Hall special on Friday 3^rd December.

Lightopia

Frogs, unicorns, flowers and fish.. Literally lighting up Christmas, Lightopia is running until 2^nd January 2022 at Crystal Palace Park.  The multi-sensory interactive lights and installations will see the palace illuminated while the park will be bursting with colour!  Book your tickets here.

Scott’s Mayfair

Partnering with Perrier-Jouët this year, Scott’s Mayfair has been transformed with its Starstruck Christmas – a shooting star installation inspired by the Champagne houses famous founding under a lucky star in 1811.  Guests will be able to enjoy premium oysters like Morecambe Bay (ENG) and Galway Bay Rocks (IRL) paired with a glass of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut (£20.00 per glass), bespoke cocktails like the The Lucky Star (£40.00), with Belle Époque 2012, Château Monteils Sauternes 2009, Martell XO and orange bitters, and a limited edition dessert – the Twinkle Sorbet Dessert (£16).  Book your table now by clicking here.

Go Off-Piste at 34 Mayfair

34 Mayfair is going off-piste this festive season with a sensational Christmas installation and a special menu of food and cocktails.  Indulge in apres-ski and seventies kitsch along with the limited edition dessert ‘As Choux You Like It’ and deliciously moreish Courvoisier Cognac cocktails.  The Grand 34 menu will also be offering up Japanese wagyu fillet steak, dover sole and lobster mac n cheese – yummmm.

Traditional Italian Festivities at Daphnes

Until Thursday 6^th January, guests at the most fabulous Daphne’s restaurant in South Kensington will be able to enjoy a gorgeous festive installation and delicious cocktails in partnership with Malfy Gin.  Guaranteed to tickle the tastebuds are the Blood Orange Negroni(£14.00), made with Malfy Con Arancia Gin, Italicus, and Cynar and Christmas Fizzpriced at £16.00 (Malfy Limone Gin, Italicus, citrus, Champagne and bergamot essence) among the delights.  On the menu, there’ll be Italian favourites like the octopus carpaccio with pickled fennel and datterini tomato (£14.00), spaghetti with clams, chilli and white wine (£14.50/£22.00) and mixed wild mushroom risotto (£14.50/£22.00)

Miracle of Mount Crumpit at Ivy Chelsea Garden

You’ve seen nothing quite like the Miracle of Mount Crumpit at Ivy Chelsea Garden this year!  Guaranteed to go all out each and every year with their festive installation, they’ve really outdone themselves this year with an extravaganza which will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit while transporting you to Whoville!  With a limited-edition cocktail menu in partnership with Veuve Clicquot, diners will be able to enjoy the ‘Who Martini’ priced at £11.95 ( Belvedere Vodka, white chocolate liqueur, Baileys Irish Cream and pistachio syrup, drizzled in chocolate and cream) ‘Grinch Jooose’ (£10.50) with Belvedere Ginger and Pear Vodka, signature green juice, coconut and chillies and the ‘Whoville Hot Chocolate’ (£9.50) with heart warming Hennessy V.S Cognac, coffee liqueur and rich hot chocolate, all topped with a toasted marshmallow.  There’s also a range of delicious desserts on offer including warm mini mince pies (£5.95). The Grinch definitely hasn’t stolen Christmas if this scene is anything to go by!

Strand Palace Seasonal Afternoon Tea

With a seasonal twist on their already scrumptious Afternoon Tea, Strand Palace has decked the halls!  With a Santa’s grotto and a delightful three tier offering in the hotel’s restaurant – Haxells, guests will be able to enjoy festive treats after a day of shopping.  Among the sweet treats and savouries are snowflake and raspberry almond financier, blue stilton and spinach quiche and roast honey ham cranberry brioche.  Christmas Afternoon Tea is priced at £29pp (or £35pp with a cocktail) including teas and coffees.  Add some extra fizz to your afternoon with a fresh cranberry and rosemary pink gin and tonic. Served daily 12-6pm.  For more details, visit their website.

Bill’s Soho 

Bill’s Soho welcomes Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer to its restaurant with a 3d installation and a gorgeous festive menu to match.  Feast on the Christmas truffle cheese fondue burger (£14.95), along with  truffalo sprouts (£6.25), and Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree (£7.50), while the Gin-gle Bells cocktail is priced at just £2.99 – a delightful combo of Whitley Neill Raspberry Gin, Chambord, and fresh pineapple.

Limited Edition Crystal Head Vodka with Intox

If you’re a fan of Crystal Head Vodka, you’ll need to hot-foot it down to Harvey Nichols stores on Wednesday 1st December to grab a limited edition bottle in their latest design. 
 
Dan Akroyd’s premium vodka brand have teamed up with the uber cool cult Parisian street artist Intox for the collab which includes only 36 bottles in the exclusive series. 
 
Inspired by the moniker ‘With Love from Paris’, the design features incredible neon graffiti artwork, depicting luxe items and iconic landmarks from both London and the French capital.  
 
A fabulous Christmas gift for the vodka lover in your life, the special run of Crystal Head Vodka’s bottles with Intox are available at Harvey Nichols Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and London priced at £120.