Merry Christmas! Gather ’round, dig in and celebrate the season at these Valley restaurants.
Match Restaurant and Lounge is offering two specialty menus — a traditional Mexican Christmas Eve “dinner” (with chicken-filled tamales with mole, refried beans with cotija cheese and elote) and a four-course feast available on Christmas Day (your choice of salmon or prime rib). Each menu is available from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the specified day.
On Christmas Day, guests will enjoy a festive four-course, prix-fixe dinner with a side of mountain views at elements. Entrée highlights include roasted free-range guinea hen with celery root puree, savory wild rice, rosemary and cipollini onion jus; Atlantic swordfish “au poivre” with creamed spinach, butternut squash puree and maple green peppercorn demi; and bacon-wrapped filet of beef with roasted garlic and blue cheese crust, black truffle mash, grilled asparagus and sauce bearnaise.
Four dynamic restaurants and five talented chefs come together for one spectacular holiday feast held in the Palomino Ballroom at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chefs from Bourbon Steak, La Hacienda, Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar and Ironwood American Kitchen will each bring their own special culinary talents and themed menus to the table.
On Dec. 15, enjoy a decadent holiday breakfast buffet at the Arizona Biltmore with a special visit from Santa from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. On Dec. 21, dig into a decadent holiday breakfast buffet with Santa, also from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Hotel Valley Ho has two holiday dining experiences to choose from. The Valley Ho Christmas Buffet, offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Sands venue, features a fresh seafood bar, soups and salads and much more. For an evening experience, choose the ZuZu Christmas dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. and celebrate the holiday with a special starter buffet, followed by your choice of entrée.
Join in for a memorable Christmas celebration at LON’s at the Hermosa, where Executive Chef Jeremy Pacheco created a specialty menu from which each guest can create their ideal three-course prix-fixe meal featuring globally inspired Arizona fare with a holiday flair. The menu is available Christmas Eve for 4 to 8 p.m. and noon to 7 p.m. on Christmas Day.
The Boulders’ Palo Verde Restaurant celebrates Christmas Day with a delectable prix-fixe, three-course menu (with grilled Colorado lamb and Snake River prime rib) from 5 to 9 p.m.
On Dec. 15, Viola French Bistro dishes up a three-course, prix-fixe Christmas wine-paired dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. The menu showcases seafood, quail in puff pastry and chocolate macaron. Plus, from Dec. 16 to Dec. 26, the restaurant will sell its yule log cake. The small will serve six people; the large will serve 10 people. The restaurant asks for orders to be placed 48 hours in advance of pick up.
On Christmas Eve at 5 p.m., Rusconi’s American Kitchen offers special three-course meals for both children and adults with multiple options for each course in celebration of the holidays, like Maple Leaf Farms breast of duck, pan-roasted monkfish and more.
Christmas Day will bring a holiday buffet to SWB at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch offering a variety of favorites, including elaborate desserts like Christmas yule logs, assorted pies, cakes and tortes. SWB’s Holiday Buffet will be served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tomaso’s will be open for a Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian Christmas Eve and Day tradition. Feast of the Seven Fishes will be available starting on Dec. 19 and end of Christmas Day. The six-course, prix-fixe dinner includes baked clams oreganata, handcrafted lobster taviolo, gresh petrale sole piccata and pumpkin spice tiramisu.
Celebrate Christmas morning with a traditional brunch at Prado at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Starting at 3 p.m., Christmas Day festivities with dinner includes dishes from a four-course prix-fixe menu like Kabocha squash bisque, rioja-poached pears, crispy half duck and cherry crème brulee.
The Wigwam hosts Christmas Eve dinner at Litchfield’s, featuring a three-course prix-fixe menu of holiday favorites accompanied by live music by pianist Bob Dudley. The resort will double down for Christmas Day dining, starting with a hearty Christmas buffet in The Wigwam Ballroom for the entire family to enjoy along with live piano music, followed by Christmas dinner at Litchfield’s, featuring a three-course prix-fixe menu.
Children and families are invited spend the morning with Cha! Cha! and Santa for a special breakfast event at Rainforest Cafe. The festive event will include family-friendly activities, raffles, prizes, sweet treats and photo time with Santa on Dec. 22 from 8 to 10 a.m.
Giving Tree Cafe will be open Christmas Eve and Day with a lineup of gluten-free, vegetarian and organic dishes. Diners can look forward to a prix-fixe menu with dishes like shitake mushroom pate hor d’oeuvres, kabocha squash soup, jalapeno corn bread with macadamia nut butter and stuffed delicata squash with wild rice and seasonal vegetables.
Indulge in healthy, yet indulgent culinary creations at Terras at CIVANA. Each holiday dinner will celebrate the season’s best flavors with an exclusive prix-fixe menu complete with all the trimmings. Seatings start at 5 p.m. and dishes include brick oven-roasted wild salmon and pistachio-crusted tenderloin.
Open from 3 to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 3 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day, celebrate the holidays at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (locations in Scottsdale, Chandler, DC Ranch and Peoria) with an indulgent three-course holiday menu.
Head to Ko’Sin at Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass to indulge in festive dinner specials like roasted winter squash bisque, grilled endive kale salad and coffee-rubbed prime rib from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Royal Palms Resort and Spa hosts a variety of way to celebrate the season, including Cocoa & Cocktails at Mix Up Bar, three-course meals on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve at T. Cook’s and a brunch buffet at Palmera Salon.
On Christmas Eve, Phoenix City Grille celebrates the holiday with an exclusive menu available starting at 3 p.m. Special selections include Colorado Lamb Chops, Filet Oscar and more.
Sicilian Baker is bringing the flavors of Sicily to homes for the holidays with seasonal cakes and boxes of its signature baked goods including Italian flag cookies, cassatinas, tiramisu, Italian wedding cookies, cannoli cake, Italian rum cake and more. Pastries and cookies available by the pound or item to be packaged in holiday boxes.
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Maple & Ash will serve its usual menu plus a specialty holiday dish: black truffle lobster thermidor and chateaubriand. The dish features two half lobsters stuffed with king crab meat and topped with béarnaise, gruyere, and roasted in the josper. Christmas Eve hours are 4 to 9 p.m. and Christmas Day hours are 1 to 8 p.m.
