November 26, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Celebrate the Season Stress-Free with Christmas Culinary Delights from Top LA Restaurants

Discover the Festive Feast: Christmas Meals to Go and Restaurants Open on Christmas

Here comes another holiday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and what is a busy person to do? Would you like to have someone else do the cooking? Would you like to pick up a gourmet meal from some of Los Angeles’ best restaurants or perhaps dine in style at the restaurant?

It’s your choice, but here is a selection of great restaurants and bakeries from the Westside and beyond that can lift that holiday meal burden off of your shoulders. 

Maple Block Meat Company: Every Christmas, we fix up a limited amount of 100% peach wood-smoked meats, sides, and sweets for our family and friends. Just pick what you want and when you would like to pick it up (but make sure to order by Wednesday, December 20th). You can pick it up on Sunday, December 24th (Christmas Eve). We’ll have it packed and ready to go.

Credit: Maple Block Meat Company

This year, we’re proud to offer our Maple maple-glazed Berkshire Hams, Bone-in Prime Rib, and our Signature Brisket. As always, these meats are thoughtfully sourced — raised humanely and never administered antibiotics, steroids, or growth hormones of any kind. We also have three CHRISTMAS PACKAGES: Xmas Ham Package, Xmas Meat Sampler Package, and Xmas Turkey Package. PLACE YOUR ORDER BY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20. Christmas pre-orders are available for curbside pick-up on Sunday, December 24th. Order here

Lei’d Cookies: Let’s end the year by bringing cookies to your monthly holiday events. Pre-orders are now live—email leidcookies@gmail.com to place your order for ANY day between now and December 23rd. We will close the last week of the year with some much-needed rest and regrouping. So get those orders in now. You can see their amazing cookies and pick the ones you want on their website. The Cardamom Pistachio, Mayan, aka The Mexican Hot Chocolate and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, Topped with Flaked Sea salt, are our favorites. 

Fat + Flour Culver City Whole Pie & Cookie Pre Orders – 48 HR Notice Required.

Pre-order pies for pick up from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice will not be refunded. No call/no-shows will not be refunded. Famous Key Lime, Chocolate Chess, Blueberry Double Crust, Pear Cranberry Crumble, Banana Cream, Dozen Cookies
Holiday hours:
12/24 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
12/25 CLOSED
12/26 CLOSED
12/31 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
01/01 CLOSED

Credit: Lei’d Cookies

Fleur et Sel Cookies: The drop begins on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. You can order cookies online. In Culver City, pick-up is reserved for Monday and Tuesday (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.). This is our last drop @ our Culver City location and for the year, so this is your last opportunity to try them until they open their new storefront. You can order cookies on their website. They have tasty treats like Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Vanilla Bean Sugar, Nutella Coeur, Caramelized Butter Pecan, and a special holiday cookie, Mini Peppermint Bark Hot Chocolate Mini Sea Salt Chocolate Chip.

Resy Cookie Box: Each box contains 12 cookies. All cookies will be baked and packaged for shipping by Pain d’Avignon. A different restaurant from the lineup below has contributed to each cookie recipe. Boxes will be available to purchase beginning December 4th through Pain d’Avignon’s website. Orders placed by December 8th will be shipped on December 11th. Orders placed by December 15th will be shipped on December 18th and guaranteed delivery by Pain d’Avignon by December 25th if ordered by December 15th. 

Ginger Lime Sugar​
Anajak Thai | Los Angeles
Justin Pichetrungsi
Oatmeal Butterscotch Pecan​​
Cochon | New Orleans
Maggie Scales & Donald Link
Spiced Hazelnut Cafe de Olla
Este | Austin
Fermín Núñez
Persimmon Snickerdoodle
Han Oak | Portland
Peter Cho
Cranberry White Chocolate​
Kasama​ | Chicago
Genie Kwon​
Spiced Thai Chocolate
Kin Khao | San Francisco
Pim Techamuanvivit
Sourdough Caramelized White Chocolate​
My Loup | Philadelphia
Alex Kemp & Amanda Shulman
Shiitake Chocolate Chip​
Oyster Oyster | Washington, D.C.
Rob Rubba

Saucy Chick and Goat Mafia are selling tamale kits to warm and serve. Tamale kits are available for order on Toast and pick up through 12/23 for all your gatherings.

Birria de Chivo Tamales served with consomé, crema, lime, and pickled onions.

Chicken Pibil is served with Mom’s Beans, signature GG sauce, crema, and lime-pickled onions.

Credit Tamales Olmeca

Tamales Olmeca: The last day for Xmas pre-ordering is Friday, Dec. 15th. The last day for NYE pre-ordering is Friday, Dec. 22nd—Pre-order through Olmeca.com. You can order individually or by the dozen. Tamales are $7.00 each or $70.00 for a dozen.

Sesy’s  Beloved – Pork carnitas. Tomatillo salsa verde. 
J.C.’s Finest – Beef birria and queso
A que no te rajas (v) – Queso. Rajas. Salsa Guajillo
El Rey (V) – Cranberrry beans. Quesillo. Rajas (V/v)
Fresas con crema (V) – Fresas. Crema. Pistachio

Connie and Ted’s: Our last day of service is 12/23 for holiday time & restoration with the family.
Orders can be placed via phone or Grubhub, which can also be found on their website. Special offerings include:

  • Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies (2/$12)
  • Connie and Ted’s Famous Dinner Rolls (5/$10)
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (16oz/$16)
  • Maine Lobster Pot Pie To-Go (Serves 2-3/$46)
  • Wild White Shrimp Cocktail (1/2 pound/$28)

Available just after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, pick up one of Pastry Chef Daphane’s Famous Holiday Pies ($55 each)—please allow 48 hours’ notice:

  • Pumpkin Sweet Potato Pie 
  • Bourbon Pecan Pie
  • Dutch Apple Crumb Pie

Tis’ the Season to Celebrate: Christmas Eve at Connie & Ted’s
Gather around the table with family and loved ones for a festive Christmas Eve seafood feast with a pre-fixe dinner offering. For $95 per person, guests can enjoy starters such as Lobster Bisque, ½ dozen oysters, or market salad, followed by a choice of Smoked Rib Roast or Cioppino and a Traditional Pumpkin Bread Pudding to end the night. A selection of items from the pre-fixe menu will be available for take-out through December 17.  

Vicini Ristorante & Wine Bar, the West LA concept that pays tribute to Chef Lucio’s childhood with a menu dedicated to celebrating his familial roots from the Veneto region of Italy, will prepare a memorable Feast of Seven Fishes for Angelenos to celebrate with loved ones over on Christmas Eve. This holiday celebration is especially exciting for Lucio as he opened Vicini in the space of the former Louise’s Trattoria, where he first worked, arriving to LA from Italy. It’s a dream come true for him to host this special feast now in his own restaurant.

Credit: Fat + Flour

For $120 per person, guests can indulge in seven courses including Baccalà Cantecato con Crostini, Vicini Caesar Salad with Herb-crusted Grilled Prawns and Polenta Croutons, Filetto di Branzino con Carciofi or Artichokes, Spaghetti Bottarga, Cioppino, Lemon Sorbetto, and Dolce-Panettone Bread Pudding.

Vicini will hold two seatings for The Feast of Seven Fishes at 5 pm, with the second seating at 8:30 pm on Christmas Eve (12/24). Reservations can be booked at OpenTable.

Birdie G’s Holiday Moveable Feast: Chef/Owner Jeremy Fox has partnered with Moveable Feast for an incredible, 8-course feast that can be delivered nationwide until December 30. It features all of Birdie G’s unique spins on Jewish fare, so it’s ideal for Hanukkah, but it’s also perfect for any holiday gathering of 4-12 people. Highlights include a carrot miso-laced Matzo Ball Soup, Southern Kugel with ricotta, chowchow, pecan & sage brown butter, Corned Tri-Tip with smoked tomato gravy, Koji-Creamed Greens, and an Apple Sunchoke Cake with whey caramel. Pre-order online through Moveable Feast’s website by December 14 at 5 p.m.

Sweet Rose Creamery Holiday Cakes & Pies: These whimsical Holiday Ice Cream Cakes and Pies are a must-have at any celebratory gathering. There’s a decadent Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cake layered with peppermint chocolate sorbet, a Peppermint Patty Pie with a chocolate cookie crust, peppermint patty ice cream & meringue, or a Santa Pie with a graham cracker crust, milk & cookies ice cream, vanilla whipped cream & mini gingerbread people. For something cozy and warm, there are still Take & Bake Cinnamon Rolls, Biscuits, and Chocolate Chip Cookies (prepared by sister spot Milo + Olive) that can easily be whipped up. Everything’s available to pre-order December 1-December 18 at noon through Sweet Rose Creamery’s website for pickup at the shops from December 22-24. These treats are also available on a first-come, first-serve basis to just grab-and-go at the shops from December 4-24. Please note the shops close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Huckleberry’s Christmas Catering: The beloved bakery & café is rolling right into this next holiday with a Christmas Morning spread featuring their classic Farmers’ Market Quiche with cornmeal thyme cheddar crust, a Housemade Lox Platter with Milo + Olive’s bagels and a variety of accouterments, gluten-free Gingerbread Teacake and more. For Christmas Dinner, enjoy Oven-Roasted Scottish Salmon with herb & Meyer lemon yogurt sauce, Roasted Weiser Family Farms Baby Carrots with chimichurri, a Savory Bread Pudding filled with garnet yams, spigarello, herbs & cheddar, and other comforting fares, while desserts include Eggnog Cheesecake, a Gingerbread Cookie Decorating Kit and more. Pre-order through Huckleberry’s website until December 16 at 3 p.m. for pickup or delivery on December 24 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sweet Rose Creamery’s Daily Scoop Club – Treat yourself or that ice cream lover in your life by getting one of these limited memberships, entitling one to a Free Scoop of Ice Cream every day in 2024 at both shops. In partnership with Blackbird, limited Daily Scoop Club memberships can be purchased through Sweet Rose Creamery’s website for an early bird price of $150. 

Esters Gift Boxes – For those who appreciate planet-friendly wines from small producers, this critically acclaimed wine bar & shop has a variety of classy and curated gift boxes filled with wines at all price points and artisanal sweet & savory snacks. Purchase through Esters’ website for pickup or select nationwide delivery. You can also swing by the shop for a pre-made box or curate one with the team’s favorite wines. 

Rustic Canyon Family Gift Cards – These groupwide gift cards work at all the restaurants (with Sweet Rose coming on board in January), so it’s a no-brainer for that RC Family fan in your life. Digital and physical gift card options are available to purchase through the Rustic Canyon Family website.

Cassia’s December Monthly Special & New Year’s Eve: You have until the end of November to enjoy The Spice Table Burger at Cassia, and then Chef/Owner Bryant Ng brings back his legendary Vietnamese Pot au Feu from December 1-30. The late Jonathan Gold praised Bryant’s interpretation as “claiming the essence of French cooking as his own—colonizing the colonizers at last.” This soulful bowl features Creekstone Farms short ribs, bone marrow, potatoes, cabbage & carrots with a side of grilled bread, bird’s eye chili sauce, walnut mustard & pickled shallots. 

Bistro LQ 12/24 HOLIDAY BOX 12/24 – MORNING DELIVERY ONLY $75.00 Box includes these items on the Holiday menu: 
:Snack: Salted Bordier Butter and bread
Amuse course: Scallop Crudo
1st course : Gold Beet Salad | winter greens | St Agur Cheese | Balsamic Vinaigrette | mandarine
2nd course: Atlantic Monkfish | Tortilla soup | Sautéed wild mushrooms | Black Beans | Pico
3rd course: Braised Colorado lamb moussaka 
4th course: your choice of American Wagyu Filet or Mary’s Hen roulade
5th course: assorted three cheeses from France
6th Course dessert: Chestnut and Rum Tiramisu

Ardor by Chef John Fraser will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, featuring a special a-la-carte menu of festive, vegetable-forward dishes. The signature restaurant at The West Hollywood EDITION, Ardor, is the perfect dining destination to eat, drink, and be merry, with a warm-hued atmosphere and live music.

With highlighted holiday entrees including the Grilled 14 oz Kurobuta Pork Chop, rubbed with an adobada spice mixture and topped with a pineapple & citrus compote, Braised Short Rib, served with coffee roasted root vegetables and dressed with Bordelaise sauce, and Roasted Chestnut Ravioli, made with brown butter Au Poivre, and crispy sage, with black truffles available upon request. Indulgent and unique desserts include PINE, a pine nut cremeux paired with milk sorbet and sprinkled with pine dust, and CHESTNUT, made with eggnog, persimmon, and dark chocolate.

Reservations are open from 5:00 PM-9:00 PM on December 24th and from 1:30 PM-7:00 PM on December 25th and available at the respective links.

Credit: Socalo

Socalo, the pair’s locally sourced and Mexican fare restaurant, has a Christmas Dinner Kit to make your holiday meal a breeze. Enjoy delicious and sustainable Mexican food like Mole Short Ribs and Sweet Corn Tamales with Cranberry Salsita in kits that are available for 2-8 people! 

These yummy kits are available from Dec 14th until 2 pm PST for delivery or takeout from Socalo in Santa Monica and the Border Grill Catering Kitchen in Pasadena. 

The Christmas Dinner Kit includes:

  • Mole Short Ribs
  • Sweet Corn Tamales
  • Roasted Root Vegetables
  • Winter Chopped Kale Salad
  • Cranberry Apple Salsita
  • Organic Red Rice
  • Border Brownies

Prices for kits:

  • $80 for two people
  • $160 for four people
  • $240 for six people
  • $320 for eight people

A la carte menu items include Sweet Corn Tamales (6), Beef Short Rib Tamales (6), Chicken Tinga Tamales (6), Guacamole, Tortilla Chips, various salsas, Organic Corn Tortillas, Enchilada kits, Corn Esquite, Brownies, and my favorite – margaritas and Mexican wine! 

To order from Socalo, please visit here. To order from the catering kitchen, please visit here

Credit: Connie and Ted’s

Christmas Eve Dinner at Water Grill, Dec. 24 
Skip the hassle of cooking another holiday dinner at home and enjoy a delicious Christmas Eve dinner at Water Grill. Guests will enjoy a broad selection of high-quality and live seafood such as iced shellfish platters, wild Ross Sea Chilean sea bass, first-of-season wild California spiny lobster, and more. Water Grill also celebrates the season by offering Guests a $20 bonus gift card to be used from January to March 2024 with the purchase of a $100 gift card. Gift cards can be purchased from restaurants or online. Reservations can be made at watergrill.com/sm.

Christmas Eve Dinner at Meat on Ocean, Dec. 24 
Meat on Ocean, a modern steakhouse complete with an artisanal charcuterie bar and an exhibition dry-aging room, invites Guests to indulge this Christmas Eve. Guests can enjoy a vast variety of prime beef, from dry-aged domestic cuts to the Japanese A-5. Meat on Ocean will also celebrate the season by offering Guests a $20 bonus gift card to be used from January to March 2024 with every purchase of a $100 gift card. Gift cards can be purchased from restaurants or online. Reservations can be made at meatonocean.com.

The Terrace at the Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills 

Christmas Eve Dinner As excitement for the ‘big day’ builds, The Terrace is just the place to spend the night before Christmas. Executive Chef Shaun Anthony has created an enticing menu that both embraces and twists tradition. Make it a classic with chicken pâté, Heritage Diestel turkey, and creamy potato gratin, or ring the changes (and ring in the season) with pan-roasted scallops and short-rib rigatoni. Their four-course Christmas Eve Dinner at The Terrace is served from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at $195 per person. You can make reservations on Open Table

Christmas Day Experience Espelette Waldorf Astoria

Gather with loved ones and cherish the magic of the holidays this Christmas at Espelette Beverly Hills. Conceived by acclaimed Chef Steve Benjamin and the award-winning Culinary team of Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, the 3-course prix-fixe menu features classic Christmas favorites and live entertainment. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. $195 per person. Reserve at Open Table

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at The Roof at EDITION

Please join us at The Roof at The West Hollywood Edition on Christmas Eve for a special holiday menu. Enjoy stunning panoramic city views while tasting holiday favorites inspired by Latin flavors such as House Made Tamales, Duck Mole, and Baby Corn Esquites. Our standard menu is also available. Book at Open Table, as reservations will fill quickly.

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