‘Tis the season to eat well: Festive set menus at Leicester’s independent restaurants
With less than six weeks to go until the big day, we are officially in Christmas party season. Have you been put in charge of booking the Christmas meal for your friends, colleagues or family? You’ll want to keep reading…
There are not many parties better than a Christmas party? Picture it now – decorations and trees all around, crackers banging and being surrounded by your colleagues or friends – complete with silly hats and wide smiles. Then comes the main event: the food. Whether its succulent turkey with pigs in blankets or a beautiful nut roast, we know we want it to be swimming in delicious gravy!
If you’ve not planned your festive food fix yet, our guide to seasonal celebrations at Leicester’s independent restaurants is exactly what you’re looking for.
Don’t delay – it’s time to get those diaries – and stomachs – filled!
Knight and Garter (2 courses £28 / 3 courses £35)
Located on Hotel Street, Knight and Garter is a cosy retreat on a winter’s night. The bar area has a warming fire, perfect for enjoying one of their winter cocktails around, or step into the restaurant hidden behind a secret bookcase doorway and be delighted by the festive set menu on offer. Go traditional and enjoy a roasted turkey ballotine complete with all the trimmings (pigs in blankets and bread sauce included!), or spice up your festive celebrations with an aromatic duck curry. You’ll definitely find room for more when you see the dessert menu – we’re opting for the Ferrero Rocher cheesecake. Read the full menu here.
Restaurant 263 (4 course tasting menu £38)
Restaurant 263 aims to make fine dining accessible to the people of Leicester. They present tasting menus bursting with dishes with perfectly balanced flavour combinations and that look like works of art – if you follow them on Instagram, you’ll know what we mean. This Christmas, they’ll be putting a seasonal twist on their beautiful food and offering a 4 course, festive, fine dining experience. Dishes include butternut squash and brie, turkey with Brussel sprout kimchi and Christmas pudding parfait. A vegan tasting menu is also available. Read the full menu here.
Wygstons House (2 courses £26.95 / 3 courses £31.95)
If you’re looking for atmospheric surroundings, having a Christmas feast in one of Leicester’s oldest buildings has be to close to the top of the list. Some highlights of the menu: garlic baked scallops and baked camembert starters; slow cooked rolled beef on fondant potatoes and pork belly served with all the trimmings; and the dessert list features sticky toffee pudding and a cheeseboard. We don’t know how we’re going to choose. If you’re looking for an option for the big day itself, the team are also offering a Christmas Day menu for £70 adults / £35 children. Read the full menus here.
1573 Bar & Grill (Lunch: 2 courses £29.95 / 3 courses £34.95; Dinner: 2 courses £33.95 / 3 courses £38.95)
Tucked away in Highcross Leicester is 1573 Bar & Grill, a cosy and atmospheric restaurant housed in one of the oldest school buildings in England. With both lunch and dinner menus available during the festive season, it is a great option for colleagues, friends or families who want to celebrate. Whilst the restaurant specialises in steaks, the festive menu also includes a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings and a perfectly char-grilled salmon supreme with potatoes and vegetables. Vegetarian and vegan options promise just as much flavour, with Cajun spiced paneer skewers and cauliflower steak amongst the choices. Read the full menu here.
The Globe (Mon-Fri Lunch: 2 courses £19.95 / 3 courses £24.95; Evening & Weekend: 3 courses £29.95. Add a Prosecco reception drink for £4.95 per person)
The Globe has been synonymous with serving fine ales and delicious food since 1720, when the ales were brewed using spring water drawn from a well beneath the pub – which still exists today. The snug and cave offer a cosy dining area, perfect for groups celebrating any occasion. The menu has plenty of options to cater for all diets – there is a choice of multiple vegan options for each course, aligned with the company’s sustainability policy to offer more plant based menu items along with other environmentally conscious measures. We love the sound of hog roast on toast for starter – a quirky dish we’ve not seen on any other menu! Read the full menu here.
The Queen of Bradgate (3 courses £29.95. Complimentary large glass of wine for bookings Sunday-Thursday)
Step off busy High Street into the warm, welcoming ambience at Queen of Bradgate. Their three course menu is full of festive cheer – with plenty of veggie, vegan and gluten free options to cater to all diets. If you don’t want turkey for the main event, why not choose it as a starter – we will definitely be giving the turkey, stuffing and cranberry bon bons a try! When it comes to drinks, you can get great deals on Prosecco and Champagne when ordered in advance, add some festive fun to your tipples with their Cocktail Trees or indulge in a winter warmer mulled wine or boozy hot chocolate. Read the full menu here.
Black Iron Social (2 courses £25 / 3 courses £30)
Black Iron Social, with The Gresham Aparthotel, is the perfect location for good times and delicious food in a relaxed, yet stylish environment. Their festive menu is small, with only 3 options for each course, but includes a surprising amount of variety. Traditionalists will be pleased to see bacon-wrapped turkey breast on the menu alongside alternative flavours not usually seen in Christmas offers – hello curry cured salmon! We think the variety of dishes makes Black Iron the perfect choice for groups who want to celebrate together but don’t want to sign up for eating turkey dinners for a month. Read the full menu here.
