If you've spend the best part of the year dining out and don't see why you shouldn't continue in the same vein on Christmas Day, then luckily there's plenty of places to cater for you in London...for a price. As you'd expect, every hotel will be open, which is where you'll find the greatest choice of dining rooms, but there's still the odd restaurant and gastropub around town where refugees who'd prefer to be cooked for without having to endure a family Christmas can find a home on 25th December.

The Balcon

We can't think of many jollier places to spend Christmas Day than Whitehall's The Balcon, particularly when enjoying the ministrations of their Champagne Angel, Christine.

The four course menu costs £105 per person and includes such delights as Mild smoked Kenmare salmon with homemade blinis and cinnamon Aspall cyder cream, casserole of Herefordshire snail in garlic jus, Mas air-dried ham with parsnip purée, free range roast turkey with all the trimmings and Vanilla marinated dried fruit compote with clove scented custard. 

Booking information for The Balcon

Boundary

You don't have to schlep all the way into the West End on Christmas Day if you're an Eastender. Terence Conran's Boundary is opening for Christmas lunch. There'll be a champagne and oysters and caviar canapés reception at 12pm, a four-course lunch ending with coffee and mince pies and the bar will stay open until 5pm. Rather daringly there's no turkey on the menu, instead you can plump for goose, partridge or fish stew and finish up with plum souffle or a Bûche de Noël.

The price is the same as last year, £90 per person. 

Booking information for Boundary

Cut

It's no secret that we loved Wolfgang Puck's Cut when we went there for a test drive, and if you're considering treating yourself for Christmas, this could be the one. Who could fail to love a Christmas Day menu which begins with an amuse of Kobe beef sliders? The three course menu with wine matching costs £320 or you could opt for the menu without matching for £255. Starters include the Dorset crab and lobster 'Louis' and Heirloom Apple Salad with Fuyu Persimmon, fennel, red endive and Medjool dates, while for mains you can choose between a variety of steaks including the Australian Wagyu or 10oz USDA rib eye. There's also turkey with cornbread stuffing for traditionalists.

Round the meal off with chocolate souffle or Fuji apple pie with pecan streusel.

Booking information for Cut

The Cinnamon Club

If you've already eaten your fill of turkey dinners by now, go for something completely different with Christmas lunch at The Cinnamon Club.

Start with a Cranberry Kick cocktail, then perhaps a Keralan-style lobster soup flamed with brandy, a clove-roasted goose breast or a chargrilled halibut with curry leaf quinoa followed by Garam Masala Christmas pudding with nutmeg custard. There's also plenty for vegetarians here including a main course of Tandoori Portobello mushroom with a stir-fry of baby morels and saffron bread.

The three course menu includes side dishes, coffee and petit fours and costs just £75 a person.

To book call 0207 2222 555.

Dean St Townhouse

There's sure to be a buzz on Christmas Day here in the heart of Soho, where they're offering a five course menu for £95 per person including a welcome glass of champagne.

Kick off with potted ham and wild rabbit or watercress soup and smoked haddock straws, before heading on to turkey, or maybe a roast rib of Hereford beef  or baked cep and truffle tart. There's a cheese course with stilton and eccles cakes or a standard cheeseboard followed by tipsy sherry trifle or pear bakewell pudding.

Booking information for Dean St Townhouse

Dinner By Heston

Last year's madness over the hidden orange Christmas pudding proved that Heston Blumenthal was a festive force to be reckoned with.

This year, why not spend Christmas Day dining at Dinner where the six course menu costs £175 per person. It takes in all the favourites of the menu from the fabulous Meat Fruit and Beef Royal as well as Salamagundy and Roast Halibut. As you'd expect, your Christmas Day feast concludes with the Christmas pudding complete with hidden mandarin. 

Booking information for Dinner by Heston

The Gilbert Scott

Whether you're staying at the St Pancras hotel or just a stray North Londoner looking for somewhere plush to eat on Christmas Day, The Gilbert Scott should see you proud. From £148 per person you can feast on a seven course tasting menu with matching wines. Dishes will include London Particular soup, Lincolnshire Haslet, Scottish Scallops with Jerusalem artichoke, Cumbrian goose with duck fat potatoes, cheese, Mrs Beeton’s apple snow and Sticky toffee Christmas pudding and custard.

Booking information for The Gilbert Scott

Koffmann's

Over in Knightsbridge Pierre Koffmann is offering a four-course meal for Christmas dinner at his restaurant at the Berkeley hotel for £110 per person.

Yes, you could have traditional roast turkey but then you'd be missing out on the braised hare with foie gras or the beef wellington with truffle sauce. Starters include sliced foie gras with lentils and lobster ravioli with coulis and leeks. Desserts feature Koffmann's legendary pistachio soufflé as well as a dark chocolate delight with Christmas spices.

Booking information for Koffmann's.

Le Pont de la Tour

Lunch overlooking the Thames on Christmas Day includes such delights as rabbit and foie gras terrine or seared scallops with cauliflower puree to start, roast bronzed Goosnargh turkey with all the trimmings or perhaps winter greens and chesnut pithivier for main. There's a cheese course and then a choice of four desserts including a classic pudding or a Valrhona chocolate and hazelnut buche de noel.

The four-course lunch is £89.50 per person including tea or coffee.

Booking information for Le Pont de la Tour

The Ritz

There are two options for Christmas lunch at The Ritz. The Ritz Restaurant is offering their traditional six-course Christmas Day Luncheon (£390 per person / £195 per child) which includes live music and a visit from Santa Claus.

Alternatively you could dine in the hotel's beautiful 18th century Music Room which will be serving up a six course lunch at £350 per person (£180 per child), including a visit and gift from Santa for all the children.

Booking information for The Ritz London

Roux at The Landau

Oenophiles should head to The Landau for a particularly festive Christmas lunch. Executive chef and Roux protege Chris King has put together a wine-matched four course menu for £295 for you to enjoy in the spendidly ornate David Collins-designed dining room.

So expect Lustau Alorose sherry with your lobster bisque, a 2009 Morgan with your Appledore turkey and a rather special glass of Monbazillac, Château Montdoyen, Albert Roux, France, 2001 with the Christmas pudding.

Booking information for Roux at The Landau.

Also open in London on Christmas Day:

Charlotte's Bistro in Chiswick have a five course menu that they think will please both diners looking for a traditional turkey or a complete change. So they do have Norfolk turkey but it has a mince pie stuffing, and their roasted sirloin of beef comes with Liquorice Ox Cheek and burnt sweet onions. The four-course menu includes an aperitif and canapes and costs £85 per person. To book call 020 8742 3590.

The Tufnell Park Tavern is putting on a frankly great value Christmas lunch for £35 a head for three courses (£20 for children under 12). As well as the usual suspects, there's beetroot cured salmon for starters and a Forge farm pumpkin tart with ricotta, thyme and parmesan as a vegetarian main course. To book call 0207 281 6113.

Just north of Oxford Street, The Grazing Goat will be open on Christmas Day from 12-6pm serving up a three-course lunch menu for £40. Highlights include Spiced Gammon & Pickle Terrine with apple relish and if you're not up for a turkey, a rather nice sounding Beetroot, Fig & Shallot Tart with Sussex slipcote and a red wine reduction. To book call 020 7724 7243.