This Christmas, the joy extends beyond the home, with cafes and restaurants across Delhi-NCR decked in festive reds and whites, inviting families and friends for special, slow-paced brunches. These curated experiences focus on long, lazy catch-ups over lavish spreads, warm winter drinks, and live music, transforming the holiday into a communal culinary celebration.
Slow Brunches & Nostalgic Feasts
The festive brunch scene is all about indulgence and bonhomie. Minakshi Singh, co-founder of Sidecar and The Brook, emphasises that the brunch is about celebrating the season's togetherness. Their offering includes a live performance by the Arpit Agnihotri Trio, winter warmers like mulled wine, and a festive menu featuring prawn har gow, roast chicken with red wine rosemary jus, and crispy kalari cheese with pistachio.
At Burash in Noida, chef-founder Rishab Gupta has designed a Christmas brunch to recreate the magic of his childhood memories. "The grazing table is curated with dishes that hold nostalgic value, think classic Christmas puddings, hot toddy and other wintery delights," says Gupta. A live band will play classics from Wham's 'Last Christmas' to The Eagles' 'Hotel California'.
Chef Sunil Chauhan, founder of Ingri at Museo, describes their Christmas-special menu as a slow, indulgent experience blending warmth and comfort. Guests can choose between intimate indoor or lush outdoor seating. The menu features comforting soups, wood-fired pizzas, and desserts like classic pecan pie, Baileys chocolate mousse trifle, and in-house apple cinnamon ice cream.
A Taste of Desi Christmas: Regional Festive Tables
Moving beyond traditional hot chocolate and trifle, several establishments are spotlighting regional Indian Christmas traditions inspired by home kitchens. Chef patron Ruchira Priyanka Hoon of Daarvin Canteen is hosting a 'Very Malabari Christmas' spread with a modern twist.
"The idea is to give Delhiites a taste of the home-style Christmas of the Malabar region in Kerala," Hoon explains. The feast, influenced by Portuguese, Syrian, and Arab traditions, features items like Kadala curry hummus with puttu chips, stuffed varutharacha chicken with velvet coconut curry espuma served with idiyappam, and kuzhappam filled with mushroom or chicken pate. The meal is paired with a passion fruit picante.
Similarly, Kartikeya Sinha, who curated the Indian Christmas Table at Indica in Ghitorni, aimed to showcase dishes eaten across India. "Most people think of Western festive dishes... but Indians have developed their own traditions like Kerala stew, smoked meat and galho, vindaloo, and bafat," Sinha states. The traditional menu, served community-style, offers a festive twist on these regional classics.
Immersive Workshops & Festive Vibes
Adding to the experiential dining, hubs like 32nd Avenue are hosting hands-on festive workshops. Activities include wreath making, gingerbread decorating, wood slice painting, and snow globe making. Rishab Gupta of Burash notes that such DIY experiences spark a feeling of togetherness as people huddle around live stations and beverage labs.
To complete the holiday mood, a classic Christmas playlist featuring Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You', Wham!'s 'Last Christmas', and other timeless hits provides the perfect soundtrack for the journey to these festive brunch dates across the National Capital Region.
