It’s Christmas, and the joy lies in spending a slow morning while unwrapping gifts with family, listening to Alexa playing Jingle Bell Rock and pulling on the ugly Xmas sweaters with Santa’s face and pompoms. Carry the Christmas cheer beyond your home by heading out for a special brunch date with family and friends to NCR-based cafes and restaurants, which are decked up in their festive best in reds and whites. A slow brunch with grazing tables and warm winter drinksCafes have curated lavish brunch spreads, grazing tables, live stations w⁰ith festive classics, decadent desserts and warm winter drinks designed for long, lazy catch-ups. “The brunch is about celebrating the bonhomie of the season,” says Minakshi Singh, co-founder of Sidecar and The Brook. “Along with a live performance by the Arpit Agnihotri Trio, guests can enjoy winter warmers like mulled wine and a festive menu featuring prawn har gow, roast chicken with red wine rosemary jus, gnocchi and crispy kalari cheese with pistachio,” she says.
A slow brunch with grazing tables and warm winter drinks (@sidecarindia and @burashindia)
At Burash, Noida, chef-founder Rishab Gupta has curated a Christmas brunch to recreate the magic of his childhood Xmas memories. He says, “The grazing table is curated with dishes that hold nostalgic value, think classic Christmas puddings, hot toddy and other wintery delights. A live band will fill the air with classics we’ve grown up listening to, from Wham’s Last Christmas to Hotel California by The Eagles.”
Winter warmers for the perfect Christmas unwind (Pics: @burashnoida)
“The Christmas-special menu is designed as a slow, indulgent festive experience that blends warmth, comfort, and thoughtful dining. Guests can choose between intimate indoor seating or our lush outdoor space, ideal for gathering with friends and family. The festive menu is the heart of the experience, featuring comforting soups and wood-fired pizzas. The experience is rounded off with winter-inspired desserts like the classic pecan pie, Baileys chocolate mousse trifle, and our in-house apple cinnamon ice cream, evoking nostalgia and festive cheer,” says chef Sunil Chauhan, founder of Ingri at Museo.
Indulge in hands-on festive workshops (Pics: @pouls.of.art)
Hubs like 32nd Avenue are hosting workshops like wreath making, gingerbread making, wood slice painting and snow globe making for an immersive experience. “DIY experiences spark the feeling of togetherness as huddles to engage at live stations and beverage labs,” adds Rishab.Regional festive dishes = Taste of desi ChristmasWhile hot chocolate and trifle puddings remain favourites, some cafes are spotlighting regional Christmas tables inspired by home kitchens. Ruchira Priyanka Hoon, chef patron at Daarvin Canteen, is hosting a Malabari Christmas table with a modern flair. She says, “With the Very Malabari Christmas spread, the idea is to give Delhiites a taste of the home-style Christmas of the Malabar region, along the northern coast of Kerala in India. It has a vibrant Christian community with deep-rooted culinary traditions influenced by the Portuguese, Syrian, and Arabs. Feasts usually feature biryani, roasts, fermented breads, like appams, and the iconic plum cake. We have Kadala curry hummus with puttu chips, stuffed varutharacha chicken with velvet coconut curry espuma (foam) to go along with idiyappam, kuzhappam filled with mushroom/chicken pate. The entire meal is paired with a passion fruit picante.”
Draavin Canteen is hosting a Malabari Christmas table with a modern flair
Kartikeya Sinha, who curated the Indian Christmas Table at Indica in Ghitorni, says, “The idea was to showcase some of the dishes that are eaten at Christmas tables across India. Most people think of Western festive dishes like panettone, glazed ham, turkey when they hear Christmas, but Indians have developed their own traditions like Kerala stew, smoked meat and galho, vindaloo, bafat. The traditional menu, with a few twists, was served in the community style, in the true festive spirit.”
Chef Kartikeya Sinha curated the Indian Christmas Table at Indica in Ghitorni
A jolly Christmas playlist for the road Soak in the holiday season vibe as you listen to some Christmas songs on the way to the brunch date today All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah CareyLast Christmas by Wham!Feliz Navidad by José FelicianoDo They Know It’s Christmas? by Band AidHappy Xmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon & Yoko OnoWonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartneySanta Tell Me by Ariana GrandeUnderneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson
