The best holiday restaurants in NYC

Imagine sipping on a Dirty Martini and eating roasted salmon and ratatouille under twinkling lights and falling snow. That can happen at Dirty French, a warm, rustic French bistro in the Lower East Side’s Ludlow Hotel. With unique chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, white marble tables, and leather couches, this is a charming space for a festive dinner in NYC. There are three spaces available for dining: the smaller private dining room (max. 50 guests), the main dining room (max. 90 guests), and the courtyard garden with the glass ceiling (max. 24 guests). Comme c’est festif!

In the heart of Midtown is Isla & Co, a restaurant inspired by Australian culinary culture. The main lounge (capacity of 50 people) and the garden lounge (capacity of 28 people) are picturesque, with lots of tropical greenery and shimmering light pendants. For a festive dinner, they offer family-style packages where you and your guests can indulge in crafted cocktail offerings (like an espresso martini flight), beer, pan-seared fish, and Aussie chicken parm. When you’re finished with your celebration here, you can stroll down 5th Avenue to Rockefeller Center to admire the dazzling holiday lights.

Glimmering at the end of an unassuming alley in the Lower East Side is Freeman’s, a rustic American restaurant. It was built like a small manor house and is carefully designed with wood paneling, exposed brick, and wooden tables and chairs, giving it a warm, cozy feel. There are four private rooms for a festive dinner party of any size: the Wine Room (with a wine cellar) for 12 people, the Blue Room for 10-20 people, the Red Room for 20-30 people, and the Drawing Room for 30-80 people. The menu serves classic American fare, like steak frites and Amish chicken, and family-style meals begin at $95/pp. If you’re looking for a festive dinner in NYC that feels like home during the holidays, Freeman’s is the place.

Located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, is Rule of Thirds, a Japanese restaurant and party venue. This space has industrial charm, with exposed brick, wood accents, natural light, and concrete floors. It’s a quaint, warm space for a festive dinner with friends and family, surrounded by lush greenery, Scandi-style furnishings, and glimmering lights. Indulge in the Japanese-Izakaya dishes in a family-style format, as well as wine, beer, Brooklyn-brewed sake, and delicious house cocktails.

Rule of Thirds can accommodate up to 250 guests in the Corner Bar and Atrium space or a full buyout for 250 guests.

Olio E Più is a beloved Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. With green walls, wooden tables, and vintage decor and lighting, this romantic, old-world-Italy-inspired space is picturesque enough for a holiday card. Indulge in pizza, handmade pasta, focaccia bread, bruschetta, and so much wine that you’ll feel like you’re having a festive dinner in Italy. When the festivities at Olio E Più come to an end, walk to Washington Square Park and admire the tree lights.

This venue’s capacity is 90 people for an indoor meal.