Where to eat on Christmas

11 best Houston restaurants open and serving on Christmas Day

For most people, Christmas Day means staying home, spending time with the family, and enjoying a home-cooked meal.

However, not everybody wants to cook on Christmas. For those people, we offer this list of restaurants (and one bar) that will be open on the holiday. Since these hardworking Houstonians are taking time away from their families to feed strangers, we recommend tipping generously. After all, it’s Christmas!

Our annual suggestions of Chinese restaurants for those celebrating “Jewish Christmas” will appear next week.

The Annie Cafe & Bar
Ben Berg’s refreshed take on Cafe Annie will be open for lunch and dinner from 10 am to 7 pm. Expect its regular menu (try the lumache pasta and Gulf crab meat tostadas) plus a few specials created by executive chef Robert Del Grande. 1800 Post Oak Blvd.; 713-804-1800

Bori
Located in Spring Branch, this restaurant elevates the typical Korean barbecue experience in a couple of ways. First, the well-trained staff oversees the traditional tabletop cooking. Second, they offer a number of high quality meats, including dry-aged ribeye and Japanese wagyu. On Christmas, the restaurant will be open from 5pm to 11 pm. 1453 Witte Rd.; 832-740-4350

The Burger Joint
If late-night hunger strikes, this Montrose restaurant can help. The Burger Joint will be serving its full menu from 11 am to 12 am on Christmas Day. Try this month’s special Jalapeño Ranch Bacon Burger (befe patty, bacon, Muenster, red onion, garlic pickles, and homemade jalapeño ranch). 2703 Montrose Blvd.; 281-974-2889

Cleburne Cafeteria
Recently named the best cafeteria in America, this Houston institution will be open from 11 am to 8 pm on Christmas Day. Choose from the restaurant's full range of offerings, which always include turkey and dressing, as well as fried chicken, fish, and more. Take-out will also be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. 3606 Bissonnet St.; 713-667-2386

Himalaya
Skip the usual ham or turkey and let chef Kaiser Lashkari feed the family masala-spiced fried chicken, Hunter’s Beef, and garlic naan. Recently named to GQ’s list of 22 new classic restaurants, Himalaya will be open from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm. 6652 Southwest Fwy; 713-532-2837

Kiran's
The Upper Kirby favorite serves a decadent buffet on Christmas Day. Priced at $75 for adults and $35 for children 4-10, the offerings include rosemary and garlic roasted leg of lamb, tandoor-roasted turkey with apricot and cranberry stuffing, chicken korma, mixed breads, and plenty of desserts. Choose from one of three seatings: 10:30 am, 1 pm, and 3:30 pm. 2925 Richmond Ave.; 713-960-8472

Peli Peli
All four locations of the South African restaurant will be open on Christmas from 2pm to 8 pm. In addition to its regular menu, chef Ryan Stewart is offering two specials: a 14-ounce double bone-in pork chop with carrot bredie and an 8-ounce beef Wellington served with Drakensburg legumes. See website for address and phone numbers.

Phat Eatery
Check out the Malaysian restaurant’s newly expanded dining room from 11:30 am to 8 pm on Christmas Day. Not only is chef-owner Alex Au-Yeung serving some of the finest Roti Canai and Curry Laksa in town, but the lack of traffic on the holiday means the drive to Katy will never be easier. 23119 Colonial Pkwy (Katy); 832-913-6382

Present Company
Houston’s most-Instagrammable bar will be open from 7 pm to 2 am. If hunger strikes, the kitchen will be serving a limited menu until midnight. 1318 Westheimer; 281-974-4752

Shun Japanese Kitchen
The innovation Japanese restaurant will be open for normal dinner hours on Christmas (5-10 pm). In addition to its regular menu of nigiri, hand rolls, and shareable plates, the restaurant will offer a four-piece fried chicken special with mashed potatoes, truffle mac and cheese, biscuits, and two glasses of champagne for $25. 2802 S Shepherd Dr.; 832-409-5888

Verandah Progressive Indian Restaurant
Chef Sunil Srivastava will serve a three-course, $65 prix-fixe menu at his stylish Upper Kirby establishment. The restaurant promises lots of tempting choices for appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Open 6-9 pm (last seating 8:30). 3300 Kirby Dr.; 281-501-0258

The Annie Cafe is decorated for the holidays.

Photo by Jacob Power

The Annie Cafe is decorated for the holidays.

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Coming soon to Fredericksburg

Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Bottega Salaria

Valerio Lombardozzi is opening Bottega Salaria in the former home of La Bergerie.

Valerio Lombardozzi’s culinary career has taken him to the world’s finest kitchens, including restaurants owned by icons like Alain Ducasse, Giorgio Locatelli, and Joël Robuchon. In Houston, he led La Table and Tavola, where he earned a reputation for being one of the city's most engaging front of the house personalities.

But his latest project might be his biggest accomplishment yet. The hospitality veteran is opening Bottega Salaria, a homey Italian osteria and artisan market, in the former home of La Bergerie at 312 E Austin St in his adopted home of Fredericksburg.

Lombardozzi says the restaurant, expected to arrive in winter 2026, fills a gap in the Hill Country dining scene, but, more importantly, it's a reflection of his personal history and time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Rome.

“[It’s about] where I grew up, how I grew up, and how I eat,” he shares.

The three-concept experience is inspired by Italy’s Via Salaria, the ancient route Italians used to transport salt from the Adriatic Sea to Rome. The menu acts as a sort of travelogue, borrowing from the different cultures along the road, and the way village fishermen and shepherds ate.

Lombardozzi is quick to say he didn’t want to open a chef-driven restaurant. Instead, the osteria will serve traditional Roman staples such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and branzino carved tableside.

“I was one of the last to be exposed to the old generation of professionals who knew how to carve elegantly for the guests,” he says.

The adjacent bottega will stay open during restaurant hours, offering fresh pasta made on-site, house-made sauces, imported Italian pantry items, cheeses, salumi, breads, and biscotti. Patrons will be able to shop for individual items or put together custom gift baskets.

Outdoors, La Fraschetteria will debut a new hospitality experience in the U.S. The self-guided experience invites diners to grab wine directly from garden shelves, gather a spread of meats, cheeses, bread, or pasta, and linger around long communal tables lit by string lights.

Keeping the chit-chat going will be a thoughtful beverage program anchored by a primarily Italian wine list and imported beer. Lombardozzi says the cocktail menu might be a surprise, offering only gin and tonics, spritzes, and negronis. The latter has been made into a game where diners roll dice to determine the evening's combination of gin, vermouth, and bitters.

After dinner, guests can select an amaro from a rolling cart, sip grappa and limoncello, or sip a neat whiskey.

Lombardozzi shares that he wants Bottega Salaria to be just as comfortable for Fredericksburg locals as it is for destination travelers. Beyond daily service, Bottega Salaria plans community events such as garden wine nights with live music, Sunday movie nights, and hands-on cooking classes.

The space is designed for ease with a warm palette combining olive green and pomegranate reds. The decor blends heritage and modernity, bringing in objects like antique mirrors, plates, custom-made lamps, and even old tablecloths and curtains for an Old World feel.

"We’re not just opening a restaurant,” Lombardozzi says. “We’re creating a gathering place. A home for everyone who loves Italian food, culture, and the joy of sharing a meal with others.”

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