Christmas is right around the corner, which means your largest payoff is drawing near. Before you embark on your newfound New Year resolutions for 2020, why not round off the year with a sumptuous, free-flowing family buffet dinner to relax and unwind with your nearest and dearest? It’s also a great way to treat yourself for working so hard this part year — you’ve earned it!
With well-known restaurants spreading their feasts, ‘tis the season to let loose and indulge by having more food, instead of responsibilities and worries, on your plate. We list down 26 of the best buffets to book for your family Christmas feast, ranked from budget-friendly to splurge-worthy:
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Text: Joanna Poh, Moneysmart / Additional reporting: Cherrie Lim and Elizabeth Liew
At Sky22, choose between their Festive Semi-Buffets (lunch $28++, dinner $36++ per adult), Festive Weekend Buffets ($68++ per adult), Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet ($88++ per adult) and Christmas Day Lunch Buffet ($78++ per adult). From serving ever-changing appetisers and soups weekly such as the pink peppercorn-crusted quail to festive all-time favourites like a good ol’ slow-roasted rib-eye, you can expect plenty of choices for you to choose from, if you can choose at all.
They even have local delights you definitely do not want to miss out on — who would pass up a Singapore chilli crab with fried mantou on Christmas Eve?
Address: Courtyard by Marriott Singapore Novena, 99 Irrawaddy Rd, Singapore 329568, tel: 6378 2040
Making a trip (or two) to IKEA to grab some last-minute Christmas decorations or gifts? It’s not just the shopping you should be looking forward to — on 20 December 2019, the Swedish furniture giant is hosting a one-day-only Julboard Christmas Buffet Dinner (early bird tickets cost $29.90 per adult, until 15 December) for IKEA family members and one guest. It costs $9.90 for children 12 years old and below, while children below four dine for free.
The regular price for a ticket is $39.90 per adult. Tickets are available at IKEA Restaurants only. Visit their website for more information.
Address: IKEA Alexandra is at 317 Alexandra Rd, Singapore 159965; IKEA Tampines is at 60 Tampines North Drive 2, Singapore 528764.
Should you need a sugar boost after all that Christmas shopping, head to InterContinental Singapore for an appetiser and dessert semi-buffet. Set up in Ash & Elm is a sweet tooth’s haven with Yule logs, Christmas fruit cakes and even classic french patisserie delights like the vanilla Saint-Honoré for you to indulge in.
You can also dig into European-style gourmet food prepared with a flair from their three culinary theatres for a new experience to check off your list this year. Some of the Christmas favourites to be served include wholeroast turkey with cranberry stuffing and coq au vin braised with red wine sauce.
Ash & Elm’s Festive Lunch Semi-Buffet ($38) includes an appetiser and dessert buffet and runs till 31 December (excluding 25 December), 12pm to 3pm. Add-ons of main course and beef main course go at $48 and $58 respectively.
For something more lavish, opt for their Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner (from $148), 6pm to 10pm on 24 December.
Address: InterContinental Singapore, 80 Middle Rd, Singapore 188966, tel: 6338 7600.
Looking to wow business partners to simply want to indulge in seafood and festive meats? Head to this restaurant located right in the Central Business District, making it super accessible to office workers, where you can indulge in fresh seafood and roast beef, as well as yuletide treats like Cajun spiced lamb with mint sauce, honey-baked ham, Christmas turkey and more.
Available until 31 December 2019, the buffet lunch ($46 per adult) takes place only on Saturdays and Sundays, while the buffet dinner ($58 per adult) is from Sundays to Thursdays. Visit their website for more information.
Address: 81 Anson Rd, Singapore 079908, tel: 6500 6112
Celebrating Christmas should be more cosy than bling. That makes Baba Chews, an unpretentious restaurant with a focus on Peranakan cuisine, the perfect place to tuck into a Christmas brunch.
This year, Baba Chews has a Festive Dinner buffet ($62 per adult) on 24 December 2019 (6pm to 10.30pm) and a Festive Brunch buffet ($48 per adult) on 25 December 2019 (11am to 3pm).
Expect to be served delights such as kueh pie tee, rojak, nangka cheesecake, assam turkey and beef rendang. Yes, not a very traditional western Christmas but great for any large gatherings that appreciate Peranakan food, for sure.
Address: Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong, 86 East Coast Road Katong Square S428788, tel: 6723 7001
Lunch with a waterfront view of Sentosa? Yes please! This celebrity chef restaurant is serving up delicious and hearty Italian dishes with unlimited servings of starters and desserts on Christmas Day. The lunch semi-buffet ($50++ per adult), available exclusively at Jamie Italian’s VivoCity outlet, includes a selection of risotto, pastas and pizzas, as well as mains like porchetta and roast turkey.
The buffet section includes starters like an assortment of cured meats, porcini arancini with truggles and salad, as well as desserts like mini cheesecakes, homemade tiramisu and pannettone trifle.
Address: 1 Harbourfront Walk, #1-165-167 VivoCity, Singapore 098585, tel: 6733 5500
For a buffet with a Southeast Asian twist, make a reservation at Princess Terrace which is giving their famed Penang Buffet a festive spin. Available from 15 December 2019 to 1 January 2020, the King’s Royal Festive Buffet (lunch from $53.80++ per person, dinner from $56.80++ per person) includes festive highlights like roasted turkey, honey-baked ham and more, but it also includes unique dishes you can’t find elsewhere, like the Nonya-style Turkey (pictured above).
Address: 403 Havelock Road, Singapore 169632, tel: 6733 0011
Dine in the lush interior of the hotel or al fresco by the infinity pool when you choose between two separate buffet menus, one lunch and the other for dinner. A highlight on both menus is Food Exchange‘s new Satay Roasted Turkey, in addition to classics like honey-baked ham, log cakes and other delicacies.
The Festive Lunch Buffet ($56++), 12pm to 2.30pm, will serve up a rotation of western and local asian favourites like baby spring chicken with truffle mushroom sauce, fish & chips, seafood stew with basil pesto, cereal prawn, XO fried rice and sambal stingray.
Meanwhile, the Food Exchange Festive Dinner Buffet (from $72++), 6pm to 10pm, will serve up beef bourguinon, seafood stew with basil pesto and beef goulash, oriental roast pork, char siew and roast duck, and lots more.
Buffets end on 30 December 2019. For more information, visit their website here.
Address: Novotel Singapore On Stevens, 28 Stevens Rd, #01-01, Singapore 257878, tel: 6491 6100
In Singapore on a quick stopover, or just happen to live in Changi? Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, which is usually filled with travellers who need to take a quick nap before catching their next flight, also has a Festive Lunch Buffet ($58) and Festive Dinner Buffet ($68) running from 1 December 2019 to 1 January 2020 (excluding Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day).
At their restaurant Azur, you get to enjoy a spread which includes a generous selection of seafood and meat of both Western and Asian persuasions.
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, you’ll have to pay $88, with an additional $28 for a free flow of booze. But Christmas Day diners will also get to enjoy carolling as well as a selection of Christmas treats including a variety of log cakes, roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing and seafood on ice.
Address: Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, 75 Airport Blvd, #01-01, Singapore 819664, tel: 6823 5354
It’s hard not to think of Carousel when one mentions extensive buffet spreads. Save yourself the worry of over- or under-preparing for your Christmas dinner and dine at Carousel instead! Serving up classic festive foods like traditional roast turkeys, log cakes, hot puddings, and even a Churrasco station for roasty meats, everyone is allowed to go for unlimited seconds at $58 for lunch (12pm to 2pm) and $88 for dinner (6.30pm to 9.30pm) per adult on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, it’s $68 and $80 respectively.
Performances will also be available and Santa Claus will be making an appearance bringing gifts too.
Address: Royal Plaza on Scotts Singapore, 25 Scotts Rd, Singapore 228220, tel: 6219 3780
Located along the iconic Singapore River, you and your loved ones can relish a gorgeous view as you dine at Fullerton Hotel’s Town Restaurant this festive season. With more than 20 stations, there will be something for every taste and palate, from slow-cooked Hokkaido scallop prepared a la minute to porcini mushroom and truffle risotto, and traditional turkey.
Happening until 30 December 2019, the Festive Lunch Buffet (from $59 per adult) is only on weekdays, but there are a slew of other buffet options to choose from, such as the Heritage Buffet (also from $59 per adult), and Christmas Buffet Dinner (from $180 per adult, additional cost for free-flow Champagne) on 24 and 25 December 2019. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178, tel: 6597 5292/5293
You don’t have to pay for a plane ticket to have a taste of an Italian Christmas. From 2 to 30 December, indulge in a range of buffets at Basilico, such as the Festive Weekday Lunch Buffet ($65++ per person). Boasting produce picked at the height of their seasons, relish in flavourful roasts such as the Mirto-infused turkey stuffed with pears and heirloom beetroots and the porchetta romana stuffed with plums and glazed heirloom baby carrots.
Basilico’s Christmas Day Buffets promise even more. The brunch buffet ($170++ per person) offers a dedicated cheese room and a complete caviar station, while the dinner buffet ($125++ per person) features an impressive seafood bar flaunting poached lobsters, Alaskan King Crabs with aperol and grapefruit and many more. Even the kid’s playroom is maxed out with festive goodies, bouncy castles and game consoles!
Address: Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Rd, Singapore 249715, tel: 6725 3232
At Carlton City Hotel’s Plate Restaurant, which serves up European and local dishes, enjoy an affordable Festive Weekday Buffet Lunch ($65++ per person), 12pm to 2.30pm, from 9 to 23 December 2019. Citibank cardholders also get 1-for-1 deals on this buffet, which is only available on Monday to Friday, excluding Christmas Eve day.
From 20-25 December 2019, there’s also the Christmas Buffet Dinner (from $70++ per person), 6.30pm to 10.30pm, featuring a carving station where you can enjoy the signature slow baked cajun turkey, as well as dishes like the ever-popular Singapore chili crab with man tou, black pepper crab, and a selection of Christmas logcakes and pastries. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Carlton City Hotel Singapore, 1 Gopeng St, Singapore 078862, tel: 6632 8888
The restaurant’s executive chef Jackie Zhang and his team will be preparing a sumptuous feast that won’t break the bank. Highlights include the Asian-inspired har cheong roast turkey, honey-baked gammon ham, BBQ beef short ribs and festive cakes to sweeten the evening.
The Sparkling Festive Buffets (lunch at $68++ per person, dinner at $88++ per person) are available from 2 December 2019 all the way to 1 January 2020, with additional costs on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
Early bird special: Book before 15 December to enjoy a 20 per cent discount and a free bottle of wine. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Ground floor, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, 392 Havelock Rd, Singapore 169663, tel: 6233 1100
For an international spread, tuck into a scrumptious lunch or dinner buffet (from $68++ per adult) at Marriott Cafe featuring lots of seasonal treats like roast turkey with chestnut bread stuffing, slow-roasted Australian beef and roast pork saddle with pancetta. Seafood lovers will make a beeline for the prawns, crayfish and mussels.
They also have sumptuous buffets on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at $138++ at lunchtime and $160++ at dinnertime. This price includes free flow wines, beer, juices and soft drinks. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza, 320 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238865, 6831 4605.
From 1 to 23 December 2019, Pan Pacific’s award-winning restaurant, The Edge, is organising an extravagant Festive Lunch ($75 per adult), 12pm to 2.30pm, and Dinner ($108 per adult), 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Feast on Christmas bread pudding, oven-roasted Tomahawk steak, Boston Lobster and sweets like Christmas stollen, Black Forest Log Cake, among a variety of other festive offerings.
If you can’t make it, they’ve also got a lavish Christmas Day Sunday Champagne Brunch, but be prepared to pay $238 to $258 (free-flow champagne and alcohol), or $168 to $178 without alcohol. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039595, tel: 6826 8240
Love BBQs but worried about the monsoon rain ruining your plans? Then head to family-friendly Porta at Park Hotel Clarke Quay just around the corner, where you can enjoy a generous spread of seafood, turkey and char-grilled meats. Seafood lovers will race to fill their plates with scallops, fish, tiger prawns and squid.
The Festive BBQ Buffet ($78++ per adult) is on selected dates from 20 to 31 December and includes free-flow soft drinks and Magnum ice cream.
Early bird special: If you book your seats in advance, pay with a UOB, Citibank, HSBC, Standard Chartered, OCBC or Maybank card to get 50 per cent off every second adult diner. Do this by 14 December and you get 10 per cent off house wine by the glass or bottle too! Visit their website for more information.
Address: Park Hotel Clarke Quay, 1 Unity St, Singapore 237983, tel: 6593 8855
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Rejoice, for this will be Atrium Restaurant’s first Christmas buffet since their halal certification! Go all out on their lavish spread of food displayed exquisitely at different stations — there’s nothing like Fine de Claire oysters and spanner crabs arranged beautifully on ice and succulent roasts like a slow-roasted Australian beef rib-eye on rotation. You may even indulge in local delights at various live stations.
Atrium Restaurant’s Festive Buffet Dinner ($88++ per adult from Sun to Thurs, $98++ per adult from Fri to Sat) takes place from 1 to 31 December 2019, so have your fill and top it off with a Christmas pudding or Red Bean Soup before you leave.
If you choose to go on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (there’s even a high tea option!), you’ll even get to have a taste of other eccentric delicacies like roasted mala turkey with cilantro turkey jus. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium, 317 Outram Rd, Singapore 169075, tel: 6731 7172
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Christmas lunch in a garden, anyone? The Villa is organising a Christmas Day Brunch buffet ($98++ per adult), 11am to 2.30pm, exclusively on Christmas day. Featuring a universally loved continental spread that includes carved turkey, fresh seafood and eggs in any style you’d like, brunch in The Ginger Garden sounds like a dream especially with its free-flow sparkling, house white, red wines and beer available from $30.
In the meantime, your kids can decorate their own gingerbread man cookies or do some colouring at the Kids’ Activity Corner — so don’t feel too guilty sipping away as long as you don’t get too tipsy by midday.
Early-Bird Christmas Buffet Promotion: Book for a minimum of four adults and the fourth diner gets to dine for free. Promotion ends 7 December.
Address: The Villa, 1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens (via Tyersall Avenue), Singapore 259569, tel: 9653 7775.
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Hotel Fort Canning’s lush green location makes it a romantic escape from the usual overcrowded city streets. This year, they’re holding a super luxe Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet ($108++ per adult) featuring a spread of European and Asian specialties.
If you prefer to countdown elsewhere, you can still show up for their Christmas Day Lunch Buffet ($138++ per adult) which will also feature plenty of activities to keep the kids busy, including a visit by Santa Claus himself (treats included!), a bouncy castle, yule-themed arts and crafts sessions and more. Plus, children below four dine for free with each paying adult! Visit their website for more information.
Address: Hotel Fort Canning, 11 Canning Walk, Singapore 178881, tel: 6799 8809/ 6559 6796
Take pleasure in savouring free-flow delicious food and fine wine with a panoramic view of Singapore’s cityscape. Chef Armando Aristarco, Executive Chef of Tablescape Restaurant & Bar, will take it upon himself this Christmas to bring everyone a festive dinner buffet (from $138 per person) at this destination rooftop bar perched atop the National Gallery.
Offering old-world hospitality and European classics with a modern twist, his magic will come to the table in the forms of roast beef with roast potato and grilled vegetables, carnaroli risotto with sage and black truffle served in a parmesan wheel and lots more. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Smoke & Mirrors, 1 St. Andrew’s Road, #06-01 National Gallery Singapore, 178957, tel: 9380 6313
Feast on a decadent lineup of Christmas classics at this restaurant with a city view. Highlights from the buffet menu include premium roast and grilled items like prime rib roast beef, glazed Kurobuta ham and roasted turkey, fresh seafood like tuna tartare and oysters, as well as unlimited pourings of mulled wine, champagne, wines and beers.
For dessert, do try their seasonal special, the Christmas Morello Cherry Pandan Chiffon Cakfe with a tart cherry mousse centre.
The Christmas Eve Dinner buffet and Christmas Day Lunch buffet both cost $148++ per adult for free-flow non-alcoholic drinks and $188++ per adult with free-flow alcoholic drinks.
Plus, come dressed in your tackiest Christmas sweater and you stand a chance to win amazing prizes.
Address: 5 Fraser St, Level 25 Andaz Singapore, Singapore 189354, tel: 6408 1288
The Goodwood Park Hotel provides a distinguished atmosphere for a Christmas meal, which is why you might want to consider attending their Christmas Day brunch buffet (from $150 per adult) at fine dining restaurant Gordon Grill, which is known for their delicious steaks.
Early bird special [Updated for accuracy]: To make your wallet hurt just a little less, make your booking by 15 Dec to enjoy a 10 per cent discount for the first seating (10.30am to 1pm). Do note that full payment is required at the time of booking.
Alternatively, you can check out the other two dining establishments in the hotel – L’Espresso for festive-themed English Afternoon Tea buffets, and Coffee Lounge for Taiwan Porridge a la carte buffet with a spread of festive desserts. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Rd, Singapore 228221, tel: 6730 1744 (Gordon Grill).
At Racines, the hotel’s resident restaurant, you’ll find French and Chinese fusion dishes that give you the best of both worlds. While there will be no month-long buffet menu at Racines this December (instead, they’ve prepared a five-course Christmas set menu), they will be offering a buffet dinner on Christmas Eve (from $158 per adult) and a brunch buffet (from $168 per adult) on Christmas Day. Expect to see Christmas classics with some Asian delicacies thrown into the mix.
Address: 9 Wallich St, 5th floor Sofitel Singapore City Centre, Singapore 078885, tel: 6428 5000
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For a luxurious spread that’s out of the world, The Knolls at Capella is offering a Christmas Brunch (from $208 with free flow speciality mocktails, soft drinks and juices) on 24 December 2019. You can enjoy canapes like foie gras custard with winter black truffle and duck consomme and fresh scallop and snapper ceviche.
Apart from the salad bar and hot creamy chestnut soup, there will also be a seafood station with freshly shucked oysters, poached prawn with homemade cocktail sauce and Boston lobster salad.
It’s definitely a very traditional Christmas experience as you can get roasted Christmas turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce as well as desserts like warm Christmas plum pudding. Visit their website for more information.
Address: Capella Singapore, 1 The Knolls, Singapore 098297, tel: 6591 5046
Give yourself the best Christmas gift by truly letting go of your thoughts of work, dieting or entertaining your kids at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. With a bounty of kiddy rides, arcade games and an actual bouncy castle, let your worries float away with infinite pours of Champagne Barons de Rothschild Réserve Ritz Brut NV, draft beer and house pour red/white wines. This is alongside yummy serves of epicurean delights like the glazed gammon ham with jalapeño spiced corn bread and the nitrogen baked meringue with red wine poached pear sorbet.
The Christmas Buffet Brunch Extravaganza ($238 per adult) is on Christmas Day only, and includes free-flow soft drinks.
Address: The Grand Ballroom (Level 1), The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, Marina Bay, 7 Raffles Ave, 039799, tel: 6434 5288
Here’s another one for the seafood lovers, but this time over brunch — if you’re a fan of both, this is it for you!
From freshly-shucked oysters to rotisserie delights, the BBR Christmas Day Brunch Buffet ($298++ per person) offers an extensive range of seafood marinated to the best taste, including a curated array of the restaurant’s signature dishes of tender Octopus, Paprika & Olive Oil, and Carabineros Shrump & Shellfish Stew among others. Even better? A fine selection of free-flowing Billecart-Samon Champagne Brut Réserve, Brut Rosé, cocktails and wines. Reserve a table here.
Address: BBR by Alain Ducasse, Raffles Singapore, 1 Beach Rd, Singapore 189673.