Triangle restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Day + order-ahead meal packages
We all have our holiday traditions.
As we do every year, we’ve assembled a list of Triangle restaurants and bars planning to be open for Christmas Day.
Since many have plans to feast at home, we’ve also included restaurants offering take-home meal packages for your holiday spread.
Let us know of any other additions by emailing jdjackson@newsobserver.com.
Restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
▪ BOB EVANS Locations in Durham and Brier Creek in Raleigh. bobevans.com
Open regular hours Christmas Eve, but closed Christmas Day. Holiday feasts available to purchase online.
▪ CROSSROADS AT THE CAROLINA INN 211 Pittsboro St, Chapel Hill. 919-933-2001 or destinationhotels.com/carolina-inn
For Christmas Eve, Crossroads will feature a coursed meal from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., including a cocktail and charcuterie spread, salad, grilled New York strip and an apple cranberry crisp with vanilla bourbon ice cream for dessert. The cost is $129 per person.
▪ DENNY’S Three locations in the Triangle. dennys.com
Will be open Christmas Day serving a regular menu.
▪ IHOP Nine Triangle locations. ihop.com
Open regular hours Christmas Day with a menu of holiday specials.
▪ IL PALIO 1505 E. Franklin St., in the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill. 919-918-2545 or ilpalio.com
This fine dining Italian restaurant in Chapel Hill will be open Christmas Eve for a with a special three-course menu for $92 per person. The options include roasted chestnut soup with pancetta, sweet potato risotto, braised boar rigatoni, a smoked half duck and eggnog cheesecake. Reservations can be made over the phone.
▪ MAC’S TAVERN 1014 Ryan Road, Cary. 919-467-4114 or macstavern.net
Open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Christmas Day.
▪ TIME-OUT RESTAURANT 201 East Franklin St., Chapel Hill. 919-929-2425 or timeout247.com.
Open all day Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and every other day of the year.
▪ WAFFLE HOUSE Located throughout the Triangle, Waffle House is open 24 hours 365 a year, including Christmas.
Restaurants with Christmas meal packages & desserts to order ahead of time
▪ ACME 110 E. Main St., Carrboro. 919-929-2263 or acmecarrboro.com
Two meal options including bites spinach and artichoke dip and coastal NC shrimp cocktail, grilled beef tenderloin or salmon, and sides like roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. For dessert, almond cranberry coffee cake. The cost is $95 and orders can be picked up from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 24.
▪ GUGLHUPF 2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham. 919-401-2600 or guglhupf.com
Now taking holiday orders for pastries, cakes and stollen. Baked goods, including Guglhupf’s notable stollen, will be available for purchase until Dec. 24.
▪ IRREGARDLESS CAFE 901 W. Morgan St., Raleigh. 919-833-8898 or irregardless.com
Irregardless will be offering a Christmas meal package that feeds four to six people, which includes an entree like roast turkey or beef Bourguignon, three sides and dessert. The cost is $195. There are also a la carte dishes and desserts. Orders can be picked up Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
▪ LONGLEAF SWINE 300 E. Edenton St., Raleigh. 910-330-0702 or longleafswine.com.
Holiday pre-orders are available, with snacks like sausage balls and deviled eggs, entrees like smoked beef tenderloin, pulled pork and brisket. Sides include collard greens, roasted sweet potatoes, whiskey baked beans and sausage balls. For dessert: pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding and a quart of Coquito. The deadline to order is Dec. 18 with pickups available Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
▪ POPPYSEED MARKET 8801 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh. 919-870-4997 or poppyseedmkt.com
Serving a take-home meal for six to eight, including prime rib, potato gratin, roasted Brussels sprouts and rolls for $275. Quiche, other dishes and desserts are available to order a la carte. Orders must be in by Dec. 18 and can be picked up Dec. 24 from 9 to 11 a.m.
▪ SAM JONES BBQ 502 W. Lenoir St., Raleigh. 984-206-2555 or samjonesbbq.com
These whole hog experts are preparing a take-and-bake feast for eight to 10 people, comprised of smoked turkey breast, mac and cheese, baked beans, green bean casserole, barbecue sauce, sweet potato muffins and a pecan pie. The deadline to order is Dec. 20. The cost is $149 with pickup Sunday, Dec. 24 before 4 p.m.
▪ UNION SPECIAL BREAD 2409 Crabtree Blvd., #102, Raleigh. 984-200-3094 or unionspecialbread.com
Holiday pre-orders are live, including panettone, butterscotch pecan pie, dark chocolate babka, stollen, blue corn cookies, sausage balls, cheese ball with baguette crostini, rolls and more. The deadline to order is Dec. 19, with pickup available Dec. 23 and Dec. 24.
▪ BAHAMA BREEZE ISLAND GRILLE 3309 Wake Forest Drive, Raleigh. 919-872-3360
▪ BEASLEY’S CHICKEN AND HONEY 237 S Wilmington St, Raleigh. 919-322-0127 or ac-restaurants.com/beasleys
▪ CLEVELAND DRAFT HOUSE 6101 N.C. 42 West, Garner; 461 Shotwell Road, Clayton.
Chinese restaurants in the Triangle open on Christmas
Many Chinese restaurants are open during Christmas, but may have special hours or offer takeout only. Here are hours for some Chinese restaurants around the Triangle:
▪ BEANSPROUT 3721 Hillsborough St., Raleigh. 919-755-0554 or beansproutraleigh.com
Open regular hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.)
▪ C&T WOK 130 Morrisville Square Way, Morrisville. 919-467-8860 or ctwokrestaurant.com.
Open normal hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for dine-in and takeout, 11 a.m.-2:45 p.m. and 4:30-9:45 p.m.
▪ GOURMET KINGDOM 301 E. Main St., Carrboro. 919-932-7222 or thegourmetkingdom.com.
Open normal hours for dine-in and takeout on Christmas Eve (11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4:30-9:30 p.m.). Closed Dec. 25-27.
▪ NEO-CHINA 4015 University Drive, Durham. 919-489-2828 or neochinarestaurant.com
Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from noon-7 p.m., takeout only.
▪ PEACE CHINA 802 Smart Drive, Raleigh. 919-833-8668
Open normal hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
▪ RED LOTUS 239 S. Elliott Road, Chapel Hill. 919-968-7778 or redlotusch.com.
Open all day on Christmas Eve, but dinner is takeout only. Closed for lunch Christmas Day but open for dinner, 4-9 p.m., takeout only.
SHANGHAI 3433 Hillsborough Road, Durham. 919-383-7581 or shanghaidurham.com.
Open regular hours on Christmas Eve and 4-9 p.m. Christmas Day.
▪ SZECHUAN GARDEN 10285-300 Chapel Hill Road, Morrisville. 919-468-6878 or szechuangardennc.com.
Open normal hours (11 a.m.-3 p.m. & 4 p.m.-9 p.m.) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but Christmas Day is takeout only.
▪ TAIPEI 101 121 E. Chatham St., Cary. 919-388-5885 or carytaipei101nc.com.
Open normal hours for dine-in and takeout on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
This story was originally published December 17, 2024 at 2:09 PM.
