Tampa Bay Restaurants Where You Can Enjoy A Christmas Feast

TAMPA BAY, FL — The floor beneath the Christmas tree is littered with wrapping paper and ribbon. Dad's mumbling under his breath as he tries to interpret the Chinese instructions for assembling the baby's new walker. And, after baking three dozen Christmas cookies for her kids' classroom Christmas party, Mom never wants to see another rolling pin.

Yep, it's time to abandon the mess from the Christmas morning frenzy and head out to either dine out or pick up a holiday feast.

Restaurants throughout Tampa Bay are still accepting reservations, walk-ins and orders to go for Christmas Day. Here are a few to consider:

The Columbia Restaurant

The Columbia Restaurant, 2025 E. 7th Ave., Tampa, will serve a feast of roasted lechon (pork) asado marinated with sour orange juice, garlic, oregano and bay leaves and slow-roasted until the meat is tender and juicy. It is served with mojo, yuca, Moros y Cristianos and platanos maduros for $22.95.

Or try the roast turkey served with the founder's great-grandmother's stuffing of Italian sausage, ground beef, chopped chicken livers, apples, water chestnuts and raisins. Sides include carrots and string beans, sweet potato casserole, whipped potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce and giblet gravy for $22.95.

Reservations.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Ruth's Chris Steak House Tampa, 1700 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa, is offering Christmas Eve dinner from 2 to 9 p.m. and Christmas Day dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m Holiday features include Celebration Surf & Turf with two buttery cold-water lobster tails served with a sizzling 6-, 8- or 11-ounce filet and limited-time wines available by the glass and bottle. Meals start at $54.95.

Reservations.

Olive Garden

This holiday season, Olive Garden is offering convenient Italian favorites with its Bake at Home Family Meals. Choose between two chilled and ready-to-bake family favorites — Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells (serves five starting at $39.99) or Classic Lasagna (serves six starting at $44.99) - served with a jumbo house salad, bottle of signature Italian dressing and one dozen ready-to-bake breadsticks. Complete your holiday celebration by adding wine to to starting at $15 a bottle. Order online and have your meal delivered safely to your car at OliveGarden.com.

The Capital Grille

This December, The Capital Grille, 2223 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa, is offering a three-course family-style dinner for takeout, featuring Roasted Whole Beef Tenderloin with choice of Butter Poached North Atlantic Lobster Tails or Scampi-style Jumbo Shrimp, salad, sides and its signature brûlée-style Cheesecake for dessert.

The restaurant is also offering two takeout options for Christmas Eve. First, the restaurant is offering a four-course dinner with selection of either Whole Rack of Bone-in Filet or Kona Crusted Bone-in Prime Rib, New England Clam Chowder, salad, sides and dessert. Guests may also order holiday sides at home, with elevated classics such as Lobster Mac ‘N Cheese and Hoisin-Glazed Brussels Sprouts among other seasonal staples. Each option serves four to six.

Additionally, The Capital Grille is offering two Holiday Grille Boxes for at-home chefs, featuring hand-cut steaks ready to prepare at home. Options include Surf and Turf with four lobster tails, four 10-ounce filets and The Capital Grille Signature Steak Sauce; or Bone-in Porcini Ribeye with four 22-ounce cuts, porcini rub and a bottle each of extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic. For more information or to place an order, visit TheCapitalGrille.com

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood

Eddie V’s, 4400 W. Boy Scout Road, Tampa, is offering a luxe four-course holiday dinner for takeout, featuring choice of entree, Chilled Gulf Shrimp Cocktail Style; Classic Caesar Salad; elevated accompaniments such as Truffled Macaroni and Cheese, Grilled Asparagus, Three Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes; and a Bananas Foster Butter Cake for dessert. Entrée selections include Chilean Sea Bass or Herb-Roasted Tenderloin.

Dinners serve either two or four to six people and are available to order for pickup on Dec. 24. Additionally, guests who make a gift card purchase of $500 or more will receive an elegant martini set and an additional gift card worth 10 percent of the purchase. For more information or to place an order, visit EddieV.com.

Seasons 52

Seasons 52, 204 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, is offering guests a fresh way to enjoy the holidays with The Green Box, a complete takeout dining experience perfect for Christmas, News Year’s Eve or any other family gathering. Boxes feature choice of either Kona Crusted Wood-Grilled Tenderloin or Whole Side of Cedar Plank Salmon, salad, sides and six mini indulgence desserts. Dinners serve four to six people and are available for pre-order up to 24 hours in advance, including pickup on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Additionally, Seasons 52 is offering guests who purchase $100 in gift cards an additional $20 bonus card. For more information or to place an order, visit Seasons52.com.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen

During the upcoming holidays, enjoy Family Bundles from Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, featuring scratch-made classics to feed the entire family. Guests can select from entrées like House-Smoked Baby Back Ribs, hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, Grilled Salmon or a combination of these guest favorites—all of which include two family-sized sides and a half-dozen signature Honey Butter Croissants, starting at $24.99. Guests can also add beer, wine or cocktails to go, where permissible, such as Cheddar’s Texas Margarita or Painkiller. To order online for curbside pickup, visit Cheddars.com or download the Mobile App. Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen is at 11004 N. Dale Mabry Higway, Tampa; 2391 Sun Vista Drive, Lutz; 2655 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater; and 4101 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park.

Bahama Breeze

Bahama Breeze, 805 Brandon Town Center Mall, Brandon; and 3045 N. Rocky Point Drive E., Tampa, is offering guests a Caribbean escape for the holidays with an island-inspired To Go Party Pack for four people for $50. The pack features choice of two appetizers, like Coconut Shrimp and Beef Empanadas, and one Family To Go Pan with choice of Jerk Chicken Pasta, Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Crema or Seafood Paella. A four-pack of Bacardi Rum Punch Cans are also available to add on in select locations for $15. Visit BahamaBreeze.com for more information and to order online.

The Don CeSar

The Maritana at The Don CeSar, 3400 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, will offer a Christmas Day Prefix Menu for $79 featuring:

• Choice of Chestnut Soup - chicken skin cornbread croutons, crème fresh, micro sage or Butternut Squash and Portobello Terrine - roasted red pepper coulis, whipped feta
• Meyer Lemon Sorbet
• Choice of Head on Prawns - carrot gnocchi, romanesco, fennel and saffron curry or Bread Pudding Stuffed Quail - roasted apples, celery root, apple skin puree swiss chard, cider reduction or Spinach Bellflower Pasta - cherry tomatoes, grilled artichokes, asparagus and brie cream sauce
• Choice of Black Forest Buche De Noel - chocolate mousse, cherry confit vanilla ganache, chocolate almond cake or Reindeer Games - gingerbread cheesecake, raspberry jam, speculoos crunch

The Rowe Bar will offer a Christmas Day Menu Prefix for $59 including:

• Choice of Apple and Celery Root Bisque - crispy pancetta, toasted walnut or Endive and Radicchio Salad - raspberry, poached beets, orange champagne vinaigrette, honey goat cheese
• Choice of Braised Lamb Shank - truffled grits, roasted baby carrots, braised kale, mint demi or Pan Seared Sea Bass - swiss chard, citrus, pomegranate, romanesco, beurre rouge, leek soubise
• Choice of Santa’s Milk and Cookies - vanilla Bavarian, milk cake, cookie dough fudge, vanilla milk jam or Christmas Ornament - butter rum cake, eggnog mousse, orange jam

Reservations.

Del Frisco's Grille

Don't want to cook? Del Frisco’s Grille, 4138 W. Boy Scout Blvd., is offering options for dine-in and to-go on Christmas and through the holidays.

Christmas dinner includes:

A Filet Duo with Gorganzola Butter and Oscar-Style Steamed Lobster Tails With Garlic Butter
Roasted Prime Rib - 16-ounce with Au Jus and Horseradish Cream

Christmas Dinner To-Go is available for two to four people starting at $200, six to eight people starting at $399 and up to 12 people starting at $750

It includes Holiday Soup, Grille Salad, 1/4, 1/2 or Whole Prime Rib, Au Jus and Horseradish Cream, Hand Mashed Potatoes , Truffle Mac and Cheese, Asparagus , Pecan Pie
Complete your meal with a bottle of DFG Malbec by Paul Hobbs - 1 Bottle $45 / 2 Bottles $80

Reservations.

Élevage at the Epicurean Hotel

Elevage at the Epicurean Hotel, 1207 S. Howard Ave., Tampa, will be open for brunch and special three-course Christmas and Christmas Eve dinners.

Chef Chad Johnson is cooking up for this year’s prix fixe, three-course Christmas meal.

Reservations.

Texas de Brazil - Tampa

Texas de Brazil-Tampa, 4112 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa, is open on Christmas Day starting at noon and serving its regular menu all day.

Reservations.

Rusty Pelican

Rusty Pelican, 2425 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, is offering a Christmas celebration for $65 adults/$35 child. The a la carte menu and buffet are not available.

Reservations.

Saigon Bowl

This Vietnamese restaurant at 2129 Drew St. in Clearwater is open for dine-in and takeout from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations are preferred for dining in on Christmas Day.

Reservations.

Mitchell’s Fish Market

Mitchell's Fish Market is offering dine in or to-go on Christmas Day.

Celebrate the season with a holiday surf and turf duo with two 4-ounce filet medallions topped Oscar style and shrimp scampi style with smashed redskins and asparagus for $37.

Or try the holiday steak and cake with a grilled 4-ounce tenderloin medallion, signature crab cake with smashed redskins and asparagus for $29.

Featured family feasts to go include:

Reservations.