What's open Christmas Day in Melbourne: the best restaurants and cafes

Chapel Street's stylish four-storey restaurant and bar Stella is offering a four-course share-style set menu lunch this Christmas Day, which you can book online. Think Skull Island prawn cocktail, roast Otway pork loin with sage and bread sauce and a raspberry and limoncello tiramisu for dessert – plus, a kids' menu for the little ones. Secure your reservation.

This Christmas Day, Morris House is keeping its doors open to offer its guests two premium packages to choose from. Either head up to the lively rooftop for premium carvery and deluxe food stations with plenty of sides and dessert, or enjoy a four-course bespoke menu in the dining room downstairs. Level 1 will stay open before and after the lunch sittings for drinks. To make a booking, head to the website.

For those of us who come from the northern hemisphere, a hot Christmas has always felt a bit odd. Whether you're craving the nostalgic comforts of a festive bierhall or you're simply seeking a cosier-style lunch, ​Hofbräuhaus is the place to be. The traditional Bavarian restaurant is throwing a Christmas Day party to remember this year from noon until 5pm, including live music, a three-course set menu and plenty of beer on tap. Find out more at the website.

Chinese cuisine, bonza location, and fluffy pork buns fashioned to look like little pigs are the cornerstones of Secret Kitchen’s appeal. This venue is one of our fave spots around town for yum cha and it'll be open on Christmas Day this year, so make a booking online at either the Chinatown or Doncaster location before there are no tables left.

Duke's three-course share-style feast this year will allow you to sit back, relax and spend quality time with loved ones without worrying about any kitchen disasters. Start with oysters, Queensland prawns, Caprese-style heirloom tomatoes and local cold cuts before moving onto the stars of the show – bourbon and apricot-glazed turkey, slow-cooked turkey with cranberry sauce and pan juices and currant, fig, whiskey and chestnut stuffing. Sides and dessert are included! Two-hour sittings will be available at 11am and 2pm, with more info available at the website.

Join legendary smokehouse Le Bon Ton for a Christmas lunch overflowing with succulent smoked meats, savoury sides, and festive sweet treats. Le Bon Ton’s twinkling lights and slow-cooked aromas create the perfect Christmassy ambience, as you feast on the best of the Le Bon Ton menu for just $99 a head ($59 per chuld). Sittings start from 11.30am on Christmas Day and you can get your tickets here.

Enjoy a Christmas like no other with Melbourne's beautiful Yarra River as the backdrop. Arbory Bar and Eatery will be open as usual from 11am until late this Christmas Day, with table reservations available for one to 20 guests and banquet bookings available for 10 to 40 guests all day. There'll be Christmas crackers and tunes from some of Melbourne’s best DJs, plus festive specials galore. What are you waiting for? Make a booking now.

The StandardX was one of Melbourne's trendiest hotel openings in recent years, so we're pleased to hear the beloved Fitzroy spot will be keeping its delightful rooftop bar this Christmas Day from 5-9pm – perfect for post-lunch tipples with a view. Downstairs, the hotel's restaurant Bistro X will be open to the public from 7-11am for brekky. Make a booking at the website.

This rooftop bar and pub is dishing up an extravagant three-course set lunch menu on Christmas Day. Think glazed ham or turkey with all the trimmings. You can also feast on king prawn cocktails and a traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, and vegan options are available for each course. The event is kid-friendly and bookings are essential via the website.

Go on a culinary journey to Thailand this Christmas and book a table at Bangpop in South Wharf. Attend one of the multiple  sittings and delight in whatever you like from the a la carte. This year, the restaurant is also offering a very special menu by pre-arrangement called their Wow Kapow menu. Cocktail masters will also be shaking up a selection of special drinks to keep the fun times flowing until 9pm. Find out more online.