Where to Eat out for the Holidays

‘Tis the season for reservations. There’s no place like a good restaurant or a luxe hotel for a lavish feast. 

By Fran Miller

Claremont Club & Spa

Spectacular San Francisco Bay views are included with your elaborate brunch at the Claremont Hotel. This iconic Bay Area resort rolls out the red carpet for its guests. Holiday festivities include: Afternoon Tea, Brunch with Santa, Gingerbread House decorating, Menorah Lighting, Christmas and New Year’s breakfast buffets, Christmas Eve dinner, and a New Year’s Eve dinner and party. fairmont.com/claremont-berkeley

 

The Ritz-Carlton

Always a Bay Area favorite, San Francisco’s Ritz-Carlton’s tree lighting ceremony ignites Nob Hill and illuminates the hotel’s famed 40-foot tree. Opulent weekend holiday teas are served with delicious treats and petite sandwiches, while performances by Stretchy the Elf, Holly Berry, and the giant Ritz Teddy Bear entertain guests young and old. ritzcarlton.com.

Fairmont San Francisco

For more than a century, San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill has delighted visitors with awe-inspiring holiday splendor. The hotel is world-famous for its delectably majestic, two-story Gingerbread House, built from thousands of gingerbread bricks, gallons of royal icing, and hundreds of pounds of candy. A 23-foot Christmas tree welcomes all who enter the grand lobby for a holiday feast or gingerbread tea. fairmont.com/san-francisco.

Lafayette Park Hotel

Santa makes a stop at this East Bay gem during the annual Teddy Bear Tea. Bring your little one and a favorite teddy bear for finger sandwiches, sparkling sweets, hot chocolate, and teas. Other holiday temptations at the hotel include a splendid Christmas Day Grand Buffet in the Independence Hall and George Washington ballrooms. lafayetteparkhotel.com.

InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel

If you need an extra spring in your shopping step, the Top of the Mark’s 12 Cocktails of Christmas menu takes an edge off the season’s madness. Relax, unwind, and soak in the sparkling city lights and breathtaking views from this penthouse lounge located on the hotel’s 19th floor. Christmas brunch is accompanied by live piano music. holidaysatthemark.com.

Latke’s at Saul’s Delicatessen

Wondering where to get your latke fix without getting out a potato grater? Saul’s in Berkeley dishes up Jewish deli classics and seasonal comfort fare. Eat in or take out your Hanukkah feast—latkes, brisket, pierogis, and kugel are all on the menu. December 14,15,16,22,23,24,25, Saul’s does its “latke tent” and fries potato pancakes outside, then serves them with a dollop of applesauce and sour cream. On December 25 from noon-3pm, latkes come with an eight-piece Klezmer band. saulsdeli.com.