Christmas Day 2026 falls on Friday 25 December. Sydney's harbour restaurants take bookings for it from about September, and the tables with a water view are usually gone by the end of October. If you are reading this in November, you can still get a good table; if you are reading it in the third week of December, you are choosing from what is left.
This guide covers when to book, what a Christmas Day surcharge actually covers, how the lunch and dinner sittings differ, and what to sort out before you turn up with fourteen relatives.
When to Book Christmas Lunch in Sydney
| When you book | What you can still get |
|---|---|
| September | Anything, including harbour view tables and the sitting time you want |
| October | Most venues, although prime waterfront tables start closing out |
| November | Good tables at good restaurants, usually at the earlier or later sitting |
| First week of December | Limited choice, mostly second sittings and inside tables |
| Week of Christmas | Cancellations and waitlists only |
Groups of eight or more should treat those dates as a month earlier. Large tables are the first thing a restaurant runs out of, because most dining rooms only have two or three of them.
The December 2026 Public Holidays
Three public holidays land in that week in NSW: Christmas Day on Friday 25 December, Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December, and an additional day on Monday 28 December, because Boxing Day falls on a weekend. The NSW public holiday list confirms the dates.
Two things follow from that. Restaurants pay public holiday rates on all three days, which is where the surcharge comes from. And the Friday to Monday run makes it a genuine four day weekend, so Boxing Day and the Sunday get busy in their own right.
What the Christmas Day Surcharge Covers
Almost every Sydney restaurant open on 25 December applies a public holiday surcharge, usually a percentage of the bill. It is not a booking fee and it is not profit padding; it covers the penalty rates staff are owed for working the day. Venues have to display it, so it should be on the menu and on the booking page before you confirm.
Beyond that, Christmas Day menus generally work one of three ways. Some venues run a set menu at a fixed price per person. Some stay a la carte. Some run a la carte with a festive upgrade, such as a seafood platter ordered in advance. Check which one applies before you book, because a set menu usually means prepayment and a fixed sitting length.
Lunch or Dinner: Which Sitting to Take
Christmas lunch is the busier service, and it is the one families ask for first. It suits a group with older relatives or small children, and it leaves the afternoon free.
Dinner is the easier booking and often the better experience. The room is calmer, the kitchen has found its rhythm, and you can spend the morning at home with presents rather than watching the clock. If the lunch sitting is already full at the venue you want, ask about dinner before you look elsewhere.
Where a restaurant runs two lunch sittings, the first is usually around midday and the second mid afternoon. The first sitting normally has a time limit on the table.
Christmas Day at Elements Bar & Grill
Both harbour venues open for Christmas Day, with an a la carte menu across steak, king prawns and desserts, live entertainment, and a Christmas Day seafood platter available as an upgrade. The platter brings Western Australian lobster, bay bugs, tiger prawns, rock oysters, baby octopus and Tasmanian smoked salmon, and it has to be preordered and prepaid at least 24 hours ahead. Details and the current pricing sit on the Christmas Day lunch and dinner page.
The platter is a seasonal offering rather than a regular menu item, so it appears over summer and the festive period only. Anyone who wants notice of when it returns each year can sign up to the Elements Bar & Grill newsletter.
Walsh Bay on Pier 8/9 at 23 Hickson Road is the pick if you want the water beside the table and the Harbour Bridge a short walk away.
Pyrmont at 3 Harris Street is easier for anyone driving in, and simpler for a group arriving from the west.
Booking for a Group
Christmas lunch is rarely four people. A few things make a big table go smoothly:
- Lock the headcount early. Restaurants hold space by covers, and a table of twelve cannot quietly become a table of eighteen in late December.
- Nominate one person to book and pay. Splitting fifteen ways on Christmas Day slows the whole room down.
- Send dietary requirements when you book. A set or festive menu is planned in advance, so it cannot be improvised on the day.
- Ask about the table's time limit. First sittings usually have one, and it is better to know before the pudding arrives.
- Pre-order anything that needs notice. Seafood platters and whole lobster generally need 24 hours.
If the booking is for a work group rather than family, the timing rules are different again, and the guide to booking Christmas party venues covers that.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Christmas Day 2026?
Friday 25 December 2026. Boxing Day is Saturday 26 December, and NSW has an additional public holiday on Monday 28 December.
When should I book Christmas lunch in Sydney?
September or October for a harbour view table, and a month earlier again for groups of eight or more. November still works for most restaurants, usually at the earlier or later sitting.
Why do Sydney restaurants charge a surcharge on Christmas Day?
Because 25 December is a public holiday and staff are paid penalty rates. The surcharge has to be disclosed before you order.
Is lunch or dinner better on Christmas Day?
Lunch suits families and fills first. Dinner is usually easier to book and the room is quieter.
Can I book a large group for Christmas lunch?
Yes, although large tables go earliest. Confirm the final number when you book and keep one person responsible for the bill.
Do I need to pre-order a seafood platter?
Yes. The platter is a seasonal offering, usually summer and the festive season, and it needs at least 24 hours notice with prepayment.
Book Christmas Lunch
Christmas Day is a Friday this year, the harbour tables go first, and the calendar does not move. Book a table at Elements Bar & Grill at Walsh Bay or Pyrmont, or call 1300 353 636 for a group.
