People come from far and wide to visit Chelsea at Christmas, because with its magical light displays, sparkling Christmas trees and merry atmosphere, there is no better London neighbourhood to be in this season. There’ll be lots of events to enjoy in the area (check here for the full list), and amid all the festivities, make sure you don’t miss out on the wide range of culinary celebrations, too. Here, we’ve curated the very best festive treats, from sweets to tasting menus and more. Read on, and don’t forget to book your table…

Make a new tradition this Christmas Eve with a stroll down Sloane Street to see its twinkling Christmas trees, and dinner at The LaLee (at The Cadogan, a Belmond hotel). Its special menu – available from 6pm until 10pm on December 24th – is the perfect way to spend the cosiest night of the year. 

Put on your sparkliest outfit for the five-course dinner, which features festive canapés and starters, and a choice of three mains including tasty seabass with cauliflower, baby leek and champagne sauce. After dessert, there’s a round of coffee and mince pies to leave you feeling merry, bright, and rather full ahead of the big day. Book a stay at the hotel and enjoy an extra glass of bubbles knowing you’re only a few steps from bed.

We wouldn’t expect anything less from Anya Hindmarch’s much-loved café on Pont Street than a selection of fun and delicious treats to make you smile this season. This year, the iconic igloo cake returns (for extra joy on the big day, swap out your usual Christmas cake for this one), alongside smiley-faced mince pies, edible tree decorations and of course, a gingerbread man. There are also boxes of iced, googly-eyes biscuits, which are a winning office treat.

For very special occasions, step inside The Carlton Tower Jumeirah’s cosy Chinoiserie Tea Room – transformed into a sparkling wonderland this season – and enjoy the hotel’s Winter Afternoon Tea. 

A tribute to nature, this beautiful experience offers a rare opportunity to taste an afternoon tea with no sugar or artificial flavourings added. The chefs also source produce locally, bake everything in-house and have a zero-waste policy, meaning no portion of the ingredients is thrown away. 

During the tea, you’ll enjoy savoury and sweet courses alongside a selection of eight seasonal scones from the much-talked-about ‘scone bar’ and a huge variety of teas – or you could have champagne. The Christmas log and Ceylon cinnamon scone are utterly delicious (and even better knowing they don’t have added sugar), and are available to buy on the go if you don’t have time to sit in.

Have you been to the recently opened Lórian, at 162B (opposite Diptyque) yet? If not, now is the perfect time, because resident baker Lauren is creating a delicious selection of spiced cookies, mini chocolate choux, mince pies and florentines from Tuesday to Sunday during the festive season. Stop by for a break in your shopping on Sloane and refuel with a mince pie and a flat white. Yum.

If you want a discreet and refined dining experience, look no further than the newly opened and utterly luxurious At Sloane. The intimate top-floor restaurant serves up simple French food with flair, and so of course, foie gras is on the menu – it is the perfect winter indulgence and a frequent festive teat in many French homes.

The space is designed with privacy in mind and has a stunning cupola with a single table, which is ideal for important business lunches or an impressive date night. If it’s the latter, then head to the seductive basement bar after your meal to enjoy a nightcap inside one of the cashmere-curtained booths.

From November 18, Hans’ Bar & Grill is adding four must-try dishes to its menu for the festive period. Indulge in a beef tartare with truffle mayo; a decadent fig and goat cheese salad; and pan-seared salmon served with confit tomatoes, heritage carrots and dill hollandaise. Diners who prefer plant-based will delight in the yummy vegan citrus cake topped with pineapple and kiwi salsa. 

Get a table on the heated Pavilion Road terrace to people-watch if it’s mild enough, or book the candlelit private dining room for a cosy dinner with friends.

For joyful festive get-togethers, book in at Cantinetta Antinori on Harriet Street. Its three-course seasonal menu has a selection of mouthwatering antipasti, including courgette and pecorino salad and beetroot-marinated salmon. 

Subtle festive flavours are laced through the mains, such as saffron risotto and tagliata di vitello with honey-roasted parsnips and Brussels sprouts. To finish, indulge in an apricot panettone or pistachio tiramisu.

The Toadstool dessert at Harry’s Dolce Vita is as much a Chelsea icon as the beautiful Pont Street Dutch-style buildings that surround the restaurant, so of course it has received a festive update. 

This year, it’ll be made with white chocolate, fresh blackberries, mascarpone mousse, caramelised hazelnuts, iced dark-chocolate parfait and pistachio biscotti crunch, and served with warm pistachio sauce. Don’t forget to snap a photo before you tuck in.

This December 25th, neighbourhood favourite Kahani – which is just a few steps from Sloane Street – will open with a special six-course tasting menu inspired by Indian cuisine (there’s a veggie menu available too). 

Highlights will include Indian-spiced smoked salmon, jumbo prawns on a bed of lobster and crab bisi bele bath (a rice-based dish), a Peshawari lamb rump, and for vegetarians: smoked pumpkin with fennel and mango, and Punjabi chilli tofu. If you’re looking for an alternative to the classic Christmas lunch, then don’t miss this.

Birley Bakery goes to great lengths to source only the finest ingredients for its baked delights – wheat flour from Burgundy; almonds from Valencia and sea salt from Guérande in Brittany. So, as you’d expect, its seasonal panettone is nothing short of exceptional. From a menu devised by executive pastry chef Vincent Zanardi, this classic treat is ideal for impressing your guests at festive dinner parties or as a breakfast treat on Christmas Day, as they do in Italy.