Restaurants open in Canberra over Christmas

It’s the old Canberra dilemma: where to eat over the Christmas break?

The restaurant shutdown is especially troublesome when you have relatives in town and want to show them what the city has to offer, and you’ve got time to eat out as well. This year, like others, most places are closed, many until January 14, but all is not lost.

Some open earlier, and thanks to the growing number of decent hotel-attached eateries, there are options.

Jamie’s Italian is open every day except Christmas Day (closing early on Christmas Eve). A. Baker in New Acton is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, but otherwise it’s open throughout. Ox Eatery in Kingston is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, then open for a week, including on New Year’s Eve, closing again until January 6.

At Bungendore, Le Tres Bon is also open most days, closed only on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Waters Edge is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, but otherwise open for normal trading. Courgette in the city is also closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but otherwise largely open.

Mocan and Green Grout closes from December 21, reopening on January 2 (but will run daytime hours on December 28 and 29).

In Barton, Malamay is open on December 27 and 28, then closes till January 15. Its sister restaurant at the Campbell shops, Lanterne Rooms, is closed right through.

In the city, Italian and Sons is closed from December 22, but opens a week earlier than many others, trading again from January 6. It’s the same for Eighty-Six just up the road in Lonsdale Street.

Sage, in Gorman House reopens on January 3.