Cooking up Christmas

If you don't fancy donning your pinny and cooking up Christmas dinner, why not go out for a fancy lunch instead?

Don't fancy slaving away in the kitchen this season? Plenty of restaurants are open for Christmas Day lunches and, although they're mostly quite pricey, there's no chance of getting stuck with the washing up.

Indigo offers four courses with a choice of dishes per course, and three alternatives to turkey: monkfish, beef or aubergine and goat's cheese ravioli. Price is £59.50, which includes a glass of kir royale to start.

Indigo, One Aldwych WC2. Tel: 020 7300 0400. Tube: Temple

Jaan also has five courses, for £85 a head including wine, and it looks good: port wine poached foie gras with simmered fennel and cracked black pepper caramel sounds enticing.

Norfolk turkey with all the trimmings is offered with an alternative, roast venison cutlet, for anyone who likes the idea of traditional Christmas lunch, but can't see what all the fuss is about turkey. Jaan, Swissotel The Howard, Temple Place WC2. Tel: 020 7300 1700. Tube: Charing Cross/Embankment

Those who like fuss, on the other hand, might head for One-O-One, where five courses are going for £99 (£55 for under-tens) and the turkey is done as tournedos with chestnut and bacon, preceded by smoked salmon and royal king crab millefeuille, and watercress cream and Jerusalem artichoke scallop ravioli with winter truffle.

Even the Christmas pud is enhanced with bourbon vanilla ice cream. One-O-One, 101 Knightsbridge SW1. Tel: 020 7290 7101. Tube: Knightsbridge