With the holiday season in full swing, restaurants and hotels throughout the city are celebrating with special dinners, drinks and parties.

Here’s a guide to where to go for some festive grub and refreshments. 


Holiday dinners

Christmas Eve at the Beastro

On Christmas Eve, pastry-encased braised beef cheeks with a red wine bone marrow sauce and gingerbread cake with egg nog panna cotta will be featured as special additions to the Hongdae-based restaurant the Beastro’s menu, which will also be spinning out its popular “New American” eats like the 24-hour hanger steak.

Reservations are recommended as well as Christmas sweater attire, general manager Catherine Chung revealed.

The Beastro; 2F, 358-32 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul; (02) 334-2500; Christmas Eve specials will be available on Dec. 24 from 5:30 to 10 p.m.; braised beef cheeks in pastry costs 25,000 won, gingerbread cake and egg nog panna cotta costs 16,000 won


Holiday menu at Gallina Daisy

Gallina Daisy, an Italian restaurant located near Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, will be serving special lunch and dinner prix fixe menus on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Owner-chef Daisy Park revealed the menu includes spinach salad with walnut dressing, paccheri pasta with Jeju scampi in a rose sauce and nutmeg-infused pumpkin tarts.

Different dinner courses and lunch menus will be available for each day and reservations are a must, with lunch from noon to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and 8 to 10:30 p.m.

Gallina Daisy; 118-15 Tongin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul; (02) 720-1248; lunch prix fixe costs 60,000 won and 80,000 won, dinner prix fixe menu costs 90,000 won and 120,000 won


Christmas Eve at the Paris Grill

The Grand Hyatt Seoul’s the Paris Grill is preparing a six-course meal for Christmas Eve.

The dinner will feature a foie gras and gingerbread quince parfait, roast turkey or beef tenderloin steak and Christmas pudding and spiced brandy parfait.

Dinner costs 135,000 won to 155,000 won from 5 to 8 p.m. and 8:30 to 11:30 p.m.

The Paris Grill; 322 Sowolno, Yongsan-gu, Seoul; (02) 799-8161; seoul.grand.hyattrestaurants.com


Beef Wellington at Tavolo 24

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul’s Tavolo 24 will be serving beef Wellington and turkey on Dec. 24 and 25 as part of its buffet for 105,000 won from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m.

Tavolo 24; 279, Cheonggyecheonno, Jongno-gu, Seoul; (02) 2276-3320; jwmarriottddm.com


Sweet and sour pork at Hong Yuan

To celebrate 2014, the Westin Chosun Seoul’s Chinese restaurant Hong Yuan will be serving up course meals featuring popular eats of the year like sweet and sour pork through Dec. 31 at 136,000 won for lunch and 185,000 won for dinner.

Hong Yuan; 106, Sogongno, Jung-gu, Seoul; (02) 317-0494; www.echosunhotel.com


Holiday drinks and parties

Elf party at Left Coast Artisan Burgers

Itaewon-based restaurant Left Coast Artisan Burgers will be holding a party on Christmas Eve from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Partygoers are encouraged to dress as elves or ornaments, or wear other festive costumes.

Co-owner Angela Shin revealed plans to serve a “cocktail special and late night munchies.”

Left Coast Artisan Burgers; 2F, 130-43 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul; (02) 6223-5338


Winter cocktails at the Griffin Bar

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul’s the Griffin Bar will be serving special winter cocktails like the Christmas Angel through Dec. 30 for 25,000 won.

The Griffin Bar; (02) 2276-3344


Holiday eats to-go

Christmas ham at the Deli

The Grand Hyatt Seoul’s the Deli is selling a Christmas ham meal to-go through Dec. 28 for 198,000 won.

The set features a 2-kilo, clove-studded ham with mashed potatoes and other sides.

The Deli; (02) 799-8167


Stollen at Pain de Papa

Crafted from dried fruit that has been marinated in rum, this traditional German Christmas cake is available around this time of year at the artisanal bakery Pain de Papa. Owner-baker Lee Ho-young recommends enjoying his “rich” stollen in thin slices.

Stollen costs 32,000 won and can be reserved and picked up at Pain de Papa’s Sinsa-dong and Coex outlets through Dec. 23.

Pain de Papa; 572-2 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul; (02) 512-3535; C103, Coex, 159 Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul; (02) 551-5232


Buche de Noel at Gontran Cherrier

Famed bakery Gontran Cherrier is selling six variations of the traditional French winter cake, buche de Noel, through Dec. 25 at its Seorae Village and Parnas Mall stores for 35,000 won.

Gontran Cherrier Artisan Boulanger; 1F Vision Tower, 25, Seoraero, Seocho-gu, Seoul; (02) 599-0225; F-2-A, B1 Parnas Mall, 521 Teheranno, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul; (02) 3453-0225; gontrancherrier.kr

By Jean Oh (oh_jean@heraldcorp.com)