Nine Colchester places still taking Christmas Day bookings, from £61.99 to £165, with children's rates, deposits and pay-by dates. Checked 10 November 2026.

Nine Colchester pubs, hotels and restaurants were still taking Christmas Day 2026 bookings on 10 November, and this guide lists them with prices, children’s rates, deposits and pay-by dates, plus two well-known names that are already full. The lowest prices are at the Rovers Tye on Ipswich Road (£61.99, with a glass of fizz) and the Swan Inn at Stanway (£62.99); the Kings Arms on Crouch Street (£67.95) is the one you can walk to from the city centre, and GreyFriars on the High Street (£165) and Wivenhoe House (£149.50) are the hotel choices. Every entry was checked against the venue’s own site on 10 November 2026.

Prices are per person. Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday. Miller & Carter and the Toby Carvery want full payment and pre-orders by 1 December, the White Hart in Coggeshall wants menu choices by then, and the Crown at Ardleigh by 8 December.

Two of the best-known names are already full. The Rose and Crown Hotel on East Street says its Christmas Day lunch is fully booked, and Milsom Hotels says every Christmas Day table it sells, including Le Talbooth at Dedham, has gone. Both are at the end of this guide, with what they still offer in December.

Pubs and carveries in Colchester and Stanway

1. The Rovers Tye, Ipswich Road

The Rovers Tye is the Flaming Grill pub on Ipswich Road by the Highwoods turn, run by Greene King. Its Christmas Day menu PDF prices three courses and a glass of fizz or orange juice at £61.99; the children’s menu, with an orange juice, is £24.99.

Starters include smoked salmon and prawn cocktail, tomato soup and breaded brie bites; mains are a turkey dinner or a flame-grilled 8oz sirloin topped with two pigs in blankets, and puddings include Christmas pudding with custard or brandy sauce.

Price Christmas Day £61.99 including a glass of fizz or orange juice, children £24.99
Booking deposit £10 a head for adults and £5 for children
Call 01206 845345
Address Ipswich Road, CO4 9BA
Website greeneking.co.uk/pubs/essex/rovers-tye/christmas/christmas-day
Listing Our listing
Good for lowest price on this list, welcome drink included, children's menu, steak option

2. The Swan Inn, Stanway

The Swan Inn is the Hungry Horse pub at 285 London Road, Stanway. Its Christmas Day page lists three courses for £62.99 a head and £22.99 for children.

The menu starts with smoked salmon and prawn cocktail, tomato soup with cheesy garlic bread, chicken liver pâté or breaded brie bites, then a hand-carved turkey Christmas dinner among the mains. The booking terms ask a £10 deposit for each adult and £5 for each child, and say a booking is only confirmed once the deposit is paid.

Price Christmas Day 3 courses £62.99, children £22.99
Booking deposit £10 adults, £5 children; confirmation by email once paid
Call 01206 211790
Address 285 London Road, Stanway, CO3 8LU
Website hungryhorse.co.uk/pubs/essex/swan-inn/christmas/christmas-day
Good for low price, children's menu, vegan soup option, no-gluten menu

3. The Kings Arms, Crouch Street

The Kings Arms is the Greene King pub at 61-63 Crouch Street, a few minutes’ walk from Head Street. Christmas Day is three courses for £67.95, and the children’s menu is £28.95.

Starters include smoked salmon on toasted ciabatta, a twice-baked Croxton Manor cheddar soufflé and butternut squash and sweet potato soup; the main is a hand-carved turkey dinner with stuffing, Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes, and a warm mince pie with tea or coffee finishes it. There are separate no-gluten and children’s Christmas Day menus.

Price Christmas Day 3 courses £67.95, children £28.95
Booking deposit £10 a head for adults and children; menu choices due by 11 December; deposits non-refundable from 11 December
Call 01206 572886
Address 61-63 Crouch Street, CO3 3EY
Website greeneking.co.uk/pubs/essex/kings-arms/christmas/christmas-day
Listing Our listing
Good for walk from the city centre, children's menu, no-gluten menu, vegan option

4. White Hart Toby Carvery, Stanway

The White Hart Toby Carvery is at 342 London Road, Stanway, on the same site as Miller & Carter. Its Christmas Day page says “Christmas Day dining available for £74.99”: a festive starter, then the carvery for hand-carved meats, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and trimmings, then pudding.

The page does not publish a children’s price. A £10 a head deposit is taken for every guest, and full payment and pre-orders are due by 1 December.

Price Christmas Day £74.99
Booking £10 a head deposit for every guest; full payment and pre-order by 1 December
Call 01206 213411
Address 342 London Road, Stanway, CO3 8LT
Website tobycarvery.co.uk/restaurants/east-of-england/thewhitehartcolchester/menus/christmasdaymenu
Listing Our listing
Good for carvery, families, large groups

5. Miller & Carter, Stanway

Miller & Carter is the steakhouse at 342 London Road, Stanway, and says its restaurants hold “The Masters of Steak” award. Its Christmas Day menu is £109.95 a head.

Starters include a twice-baked cauliflower and Camembert soufflé, duck, port and brandy parfait with a duck bon bon and prawn and smoked salmon cocktail; puddings include sticky toffee pudding, a miniature chocolate yule log and Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. The Young Guest Christmas Day menu is £49.95.

Price Christmas Day £109.95, Young Guest menu £49.95
Booking £10 a head deposit on all Christmas Day tables; full payment and pre-order by 1 December
Call 01206 879164
Address 342 London Road, Stanway, CO3 8LT
Website millerandcarter.co.uk/restaurants/east-of-england/millerandcartercolchester/menus/christmasdaymenu
Listing Our listing
Good for steakhouse, children's menu, vegan pudding

Country pubs a short drive out

6. The Crown, Ardleigh

The Crown is the Vintage Inns pub on Old Ipswich Road, Ardleigh, near Ardleigh Reservoir. Its site describes a black and white timbered inn that “dates to at least 1648”, with gardens and log fires.

The Christmas Day menu is three courses for £89.95: starters include a trio of baked scallops, gin-cured smoked salmon and a shallot and ale tart with goats cheese; mains include roast duck, pan-roasted monkfish, hand-carved turkey with a pig in blanket, and noisette of lamb. The children’s Christmas Day menu is £40.50.

Price Christmas Day 3 courses £89.95, children £40.50; 10% discretionary service charge on tables of 7 or more
Booking £10 a head deposit from 11.30am; full payment and pre-order by 8 December; deposits non-refundable within 14 days
Call 01206 231946
Address Old Ipswich Road, Ardleigh, CO7 7QR
Website vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/east/thecrowncolchester/christmas-day-menu
Good for historic building, log fires, children's menu, vegetarian starter

7. The White Hart, Coggeshall

The White Hart is the Greene King hotel and pub at Market End in Coggeshall, about ten miles west of Colchester. Its Christmas Day menu PDF is three courses for £89.95, and the children’s menu is £34.95.

Starters include hot smoked salmon and prawn cocktail, a Croxton Manor cheese soufflé and winter vegetable minestrone; the main is hand-carved roast turkey with duck fat and rosemary roast potatoes, and there is a baked vanilla cheesecake among the puddings. The page asks a £10 deposit for adults and £5 for children, with menu choices by 1 December.

Price Christmas Day 3 courses £89.95, children £34.95
Booking deposit £10 adults, £5 children; menu choices by 1 December; deposits non-refundable from 11 December
Call 01376 561654
Address Market End, Coggeshall, CO6 1NH
Website greeneking.co.uk/pubs/essex/white-hart/christmas/christmas-day
Good for historic hotel, rooms, children's menu, no-gluten menu, vegan option

Hotels

8. Wivenhoe House, Wivenhoe Park

Wivenhoe House is the hotel in Wivenhoe Park, on the University of Essex campus. Its Christmas Day lunch in the Park Brasserie is five courses for £149.50 a head, with a Champagne and canapé arrival from 12pm and lunch served from 1pm.

The menu PDF lists smoked duck breast with celeriac remoulade, roasted halibut with a herb crust and shellfish bisque, roast turkey breast and leg with fig and rosemary stuffing, British cheeses, and Christmas pudding with brandy custard. Before the day, a three-course festive set menu runs from 22 November to 24 December from £39.95, and Boxing Day lunch is £60.

Price Christmas Day 5 courses £149.50; festive set menu from £39.95; Boxing Day £60
Booking call or email reservations@wivenhoehouse.co.uk; depending on availability and group size, a table may be in the Garden Suite
Call 01206 863666
Address Wivenhoe Park, CO4 3FA
Website wivenhoehouse.co.uk/christmas-new-year/festive-feasts
Good for Champagne arrival, parkland setting, rooms, festive afternoon tea

9. GreyFriars, High Street

GreyFriars is the boutique hotel at the east end of the High Street, which describes its kitchen as “Michelin Recommended”. Its Christmas Day menu is four courses for £165 a head, starting with a glass of Pierre Courtois Champagne (a non-alcoholic option is offered) and canapés such as wild boar and apple scotch egg.

Starters include Maldon smoked salmon, roasted celeriac and chestnut soup, pan-fried Norfolk partridge and a seafood cocktail with native lobster and crab; mains include free-range East Anglian turkey and Norfolk venison Wellington. Booking is essential, and the hotel is open from midday until early evening on the day.

Price Christmas Day 4 courses £165 with a glass of Champagne; festive menu for 6 or more £59.50
Booking essential; booking terms apply
Call 01206 575913
Address High Street, CO1 1UG
Website greyfriarscolchester.co.uk/christmas
Good for city centre, Champagne included, vegan soup, festive afternoon tea

Already fully booked for Christmas Day

10. The Rose and Crown Hotel, East Street

The Rose and Crown calls itself a “700 year old hotel”; the timber-framed building stands on East Street by the bottom of East Hill. Its Christmas Day lunch page lists £87.50 a head, £47.50 for children under 10 and free for under-3s, and was still marked FULLY BOOKED on 10 November.

The menu runs from garlic and lemon king prawns or breaded Brie to traditional roast turkey or rosemary lamb shank, with a vegan Christmas menu too. The hotel also serves Christmas lunches every day through December, and its Christmas parties start at £35.95 with a three-course dinner and disco.

Open Christmas Day lunch 1pm to 2.30pm
Price Christmas Day £87.50, children under 10 £47.50, under-3s free (fully booked); Christmas parties from £35.95
Booking £25 a head non-refundable deposit within seven days of booking; full payment 30 days before
Call 01206 866677
Address East Street, CO1 2TZ
Website roseandcrowncolchester.co.uk/christmas/christmas-day-lunch
Good for historic building, vegan menu, December Christmas lunches

11. Le Talbooth, Dedham

Le Talbooth is Milsom Hotels’ riverside restaurant on Gun Hill at Dedham. Its Christmas Day lunch, Champagne and canapés then four courses with coffee and chocolates for £200 a head, is fully booked, and Milsom Hotels says all its Christmas Day dining, including milsoms in Dedham at £170, has gone apart from tables kept for three-night Christmas stays.

In December Le Talbooth serves a lunch menu with turkey carved by the chef, at £46 for two courses or £60.50 for three, Monday to Saturday from 30 November, and Boxing Day lunch is £115.

Price Christmas Day £200 (fully booked); December lunch 2 courses £46, 3 courses £60.50; Boxing Day £115
Booking Milsom Hotels asks full payment in advance for Christmas dining
Call 01206 323150
Address Gun Hill, Dedham, CO7 6HP
Website milsomhotels.com/christmas
Good for riverside, fine dining, Boxing Day lunch

How we chose

We started from the pubs, hotels and restaurants in our Colchester business directory and the places people search for at Christmas, opened each venue’s own Christmas page, and kept those that publish a 2026 Christmas Day price. Prices come from the venue’s own pages and menu PDFs, rechecked on 10 November. Stoke by Nayland Resort’s festive opening times show its restaurants closed on Christmas Day, and Delta Hotels at Marks Tey publishes no Christmas Day price, so neither is listed. Prices and dishes can change, so check with the venue before you book.

For more on the season, see Christmas shopping in Colchester, where to buy a Christmas tree, the Colchester ice rink, the Colchester Christmas market, the Christmas lights switch-on, Christmas trains and buses, the Shenfield closure over Christmas, what’s on in Colchester this month and things to do in Colchester.

Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@colchesterpost.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@colchesterpost.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I have Christmas dinner in Colchester on Christmas Day 2026?

Nine places on this list were still taking Christmas Day 2026 bookings on 10 November: the Rovers Tye on Ipswich Road (£61.99), the Swan Inn at Stanway (£62.99), the Kings Arms on Crouch Street (£67.95), the White Hart Toby Carvery (£74.99) and Miller & Carter (£109.95) on London Road, Stanway, the Crown at Ardleigh and the White Hart in Coggeshall (£89.95 each), Wivenhoe House (£149.50) and GreyFriars on the High Street (£165). The Rose and Crown Hotel and Le Talbooth at Dedham say they are fully booked.

How much is Christmas dinner in Colchester in 2026?

Christmas Day lunch runs from £61.99 a head at the Rovers Tye, which includes a glass of fizz, to £165 at GreyFriars. Le Talbooth charges £200 but is fully booked. Most pubs ask a £10 a head deposit when you book.

Are there children’s prices for Christmas Day in Colchester?

Yes. The Swan Inn at Stanway charges £22.99 for children, the Rovers Tye £24.99, the Kings Arms £28.95, the White Hart in Coggeshall £34.95, the Crown at Ardleigh £40.50 and Miller & Carter £49.95 for its Young Guest menu. The Rose and Crown Hotel lists £47.50 for children under 10, with under-3s free, but is fully booked.

Which pubs in Colchester are open on Christmas Day?

The Rovers Tye on Ipswich Road, the Kings Arms on Crouch Street, the Swan Inn and the White Hart Toby Carvery at Stanway, Miller & Carter on London Road, the Crown at Ardleigh and the White Hart in Coggeshall all serve Christmas Day lunch in 2026, from £61.99 to £109.95 a head. All of them take bookings with a deposit, so a table on the day needs booking ahead.

When do I have to pay for Christmas Day lunch in Colchester?

Miller & Carter and the White Hart Toby Carvery want full payment and pre-orders by 1 December, the White Hart in Coggeshall wants menu choices by 1 December, the Crown at Ardleigh by 8 December and the Kings Arms by 11 December. Most pubs take a £10 a head deposit when you book.