City Cast Salt Lake logo

5 Restaurants Open on Christmas Day

Posted on December 18, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Terina Ria

Terina Ria

Table at a restaurant with Christmas tree in the back.

Dining out for the holidays. (shalamov/Getty Images)

It’s the final countdown to the holidays, and I’m sure you have a lot on your plate. Skip the hours spent cooking and take your loved ones out on the town instead. Here are some of Salt Lake’s best restaurants, open on Christmas Day.

City Cast

SLC Restaurants Open During the Holidays

00:00:00

🔥 Hot tips: Get your reservations in early (aka right now), be extra kind to your servers (don’t forget to tip well!), and when in doubt, head to a hotel or resort restaurant (they’re usually open to accommodate travelers).

Chinese food for Christmas is a classic. Gary’s Asian Bistro is a new addition to Millcreek, opened by much-loved chef Gary Lee (formerly of Asian Star). The menu features honey nectar pork, sesame chicken, and a plethora of gluten-free and vegetarian options.

This divey bar in Millcreek is known for its karaoke and the fun doesn’t stop on Christmas Day. Come here for a good time and a long time.

If you want to ball out for Christmas, live like Lindsay Lohan and head to Park City. Rooms at this luxury hotel will cost you around $1,000 a night. But Christmas dinner is a little more manageable at $160 per person.

Arguably, the best Thai restaurant in Salt Lake City (change my mind?). When you’re sick of ham and pie and just want some tom kha and mango sticky rice.

Bring in the holiday cheer with cozy curries and hearty samosas. Himalayan Kitchen has two locations, in downtown Salt Lake City and South Jordan.

Honorable Mentions

Stay warm and cozy and outsource dinner with a take-home meal kit available to pick up on Dec. 24 at Arlo or Vessel Kitchen.

🔎 Need even more recs? Check out these awesome lists at Gastronomic SLC, Salt Lake Magazine, and the Salt Lake Tribune.

Share article

Hey Salt Lake

Stay connected to City Cast Salt Lake and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Food & Drink

See All
Food & DrinkApril 30

The Best Hot Dogs in Salt Lake

In honor of the Great Glizzy Gauntlet on Saturday, we have a roundup of the best local dogs in Salt Lake.

Sonoron hot dogs on a wood board.
Food & DrinkApril 24

Salt Lake’s Best New Restaurants and Bars

Welcome to our rolling list of all the best, new restaurants opening around Salt Lake in April 2026!

Six donuts in a box on a table.
Food & DrinkMarch 18

Update Your Weeknight Pizza Plans

It's always pizza time in my house. Everyone has their go-tos, but sometimes it's nice to try something new. We polled our audience on th...

Truffle pizza on a marble counter.
Food & DrinkMarch 4

The Best Bites in Salt Lake for March 2026

Something about the City Cast Salt Lake team, we love eating good in the neighborhood. Here are some of the best bites we’ve had around S...

Woman holding a giant pretzel at a Utah Jazz game.
Food & DrinkFebruary 25

2026 Salt Lake Magazine Dining Award Winners

A roundup of the winners of Salt Lake Magazine's 2026 Dining Awards, including La Casa Del Tamal, Post Office Place x Takashi, The Pearl,...

A wide (and colorful) variety of seafood dishes on a platter.
Food & DrinkFebruary 11

Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Treats

Attention procrastinators: Valentine’s Day is in three days (!!) Luckily, you can still grab a last-minute treat for your sweetheart at o...

Hand holding a heart-shaped cake that says, "oh baby."
Food & DrinkFebruary 4

The Worst Utah Food & Drink

In a survey by HelloFresh, Utah was ranked as having some of the worst food in the U.S., with funeral potatoes and fry sauce as state sta...

White bowl of ambrosia salad.
Food & DrinkJanuary 7

Local Food Accounts You Should Follow

If you’re anything like me, half your social media is just food. Here are some of my favorite local food accounts, that keep me in the kn...

Plate of green beans