OKC restaurants open, ready to serve on Christmas Day 2022 - Oklahoma City Free Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — For those that celebrate Christmas, sitting down to the perfect, delicious Christmas dinner is as much a part of tradition as gifts and decorated trees. 

And though some love to crowd in the kitchen and cook up a glazed ham or baked turkey themselves, many families prefer to go out on the town in search of that most memorable holiday meal at a restaurant.

For those that don’t celebrate the holiday, December 25th can actually be a perfect day of eatery exploration, trying out foods and restaurants that they may have missed throughout the year, particularly those specializing in multi-ethnic, cultural cuisine, a community OKC has been developing wonderfully in recent years.

So whether you’re looking for a lavish holiday spread for your whole family, a simple and relaxing spot to grab some comfort food, or even the kind of Christmas Night Chinese dinner that’s become something of a tradition in its own right, Oklahoma City restaurants have you covered.

Formosa Street Food & Bar – 427 NW 23rd St – Open 4:00pm to Midnight

If you’re one of the countless people that enjoy seeking out the best Chinese food on December 25th, you can’t possibly go wrong with Formosa in the Uptown 23rd District.

The brainchild of acclaimed local restaurant manager Ivan Wong, Formosa is designed to spotlight the popular “street foods” from stalls and carts in China and Taiwan, with a menu focused on rice and noodle bowls, slow-cooked beef sauces, shrimp dumplings, pork wontons, spicy veggies, chili oils, and loads more.

Not only is everything on the menu priced and portioned to encourage a wide sampling of items, but the execution of everything is just about perfect, no matter what you order (though I admit I have a particular soft spot for their popcorn chicken, which very well might be the best fried chicken in town.)

Formosa isn’t just my #1 recommendation among Christmas Night restaurant options, it’s almost definitely my favorite new restaurant in all of OKC.

Flint – Colcord Building: 15 N. Robinson Ave. – Open 11:00am to 7:30pm (6:30am to 11:00am for breakfast)

For something more traditional and decidedly fancier, the Colcord Building’s flagship eatery, Flint, is hosting an all-day special prix fixe menu aimed at some of the most luxurious Christmas favorites.

Each of the meal’s three courses features three selections sure to please any holiday traditionalist’s palate, with entree choices including filet mignon medallions, bourbon molasses glazed ham, or classic roasted chicken.

Reservations aren’t required, but with a mouth-watering menu like this, it might be a safe bet to call ahead and reserve a spot now for lunch or dinner, and if you’re planning to bring your whole family along (as in a party of 12 or more,) then you’ll need to let them know in advance.

As if that wasn’t enough, they’ll be serving breakfast from 6:30am until lunchtime, a great option for getting the family fed early without having to overwork yourself in the kitchen all day.

GoPuram Taste of India – 412 S. Meridian Ave. – Noon to 7:00pm

Nothing appeals to a holiday-sized appetite like a buffet, and nothing appeals to a spicy and adventurous palate like the best Indian foods.

GoPuram bills itself proudly as being “open all day every day,” and the 25th is set to be no different as they lay out all the authentic Indian favorites like vindaloo, saag, and korma, as well as all the famous, more approachable dishes like tikka masala and butter chicken.

This is also a fantastic option for a vegetarian or vegan option on Christmas, as they offer a full range of veggie dumplings and all the traditional entrées with eggplant instead of meat.

The plan is to wrap up for the night around 7:00, but the owners say they’re prepared to keep the party going longer if the turnout is heavy, hungry, and having a good time.

Black Bear Diner Moore – 920 SW 25th St, Moore – Open 8:00am to 6:00pm

Sometimes you’re a little burned out on IHOP and Denny’s and Waffle House, but you still want that classic chain diner experience.

Sometimes you just want a huge, sprawling menu with enough options to please even the biggest and most picky family.

If either of those is the case, pop down to Moore and check out the Black Bear Diner, a national chain that specializes in, well, practically everything. Breakfast? Check. Meatloaf? Check. Turkey? Check. Pasta? Shrimp? Salmon? Steak? It’s checks across the board.

Of course, the greatest appeal of a place like Black Bear Diner on Christmas Day is the ability to have a hot cup of coffee, a little friendly conversation, and all the comforting familiarity that we all need from time to time.

As always, whether you’re taking the family out for a holiday dinner for the ages, or even just popping into a great local spot for Christmas breakfast, remember that the staff wherever you are is working on Christmas in the middle of a major, ongoing staffing shortage.

And, remember, tip well.

Last Updated December 22, 2022, 9:02 PM by Brett Dickerson – Editor