12 of the best restaurants to eat at in December that won't force you into a festive set menu

December. The most wonderful time of the year. Except when it comes to booking restaurants and finding out there's a mandatory three course set menu, priced substantially higher than in November, delivered by often over-worked and stressed out staff who are limping along to the end of year finish line. If you absolutely must eat out in those crazy few weeks before Christmas, here's 12 brilliant places where you'll find no set surprises, and à la carte reigns supreme...

Gloria Osteria, Westmoreland Street

Dublin's first opening from the Big Mamma Group, Gloria Osteria is coming to Westmoreland Street in less than two weeks, with the soft launch on Friday 21st November. Bookings for the following week will be going live any day now (make sure you're signed up here if you want first dibs on dates), and we're still waiting for menus but it's going to be an Italian à la carte extravaganza right through the festive season.

Hawksmoor, College Green

Hawksmoor say they want to "make Christmas feel like Christmas again", so don't go in for "frantic set menus or forced turkey traditions" - music to our steak-loving ears. It's very much business as usual here 12 months of the year, with some added festive touches in December. If you eat between 12:30 and 17:30 you can also take advantage of their three courses for €31 deal - almost unheard of value at this time of year. Read our review here.

Library Street, Setanta Place

If you make a booking for one - five people at Library Street in December the menu is exactly the same as usual, so you can mix and match those anchovy choux, turbot heads and Paris Brests in whatever combination you like. If you book for six plus you'll be offered the set to keep things running smoothly.

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