If a Christmas trip to Cardiff is already on the calendar, there’s a festive family breakfast to build a morning around. The Ivy Cardiff is bringing back its Naughty Elves Breakfasts in December, with eight dates to choose from. The restaurant is also part of The Ivy Collection’s Alpine-themed Christmas campaign, which features a family of four polar bears in knitted outfits with skis.
There’s a fair bit going on between the first festive lunch in November and brunch on New Year’s Day. For families, the dates and deposit are the first things to check. For a Christmas get-together with friends or colleagues, it’s the two- and three-course set menus that make budgeting straightforward. Here’s how the Cardiff programme breaks down.
Breakfast with Elves dates and ticket prices
The ticketed breakfasts run on 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 22 and 23 December. Tickets are £32.50 for adults and £27.50 for children, with a £10 non-refundable deposit per person. The elves provide the entertainment and each child gets a gift to take home. The breakfast menu includes choices such as buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and a vegetarian cooked breakfast. Check dates and book Breakfast with Elves.
A booking for two adults and two children comes to £120 at the published ticket prices, with a £40 deposit required when booking. If you’re planning a full family day in the city, the morning sittings leave the rest of the day free. The Ivy also has a separate children’s menu during the festive season, with dishes including pasta, salmon and fish and chips.
Christmas lunch and dinner in Cardiff
The Christmas set menu at The Ivy Cardiff runs from 4th November to 29th December 2026 and costs £55 for two courses or £65 for three, per person. Both include one side, a Christmas cracker and a warm mince pie with tea or coffee. The published menu is for groups of up to 12 in the main restaurant, with service from 11.30am on weekdays and 11am at weekends. See the Christmas set menu HERE.
The turkey ballotine comes with an apricot, cranberry and pork stuffing, a pig in a blanket and cranberry chutney. If you already know there’ll be a turkey on your own table in December, there’s plenty of reason to go in a different direction. The pan-fried sea bass comes with caviar and a citrus beurre blanc, while burrata and roasted red pepper linguine brings a little heat from Calabrian chillies. For starters, there’s French onion soup or a twice-baked cheese soufflé with black truffle.
Dessert is where the dining room gets a bit of theatre. The crème brûlée is flambéed at the table, while the Christmas pudding is there for anyone who waits all year for it. On the separate festive à la carte menu, there’s a Chocolate Gingerbread House with sponge, ginger crumb and candied orange. The same menu gives shepherd’s pie a Christmas makeover, putting duck, turkey, lamb and beef under a Cheddar mash.
The November start is handy if your group struggles to find a December date. It also gives you a chance to pair lunch with a weekday trip into Cardiff, when you can book from 11.30am and keep the rest of the afternoon for your own plans.
Festive afternoon tea and regular breakfast
The festive afternoon tea has a few surprises tucked between the scones and mince pies. On the savoury side, there are smoked salmon and cream cheese choux buns and little brioche rolls with truffled chicken. The sweet tier brings orange and cranberry éclairs and a pistachio, almond and cherry Battenberg. There’s tea or coffee, with English sparkling wine available if you’re making an occasion of it. Afternoon tea is served daily from 3pm to 5pm and costs £36.25 per person, or £46.25 with a glass of Nyetimber. Advance booking is required. See the festive afternoon tea menu HERE.
The regular festive breakfast menu has its own seasonal dishes, including eggs royale with smoked salmon and caviar, and eggs Benedict with pulled ham and truffle. There’s also an alcohol-free mimosa with orange juice and Wild Idol sparkling white.
If you have older relatives or friends coming into Cardiff for the day, afternoon tea can be an easier outing to arrange than a late dinner. Book the tea itself when you reserve, so the restaurant knows which menu you’re coming for.
What’s on the festive drinks list
The Bear Colada gives the ski theme a tropical detour, mixing reposado tequila with pineapple, coconut liqueur, cinnamon and white chocolate, then adding Chantilly cream. The Winter Spice Margarita goes in a sharper direction with ginger, hot honey and lime, while the Bear Paloma brings together cherry, cardamom and grapefruit soda. If you’re driving or simply fancy something without alcohol, there’s a version of Santa’s Kir with apple, elderflower, blackcurrant and alcohol-free sparkling wine.
New Year’s Eve lunch and dinner prices
On Thursday 31st December, The Ivy Collection lists a New Year’s Eve lunch at £34.95 for two courses or £43.95 for three. The separate evening dinner is £97.50 per person, with a glass of Champagne included. Dishes announced for the evening include crab and caviar cornetto, black truffle arancini, lobster and prawn, and grilled fillet steak with brandy peppercorn sauce. There’s a Champagne and Sicilian lemon sorbet for anyone who likes a lighter finish. The Collection also has Boxing Day dining and a New Year’s Day brunch in its festive programme. Check the restaurant’s New Year’s Eve menu and sittings HERE.
The lunch and dinner are separate offers. If you’re already planning to spend midnight elsewhere, lunch is the lower-priced option and leaves the evening free.
Where to book
The Ivy Cardiff is at 69/70 St David’s, Cardiff, CF10 1GA. Book a table at The Ivy Cardiff.
