Make a Seafood Feast the Star of Your Christmas Table

Create a stunning Christmas dinner with a luxurious seafood feast. 

From whole baked fish to extravagant shellfish platters, discover festive flavours, sides and serving ideas for a brilliant holiday centrepiece.

When most of us imagine Christmas dinner, we picture a golden turkey, a mountain of roast potatoes and the familiar trimmings passed down through generations. 

But in recent years, more households across Britain have been rethinking their festive menus and embracing something lighter, more luxurious and wonderfully celebratory: a seafood-focused Christmas feast.

If you’re ready to bring a touch of coastal sparkle to your holiday dining, here’s how to create a seafood centrepiece that feels both indulgent and perfectly seasonal.

Why Choose Seafood for Christmas?

Seafood offers a fresh, elegant alternative to the traditional roast. It’s ideal if you’re expecting fewer guests, catering for pescatarians, or simply fancy a change from the usual marathon of turkey-based cooking. 

It also tends to be quicker to prepare, giving you more time to enjoy the day rather than watching the oven like a hawk.

And from a presentation perspective, few things look as spectacular as a grand platter of lobster, gleaming prawns, plump scallops or a whole roasted fish.

Choosing Your Showstopper

Your centrepiece can take many forms, depending on budget, confidence level, and how dramatic you want the reveal to be.

1. Whole Baked Salmon or Sea Bass

A whole fish baked with herbs, citrus and seasonal vegetables looks impressive yet requires very little hands-on effort. It’s naturally festive when served on a large platter surrounded by sprigs of dill, pomegranate seeds and roasted new potatoes.

2. Luxury Shellfish Platter

For pure extravagance, nothing beats a cold seafood platter:

Lobster tails

King prawns

Oysters

Dressed crab

Smoked salmon

Add bowls of lemon wedges, Marie Rose sauce, and herb-infused butter, and you have a Christmas lunch worthy of a seaside grand hotel.

3. Scallops with a Winter Twist

Pan-seared scallops served with crispy pancetta, winter squash purée or even a splash of champagne butter make an unforgettable starter—or a decadent main if you serve larger portions.

4. Festive Seafood Paella

Perfect for a relaxed Christmas Eve gathering or Boxing Day feast. Packed with prawns, squid and mussels, it’s warm, colourful and a brilliant centre-of-table dish for communal eating.

Flavours That Feel Christmassy

Seafood pairs beautifully with seasonal ingredients. Consider adding:

Citrus: clementines, oranges, lemons

Fresh herbs: dill, parsley, chives

Winter spices: saffron, star anise or nutmeg in small amounts

Festive garnishes: pomegranate arils, cranberries (fresh or dried), edible gold dust

And don’t shy away from serving with a chilled glass of English sparkling wine, it’s a match made in heaven with shellfish.

Sides That Complement a Seafood Feast

To keep your table balanced and Christmassy, pair your seafood centrepiece with:

Roasted new potatoes or buttery mashed potatoes

Winter greens with garlic and lemon

Honey-roasted carrots and parsnips

A zesty fennel and orange salad

Crusty bread for mopping up sauces

These sides are light enough not to overwhelm the star of the show, yet seasonal enough to keep the festive spirit alive.

Make It Social and Spectacular

Presentation is everything with a seafood Christmas. Use large white platters, rustic wooden boards, or tiered stands to show off different elements. Add greenery, bay leaves, rosemary or holly (for decoration only!)—to bring in that unmistakable Christmas feel.

A few candles and a scattering of sea-salt flakes over the platter just before serving can elevate the whole moment.

A seafood-led Christmas dinner is a refreshing, elegant and utterly delicious way to celebrate the season. Whether you opt for a majestic whole fish or a lavish shellfish tower, it’s a wonderful opportunity to introduce new flavours and traditions to your festive table.

If you’ve never tried it before, this might just be the year to bring the seaside to your Christmas Day feast.

But I'm Not That Keen on Wine! How to Pair Beer and Cider with Christmas Foods and Cheeses

As the festive season rolls around, many of us find ourselves knee-deep in rich Christmas dinners, endless cheese platters, and indulgent puddings. 

For some, the natural beverage accompaniment is wine—perhaps a spicy red or a crisp white. But what if you're just not that keen on wine? If you’re more of a beer or cider enthusiast, don’t worry. 

There are plenty of exciting pairings that will not only complement your Christmas spread but elevate it. Here’s how you can enjoy your favourite brews with traditional festive fare.

Starters: Light, Crisp, and Fresh

Food: Prawn Cocktail, Smoked Salmon Blini

Pair with: Lager or Pilsner

When starting with something light and fresh, like a prawn cocktail or smoked salmon, you want a beer that won’t overpower the delicate flavours. A crisp, clean lager or pilsner is a great match. These beers have a gentle bitterness that balances the sweetness of the seafood and cuts through the richness of the cream or butter often used in starters. Alternatively, a dry cider can also work wonders here, with its bright acidity complementing the briny seafood notes.

Main Course: Roasts and Trimmings

Food: Roast Turkey, Ham, Stuffing, and all the Trimmings

Pair with: Pale Ale or English Bitter

Christmas dinner is a hearty affair, full of bold flavours and plenty of richness. A pale ale, with its moderate bitterness and fruity notes, works brilliantly alongside roast turkey and stuffing. The malt character of the ale will enhance the caramelised elements of roast vegetables, while the bitterness cleanses the palate after bites of rich gravy and cranberry sauce. If you prefer something more traditional, an English bitter is an excellent choice, offering a mild hop flavour that complements the savoury herbs in your stuffing and roast.

Food: Roast Beef or Lamb

Pair with: Stout or Porter

If beef or lamb is more your Christmas choice, go bold with a stout or porter. These dark beers, with their roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate undertones, stand up well to the intense flavours of red meat. A stout with a slightly sweet, creamy finish can balance out the savoury notes of the gravy, while a porter’s rich, roasted character adds depth to the dish. Think of it as the beer version of a full-bodied red wine.

Cheese Course: A World of Possibilities

Food: Strong Cheddar or Stilton

Pair with: IPA or Barleywine

Cheddar, especially an aged one, needs something equally robust to stand up to its sharpness. An India Pale Ale (IPA), with its pronounced hop bitterness and citrus notes, is a wonderful contrast to the creamy, salty tang of mature cheddar. If you’re tackling a blue cheese like Stilton, a barleywine is a match made in heaven. This strong ale, with its malty sweetness and complex flavours, balances the funkiness of the blue cheese, creating a harmonious pairing. We laid down several bottles of our homemade barleywine for our Christmas feasting. We made it during the summertime.

Food: Brie or Camembert

Pair with: Belgian Dubbel or Wheat Beer

For softer cheeses like Brie or Camembert, opt for something a little lighter but still full of flavour. A Belgian Dubbel, with its rich malt character and subtle spice, is an intriguing partner for these creamy cheeses. Alternatively, a wheat beer, with its fruity and slightly tangy profile, can cut through the richness of the cheese while complementing its earthy, mushroom-like undertones.

Puddings and Dessert: Sweet but Not Too Sweet

Food: Christmas Pudding or Mince Pies

Pair with: Spiced Ale or Cider

Christmas pudding and mince pies are packed with rich fruits, warming spices, and plenty of sweetness. A spiced ale, brewed with ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, mirrors the flavours in the pudding without overwhelming it. If you’re more of a cider fan, a traditional mulled cider or a sweeter, still variety can be an excellent pairing here. The tartness of the apples cuts through the richness of the dessert, while the sweetness complements the dried fruits.

Food: Chocolate Yule Log

Pair with: Milk Stout or Cream Ale

Chocolate desserts can be tricky to pair, but a milk stout, with its sweet, creamy texture and hints of chocolate, is the ideal companion for a rich yule log. The malt sweetness and mild bitterness help balance the dense chocolate, while the smooth finish makes each bite more indulgent. A cream ale, with its light sweetness and smooth mouthfeel, is another great option, providing a refreshing contrast to the heaviness of the dessert.

So, even if wine isn’t your cup of tea (or pint of beer), you can still enjoy the perfect Christmas feast with the right beer or cider in hand. From the seafood starters to the cheese course and all the way through to pudding, there’s a brew for every bite. So, raise a glass—be it a pint or a bottle—and cheers to a merry and beery Christmas!