n important part of the holiday season is eating well. What do you do if you're not up for cooking an entire Christmas feast? We got a couple of experts talking about where you can find good festive food this holiday weekend. With the assist Michele, dotting Weiner lifestyle reporter at the San Diego Union Tribune. Thank you. And Kandis will who is the editor of eater San Diego. That is a national dining website. Is true that a lot of people do eat out on Christmas. Why is that? Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It's also the most stressful time of the year. All of the out-of-town visitors, how nice is it to be able to go out to dinner. You just such a big family meal at home for Thanksgiving so give your family's cook the perfect gift and go out to dinner Holiday foods are so festive and celebratory. A big prime rib, roast turkey, a Christmas ham. The dirt -- there is something luxurious about it this also comforting and homey. You are a fan of going out on Christmas. Why is that? Well, I love to go to hotels for Christmas. It was something that we did of my family often as my parents got older and cooking wasn't as practical. What happens is, you walk into a hotel and they are decorated for the holidays. There is usually a very cozy lobby you can hang around and have a drink or some cocoa. And then someone else is doing the cooking. They are also very practical in that there open. A lot of restaurants close. These are open. Restaurant chefs, that have to cook the same menu all the time and have to really stick to the traditions for Thanksgiving, they get to be a little bit more creative with their Christmas menu. You're always going to find something really fun The duty downtown. I went on a tour of all of the downtown hotels. I will say that the US grant right now looks so beautiful. It is all sparkly and also the Delmar has the most beautiful decorations up right now. And then there's the oceanview. Kandis, what if you're looking for something cool where people can go. Of fun auction is happening at Ironside fish. They are doing a Chinese pop up for one night. And offering a set menu of eight dishes ranging from a barbecue pork bun to steam black cod and egg custard. They have the raw oyster bar open and champagne. We should talk about people who aren't celebrating Christmas at all. Let's talk a bit about that. I think Chinese restaurants have typically been a haven for people that don't celebrate Christmas typically open on Christmas Day. A safe haven for people who have cooking disasters that famous movie a Christmas story where they had to abandon their Christmas dinner and go to a Chinese restaurant. I would suggest China Max and convoy. You can have your own festive dinner there with peaking dark or Holstein fish are big lobster and celebrate any runway. So this year Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same weekend. Is there a place that would accommodate Lostant despot that you can suggest quick I think places open on Christmas Eve that aren't necessarily open on Christmas Day would be a good choice. Hanukkah begins on Christmas Eve. That is a wonderful coincidence for families. Current down how -- downtown at the Hotel Sofia is beautiful and has lots its weekly lights for parties of eight they've got this little room in the corner with the roundtable that is a special place. They have a special Christmas Eve dinner menu. And then chop house in Coronado has a filet mignon in Maine lobster special for $49.95 on Christmas Eve. That restaurant is delicious. It can also be a little expensive. Some people might be giving up their plans to cook and thinking again. Kandis, what if you're not looking for a meal but maybe someplace you can take your family and friends and grab a drink or something to go after a meal that has a nice atmosphere. I love hotel bars. I think they are so special. I have two favorites. The Westgate Hotel has a great piano bar called the Plaza bar. The Horton grand has a beautiful whiskey bar. They have over 100 Scotch and whiskey selections in a beautiful dark wood bar. What about if you're on a budget and you've got a bunch of people and you want to have fun but not spend too much? There's a great craft beer bar called line play the alehouse. They are staying open on Christmas. The kitchen is closed but the bar is open and their welcoming people to bring in their own food. They will have holiday movies screening and I think that would be a fun budget option. I think that's all in Mission Bay is a great value. The menu reads like a luxury menu but it is $40 per person. A lot of the other ones go up to $89 or $129. This is fixed-price. Children 12 and under, it is less than $40. There is everything from lobster bisque to prime rib to blacktop over Soto, Christmas pudding and chocolate fudge freighters. Those are some really excellent tips and I'd like to thank you for giving us some good ideas. Thank you both so much. Thank you.
A major part of the holiday season is food - whether you're having a big holiday meal or just enjoying some decadent desserts.
But what do you do if you’re not up for cooking an entire feast?
On Friday's Midday Edition, San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Michele Parente and Eater San Diego editor Candice Woo discussed what restaurants are open on Christmas offering holiday meals.
From hotels with festive decorations to places where you can go for a post-dinner cocktail, there are a variety of choices for those who prefer going out for the holidays.
Plus, Woo talked about the many Asian food options available for those who aren't celebrating.
