If you’re looking for a refuge from the bustle of this year’s Christmas Markets – one that happens to be super-stylish at the same time… well.
Up at the Second Floor Brasserie at Harvey Nichols, you’ll find that the chaos pretty quickly fades away. Down below, Cathedral Gardens buzzes with steaming glühwein and sizzling bratwursts.
The best seats in the house are by the corner window. From there, you can look out over the fairy lights and timber huts of the markets, and the wonky Tudor facades of Sinclair’s Oyster Bar and The Old Wellington Inn offering up a touch of Dickensian charm.
Inside, Harvey Nichols’ Christmas menu feels as indulgent as the setting. The brasserie’s new festive dishes balance classic comfort with flashes of glamour.
Everyone has a favourite Christmas sandwich. This one ticks a load of boxes. Roasted turkey layered with pigs in blankets, melted brie, cranberry sauce, pickled red cabbage, and a drizzle of onion gravy, all between toasted sourdough. It’s the kind of sandwich that could easily count as Christmas dinner in one bite.
Then there’s the Lobster Roll, a Harvey Nichols favourite that’s been given a seasonal spin. Scottish lobster dressed in lemon mayonnaise and garlic butter comes in a toasted brioche roll, with crisp fries on the side. It’s rich, bright, and a welcome break from the usual festive fare — the taste of December luxury done right.
For something smaller but just as nostalgic, the pigs-in-blankets from the small plates menu come with a sweet cranberry sauce for dipping. Perfect to share (or not share, we’d recommend not to be honest) alongside one of the bar’s new winter cocktails.
The Christmas Tart – a heady mix of gin, amaretto syrup, brandy, and Champagne Rosé, topped with a Maraschino cherry – captures the season in a glass. The Fireside Orange brings together vodka, orange juice, and gingerbread syrup for a warming, fragrant kick, while the Winter Solstice Spritz blends Aperol, Prosecco, and ginger beer with star anise and rosemary — a lighter choice that still feels distinctly wintery.
It’s a calmer kind of Christmas. The perfect retreat after a day of retail therapy or navigating the winter crowds.
Email secondfloor.reservations@harveynichols.com for reservations.
Read more:
An enchanting new light and story adventure, ‘Twilight Tales’, arrives at Freight Island this Christmas
Much-hyped Bread Ahead to come to Manchester
Team behind 10 Tib Lane launch new cocktail bar
