Legendary Christmas Day Brunch at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai JBR

The Legendary Christmas Day Brunch returns to The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai on The Walk at JBR on Friday 25 December 2026. The hotel describes it as “the most exquisite outdoor feast”, paired with lively entertainment and what it calls magical Ritz Kids moments, served between 1pm and 4pm in the resort’s beachfront grounds.

It is the flagship of the hotel’s festive season and one of the most family-focused Christmas Day brunches in Dubai, built for parents who want the children entertained while the adults settle into a long lunch by the sea.

The Ritz-Carlton Christmas Day brunch in Dubai: an outdoor feast

The hotel has not published a full 2026 menu, but the description is clear about the format: an outdoor festive feast with live entertainment through the afternoon and a visit from Santa. In previous seasons, The Ritz-Carlton has presented the brunch in a spectacular alfresco setting with global culinary stations ranging from Italy and India to Japan and modern Arabia, alongside the Christmas classics.

Time Out Dubai’s 2026 Christmas Day brunch guide lists two adult packages, one with soft drinks and one with house beverages, plus a separate rate for children aged 6 to 11. The hotel’s own page does not show the packages, so confirm the details when you book; current rates are shown in the booking box on this page. Bookings are taken through the hotel’s SevenRooms page, where the brunch is listed under Caravan, the resort’s restaurant.

Ritz Kids and the family programme

What sets this brunch apart is how much is planned for children. Ritz Kids is the hotel’s dedicated children’s programme, and on Christmas Day it runs alongside the brunch. At the 2025 edition, Ritz Kids entertained younger guests with a bouncy castle, face painting, balloon animals and games, before a visit from Santa Claus. The 2026 line-up has not been detailed, but the hotel again highlights Ritz Kids moments and Santa as part of the afternoon.

For parents, that means a Christmas lunch where the children have their own entertainment within sight of the table, and the adults can actually enjoy the food and the setting.

The setting at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai

The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai opened in November 1998 and was one of the first luxury properties on what is now JBR. It is a low-rise, Mediterranean-style resort with Andalusian touches, wrapped around landscaped gardens and a private beach, and every room and suite looks over the pool, the gardens or the sea. That garden-and-beach layout is what makes an outdoor Christmas brunch work here: the resort feels calm and enclosed even though The Walk is just outside.

Because the brunch is held outdoors through the afternoon, a light layer is useful for the later part of the day.

Who the Legendary brunch suits

This is first and foremost a family brunch. The combination of Ritz Kids activities, a Santa visit and an outdoor setting suits parents with young children, as well as extended families celebrating across generations. It also works for groups of friends and for visitors staying in Dubai over Christmas who want a polished, five-star celebration with a beachside feel. Couples looking for something quieter may prefer one of the hotel’s smaller restaurant experiences.

Festive season at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai

The Legendary brunch sits within a full programme of festive dining at the resort. On Christmas Eve, the hotel hosts a family buffet at Caravan and an Italian dinner at Splendido, and on Christmas Day there is also a festive lunch at Tamoka. The Festive Afternoon Tea in The Lobby Lounge runs daily between 4 and 30 December, excluding Christmas Day, between 12.30pm and 5pm, and a Festive Feast At Home can be ordered between 1 and 27 December.

The celebrations continue into New Year’s Eve, with dinners at Tamoka, Splendido and Amaseena and a party at Caña Beach, so families can return to the resort to welcome 2027.

How to book

Reservations are made online through the hotel’s SevenRooms booking page for the Legendary Christmas Day Brunch, linked from this listing and from The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai holiday events page. You can also call the hotel on +971 4 399 4000. When booking, mention the ages of any children in your party, since the children’s rate applies to ages 6 to 11. Arriving by car, allow extra time: The Walk at JBR is busy on public holidays, and Christmas Day falls on a Friday this year.

For other ways to spend the day, compare the beachfront Beach Bum Christmas Brunch on Palm West Beach, browse our dinner and brunch listings and kids’ events in Dubai, or see what else is on in things to do in December and across things to do in Dubai.

An outdoor festive feast, live entertainment, Ritz Kids and Santa by the sea: the Legendary Christmas Day Brunch is The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai’s biggest celebration of the season.