Brasserie 2.0 Christmas Brunch Review

If you’ve lived in Dubai for more than a minute, you know that securing a Christmas Day brunch is basically like an Olympic sport. After five years of “meh” turkeys and wallet stinging disappointments, we finally managed to snag a table at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa for the legendary Brasserie 2.0 Christmas brunch.

Was it worth the hype? Let’s just say I left with my spirits high and my waistband tight!

Securing Your Brasserie 2.0 Christmas Brunch 

I tried booking the Christmas day brunch in early October, only to be told they’d been fully booked since April. Gulp. Apparently, people plan their Brasserie 2.0 brunch before the Easter Bunny has even arrived.

However, I’ll let you in on a secret if the day slots are gone, ask for the evening Brasserie 2.0 Christmas brunch slot which is between 7:30 PM – 11pm. It’s the exact same spread but with a much more relaxed vibe. Plus, you get to spend the day in your pajamas before heading out. Winner!.

First Impressions of the Brasserie 2.0 Christmas Brunch Dubai

Walking in, the scale of the buffet is staggering. Vast, vibrant, and utterly premium. Decor? Lots of festive displays. Twinkling outdoor lights and an actual ice sculpture!

Christmas Day Pricing Breakdown for both day/evening seating:

• Soft Package: AED 550

• Sparkling Package: AED 800 (our choice!)

• Champagne Package: AED 950

We peeked at the drinks menu but, honestly, it didn’t excite us. So we stuck to the Prosecco and never looked back.

Why You Must Choose Outdoor Seating

We debated inside or outside. It’s a bit chilly by Dubai standards, so it was a genuine decision to ponder, but with heaters ready and pashminas on offer, we went outside.

Outside, was absolutely the right call. Inside was beautifully decorated, with festive touches and even a real snowflake shaped ice sculpture, but it still had that unmistakable hotel buffet feel. Outside, however? Twinkly lights, live BBQ smells, music, and such a great atmosphere.

And the best part? Outside had an additional BBQ area cooking to order, beef ribeye, beef tenderloin, lamb chops, T-bone steaks, and even lobster. Something we’d likely have missed completely if we’d been seated inside.

We also caught the JBR drone show twice, at 8 PM and 10 PM, all from our table. Not a bad backdrop for a Christmas meal.

Starters and Seafood: A Buffet So Big It Needs a Map

Walking in, the scale of the buffet hits you immediately. Vast, well laid out, and oh so premium.

Pro tip: Take a full lap of the buffet before filling your plate. The selection is so extensive it’s easy to miss the best options if you rush. Not my first rodeo, haha!

Most buffets treat starters like a filler; here, they are most definitely the main event.

• Seafood: Excellent lobster, Dibba Bay oysters, high-quality sushi and sashimi, and caviar.

• The cheese section: An impressively large selection.

• The pork station: Slightly tucked away towards the back, but worth finding. A strong spread of cold cuts.

• The freshness: This didn’t feel like a picked-over buffet at any point. Platters were refilled almost as soon as they were touched, even later in the evening.