Owners of local restaurants offering Christmas dinner say that business has been growing each year as customers decide to stay out of the kitchen on the big day.
Still, there aren't many that will be open, so call early to make reservations. From my somewhat random survey, your best bet is hotel restaurants. Country inns and Chinese restaurants run a close second.
To give you some idea of what's out there, here are a few I found:
Antrim 1844 in Taneytown plans a holiday buffet for $50 a person.
Berry & Elliott's in the Hyatt will offer a special menu that hasn't been finalized yet.
Crossroads in the Cross Keys Inn will be open, and as of this writing plans to serve its regular menu.
It's a little unconventional, but the Greenspring Inn in Lutherville will be serving its Chinese dinner menu all day.
Hampton's in Harbor Court will have a four-course fixed price menu ($49).
Stone Manor, a country inn just outside of Frederick in Middletown, will have a four-course traditional holiday menu for $45 a person.
Treaty of Paris in the Maryland Inn, Annapolis, will have a limited number of traditional Christmas favorites.
Windows in Stouffer's Harborplace is offering a Christmas brunch and a limited menu for dinner.
Table Talk welcomes interesting tidbits of restaurant news. Please send suggestions to Elizabeth Large, Table Talk, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278, or call (410) 332-6197.