Where to Order Takeout for Christmas in Champaign-Urbana

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner: Here’s where you can order carryout for (or on!) Christmas Day in Champaign-Urbana

Maybe having someone else prepare your Christmas lunch or dinner sounds more compelling than making a turkey or ham (or anything else) yourself this Christmas Day. Or perhaps you don’t celebrate the holiday. Maybe you prefer to leave the mess to someone else and order to-go style meals for your family. Regardless of the reason, we have the guide for you. Here’s our 2020 list of where to eat on Christmas Day in Champaign-Urbana (not including fast food or coffee shops).

NOTE: as of early December, we have verified all of these restaurants will be open for carryout in Champaign-Urbana on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. Additional restaurants may be added as we are made aware so be sure to check back; this list tends to increase in size the closer we get to the holiday. We have included ordering deadlines when provided to us.

A special thanks to Blue Dragonfly Catering for presenting our guide for ordering all of your holiday goodies.

Be sure to check out their holiday pie sales this December. Choose from apple, pumpkin, pecan or holiday custard with a brown sugar bourbon whipped cream. All pies are made from scratch with an all-butter homemade crust. For the non-pie eater, they feature an Italian Olive Oil Orange cake. Using their signature Oligarola Olive oil and fresh oranges, this cake is perfect with coffee in the morning, an afternoon snack and makes a great gift (gift tin included)! All pies and cakes are $15. For each pie or cake sold, $3 will be donated to the Tree of Hope campaign for DSC. Place your order here by Dec. 20 for pick up at Blue Dragonfly Catering (1205 N. Harris, Champaign) on Dec. 23.

**As an added bonus, if/when Blue Dragonfly reaches 100 pies sold, they will offer a chef’s table dinner in their kitchen — for a party of four — to one recipient. Anyone who purchases a pie (if 100 pies are sold) will be entered into the drawing. The prize is a $150 value.

Where to Order Family Style Holiday Meals in Champaign-Urbana

Art Mart, Champaign: Art Mart is featuring a holiday menu with your choice of small, medium entrees. These include Swedish meatballs, gravy, and lingonberry preserves or fondue Mac and cheese. Sides of roasted brussels sprouts with chestnuts and rosemary and cranberry orange salad are also available for order. Cheese trays and cheese/charcuterie trays are also available for order. A breakfast casserole with egg, bacon, potato, and cheddar cheese can be ordered and baked at home. Call 217-344-7979 by Sunday December 20 to place you order. Orders may be picked up on December 23 or 24.

Baxter’s American Grille, Champaign: Baxter’s is offering a family style prime rib dinner served with au jus. Meals include a house or Baxter’s salad, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, pumpkin gooey butter cake, and rolls. Orders must be placed by December 21 for pickup on Christmas Eve from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Big Grove Tavern, Champaign: Featuring main courses of whole or half bone-in ribeye roasts, whole or half al pastor ham, or whole turkey, Big Grove Tavern is offering Christmas meals for pickup on December 23 or 24. A breakfast option is available, as well as sides, wine, and flan or churros. Orders must be placed by December 21.

Black Dog Smoke & Ale House, Champaign: Family style orders will be available for pickup on December 24 by 3:00 p.m. All orders must be placed 28 hours in advance. A Christmas Eve special of tri tip roast or smoked shrimp cocktail is available in addition to a BBQ nacho kit as well as other meats, smoked fish, and an assortment of sides. Orders must be placed by December 23.

Bob Evans, Champaign: Order a farmhouse feast for 10 with turkey or ham. Sides include macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, dressing, carrots, broccoli, and cranberry relish. Preorder your meal by December 23 for pickup on Christmas Eve.

Cracker Barrel, Urbana: Cracker Barrel is offering Heat n’ Serve Meals this holiday season. The meals feature spiral-sliced sugar cured ham. Meals come with dressing, gravy, cranberry relish, sides, rolls, apple pecan streusel and pecan pies.

Esquire Lounge, Champaign: Enjoy Esquire’s Christmas Eve special with a half or whole bird meal. Both meals include rolls, cheesy potatoes, and salad. Add on desserts from Central Illinois Bakehouse, including peppermint mocha brownies or mini pumpkin, apple cranberry, or bourbon pecan pies. A cozy cocktail can additionally be added to your meal order.

Hamilton Walker’s, Champaign: Hamilton Walker’s is featuring a dinner of prime rib or tenderloin. Sides include creamy horseradish, roasted red potatoes, roasted mushrooms, red wine demi glace, mini crab cakes, whole baguette, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. Order must be placed by noon on December 20 for pickup on December 23 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

Michael’s Catering, Champaign: Choose from smoked and glazed ham steaks, lamb roast, or roasted vegetable and gruyere phyllo pie. Sides include sweet potatoes, pineapple casserole, broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole, scalloped potatoes, rolls from Central Illinois Bakehouse, and whipped butter. Additional add-ons including pecan tarts, peppermint mousse, shrimp cocktail, cheeseballs, and hot cocoa mix can be added to your order. Meals will be delivered on December 24 and come ready to be heated up.

Piato Cafe, Champaign: Piato’s Christmas dinner menu includes your choice of honey mustard and apple baked ham, apricot stuffed pork loin, rosemary and garlic roast beef, or spinach and mushroom lasagna. Your choice of side, vegetable, and dessert are also included. All orders come with salad, rolls, and cranberry sauce. Order must be received by 4 p.m. on Dec. 21 for pickup on Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Project 47 Smokehouse, Mahomet: Project 47 is offering an applewood smoked spiral ham or sliced turkey by the pound. Sides purchased separately include macaroni and cheese, baked beans, cole slaw, or potato salad. Order by December 20 for pickup on Christmas Eve from 3:00-5:00 p.m. or Christmas Day from 9:00-11:00 a.m.

The Wheelhouse, St. Joseph: Order your Christmas meal ahead of time for pickup on Christmas Eve from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Meal options include orange and honey glazed ham, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sweet corn au gratin, green bean casserole, rolls, a winter greens salad, and pecan pie. A horseradish and garlic crusted prime rib dinner is also being offered including shrimp and crab bisque, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and German chocolate cake. Orders are also being taken for pies and cookies.

Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve/Day

Baldarotta’s Porketta & Sicilian Sausage, 300 S. Broadway Ave., Urbana: Baldarotta’s will be open on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and then closed from December 25 through January 4, 2021.

Biaggi’s, 2235 S. Neil St., Champaign: Biaggi’s will be accepting orders on Christmas Eve until 7:00 p.m. They will be closed on Christmas Day.

Chinatown Buffet, 713 W. Marketview Dr., Champaign: Open regular hours Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Denny’s, 702 W. Town Center Blvd., Champaign: With current mitigations, Denny’s will be open for carryout on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 6 a.m to 11 p.m.

El Toro, All Champaign Locations: All Champaign El Toro locations will be open on Christmas Eve until 8:00 p.m. and closed on Christmas Day.

Golden Harbor, 505 S. Neil St., Champaign: Golden Harbor will be open on Christmas Day from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 4:30-9:00 p.m.

Houlihan’s, 1900 S. First St., Champaign: As of the date of publishing, Houlihan’s is planning to be open on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and from 5-8 p.m for dinner.

I Wok Savoy, 113 Calvin St., Savoy: Open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Jupiter’s at the Crossing, 2511 Village Green Place, Champaign: Open from 4-8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day.

Kohinoor, 6 E. Columbia Ave., Champaign: Kohinoor will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for carryout.

Legends, 522 E. Green St., Champaign: Open from 4-9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Closed on Christmas Day. Delivery is available on Christmas Eve.

Merry Ann’s Diner, 1510 S. Neil St., Champaign: Merry Ann’s will close at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will re-open at 6 a.m. on Christmas Day (open all day).

Oishi, 2501 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign: Open regular hours for carryout on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Peking Garden, 206 N. Randolph St., Champaign: Open regular hours for carryout on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Rainbow Garden, 1402 S. Neil St., Champaign: Open for carryout until 8:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and from 3-8 p.m on Christmas Day for dinner. Champaign location only.

Red Lobster, 1901 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign: Open for carryout on Christmas Eve until 7:00 p.m. Closed on Christmas Day.

Super Wok, 1737 W. Kirby Ave., Champaign: Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Tasty Tart, 405 S. Neil St., Suite C, Champaign: Tasty Tart will remain open for their regular hours, 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Toro Loco, 1601 N. Cunningham Ave., Urbana: Toro Loco will be open on Christmas Eve from 11:00-9:30 p.m.

If you know of other Champaign-Urbana area restaurants offering carryout or catering on Christmas, email us and we will add the information for our readers.