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The ultimate guide to pairing every kind of Christmas food and drink

Read time 9 Mins

Posted 06 Nov 2025

By
J’aime Cardillo

An illustration of a festive meal with Champagne flutes and a cocktail

Nail the most important hosting gig of the year with these menus and drink matches for all types of cuisines.

There’s a certain type of person who lives to host Christmas. You know the one – they have hand-written placecards, personalised crackers, a department store-styled tree and not one bead of sweat on their brow. Then there are the rest of us who are overwhelmed by the mere thought of a Christmas menu. Are we serving classic Aussie? Italian? Japanese? It’s a lot.

If you’re looking for some pointers, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve created the ultimate Christmas classics cheat sheet, and we’ve covered more than a few cuisines. You’ll find starters, mains, dessert and, of course, the drinks to pair with them. So, bookmark this baby, and start planning the Christmas that everyone will be talking about for years to come.

1. Australian

Christmas Down Under is (usually) bloody hot, so we love a bit of freshness to kick off lunch – we’re talking prawns and oysters, and we’re pairing them with De Bortoli King Valley Prosecco. The bubbles are light and won’t overpower the delicate seafood. If ham is your highlight for December (and January), and, like us, you’ll be eating ham toasties well into the New Year, we reckon you need a big maple-glazed ham slap bang on the table. It’ll work for breakfast (croissants, anyone?), lunch, dinner or even as an 11pm snack. Pair it with the very on-theme Coopers Australian Lager – it’s as laidback as Chrissy lunch (we hope).

$14.95 each

Some people do roast chicken, we’re doing roast turkey with cranberry sauce and potato salad, obvs. That potato salad is coated in mayo or mustard, whatever your preference, boiled egg and chunks of bacon (or Christmas ham), so it has to be a pinot noir to go with it. We’re pouring Punt Road Pinot Noir, which has sweet berry flavours and will even impress that uncle who thinks he knows everything about wine. It’s likely Nan’s making a trifle and your aunty is bringing shortbreads she’s spent all week baking, but we absolutely can not have an Aussie Christmas that doesn’t involve a giant slice of pav. For that, we can’t go past a sticky, and we love Peter Lehmann’s Botrytis Semillon – it brings dried apricot, lemon marmalade and toffee notes, and it matches the crisp shell and chewy, marshmallow of the meringue.

2. English

If you’re hosting a Christmas fit for the royal family, start with smoked salmon and horseradish crème fraîche. We’re partial to blinis but toast or crackers also work. The first order of the day? A round of Greyhounds. We’re stirring with Smirnoff Red Label. A Greyhound is just two ingredients – vodka and grapefruit juice – so it's the perfect stress-free drink to make for a group. Similar to the Aussie spread, we’re roasting turkey (going hard on the stuffing), and we’ve got all the sides: potatoes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots and parsnips. We won’t say no to a pig in a blanket, either. Wine feels right here, specifically a gamay. We love Mommessin Grandes Mises Saint Amour Beaujolais – it’s bright with fruits like raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, and a little spice from the nutmeg. You can even try it with a little chill on it. The gamay’s acidity will cut through the richness of the turkey and its earthy tones will match herbs like sage and thyme in the stuffing.

$46.95 each

Smirnoff Vodka is an ideal vodka for Martinis

For sweets, it has to be Christmas pudding (AKA plum pudding). Now, everyone (read: your mum) has their own recipe, but a pud is usually packed with dried and candied fruits and nuts like apricots, pecans, cranberries, raisins and dates. The perfect pairing? Eggnog. To make it, you’ll need some kitchen staples: milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, sugar and rum. We like Bumbu XO – you get toffee, toasted oak, vanilla, orange zest, pepper and a bit of coffee.

Kendall-Jackson makes a rich style of Californian chardonnay

3. American

Two words: crab cakes. That’s right, we’re going American style. And, yes, there’s remoulade sauce. There’s really only one answer here when it comes to the drinks – we’re pulling out the pale ales. Stone & Wood’s Easy Pale Ale stands up against the fried cakes without overwhelming them (and it’s refreshing as hell). Many Americans traditionally serve turkey, ham or beef (maybe all three), but the main meal? The sides. Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole sauce, candied sweet potato – the protein really is a vessel for the sides.

An American dinner needs an American chardonnay, and it’s the Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay for us – there’s flavours of pineapple, mango and citrus, with hints of vanilla, honey and oak. Mac and cheese and chardy? Say less. For dessert, it’s all about pie, preferably apple. We’re pairing a hefty slice with Buffalo Trace Bourbon – it has notes of vanilla, caramel, cinnamon and baking spices. It’s practically a pie in itself.

$34.99 each

4. Mexican

If you’re celebrating Christmas with a Mexican feast (do you have a spare seat?), then you have to start with Mexico’s national drink. And no, it’s not the Marg, it’s the Paloma. You’ll still need a good tequila, so yes, you can make Margs later, but we’re using El Arquero Tequila Blanco. If a Paloma is in your glass, then on the plate is a tamale or two – corn dough filled with meat, vegetables and cheese before being wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and steamed. The Paloma brings a bit of sour from the lime, sweetness from the grapefruit soda and this particular blanco (FYI its founder is ex-cricketer Adam Gilchrist) brings pineapple, citrus, white pepper, lemon and vanilla.

Member Offer

$89 per bottle Non-Member: $99.99 each

A bottle of El'Arquero Blanco Tequila from Mexico

While we’re pretty sure you could serve only tamales and Palomas and have a very happy table, we reckon it’s time to bring out the ponzole. This traditional Mexican soup includes hominy or dried corn, and a protein like pork or chicken, before being garnished with the likes of cabbage, radish, guacamole, onion, lime and chilli sauce. Serve it with fried tortillas and a big dollop of sour cream, and you know it’s crying out for a Mexican-style beer, so pop the top on a Sol Cerveza. This crisp lager loves a lick of spice. If you’ve never had buñuelos, then you’re in for a treat, it’s a perfect disc of fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar – think cinnamon doughnut, but way better – and they’re generally served to celebrate Christmas and the New Year (petition to make them a year-round treat?). There’s no telling how many of these babies guests will eat, so make extra and serve them alongside Don Julio Reposado Tequila. Aged for eight months, this reposado pours amber and brings flavours of dark chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon.

Monsuta Okinawa Dry is a crisp style of lager

5. Japanese

It’s become a tradition in Japan to eat KFC at Christmas (as if Christmas wasn’t already the best day of the year). In 1974, KFC launched a ‘Kentucky for Christmas’ campaign after noticing a gap in the market. Fast forward 50 years and it’s a nationwide tradition that’s ordered weeks in advance. So, grab a bucket of the Dirty Bird and a six-pack of Monsuta Okinawa Premium Draft for a lager that’s smooth, clean and rich with malt, and you’ve got yourself a pretty good Christmas.

You know what would top it off, though? A screening of Love Actually, a strawberry shortcake (AKA Japanese Christmas cake) – fresh cream and strawberries layered between fluffy layers of sponge – and a glass of moscato. We love Innocent Bystander’s Moscato – it’s sweet, but not too sweet, and packed with flavours of wild strawberries, violets and honeycomb. Yum.

Member Offer

$19 per pack of 6Non-Member: $22.99 pack (6)

6. French

Before we even think about a menu, we’ll need one thing: Champagne. Oui. You can’t have a French-inspired meal, let alone Christmas, without it. A bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne will be a certified hit. Oysters for Christmas are a French favourite (fun fact: about half the country’s oyster consumption takes place between Christmas and New Year’s) so, serving Champagne and oysters is what we like to call a no-brainer. Then we’re carving up a roasted turkey served with chestnut stuffing (it's usually made with baguette pieces, fresh chestnuts, butter, onion, celery and herbs like parsley, sage and thyme) and gratin dauphinois (kind of like scalloped potatoes, except more decadent, made with cream, butter and cheese). We see your creamy goodness and raise you the Oakridge Valley Series Chardonnay. This has the acidity and texture that we know and love in a chardy, which can stand up to the fattiness of the turkey and richness of those potatoes.

$103.99 each

A bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne

One might be thinking the group would love a creme brulee to close out the day, but we say what they really want is a bûche de Noël or a yule log. This chocolate sponge log (in the shape of a swiss or jelly roll) has a buttercream, ganache or mousse filling that's coated in chocolate ganache or buttercream. To complement the chocolate here, we’d serve a tawny port. The Galway Pipe 10 YO Bourbon Barrel Grand Tawny has notes of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch and a little spice that comes from being aged in bourbon barrels.

7. Italian

If you’re lucky enough to have a Nonna who’s bringing over a big tray of lasagne or handmade ravioli, you’re pretty much set for Christmas lunch. If not, we have faith you can pull this off. The key is homemade pasta (if you have time), fresh tomatoes and the right amount of salt. Just as crowd-pleasing as that serving of pasta, a round of Negronis while you’re plating up is also a sure thing. You need a bitter red liqueur – you might have a bottle of Campari Bitter Aperitif on hand already – then sweet vermouth (we love Maidenii), and, of course, gin. It’s MG Dry Gin for us. Cin cin. Depending on which part of Italy you’re channeling, there’s likely a whole-roasted fish on the table (you could go for a snapper, barramundi, branzino or see what’s available at your local market), but regardless of your selection, pinot grigio is a safe bet. Pizzini’s Pinot Grigio from the King Valley has notes of green apple, ripe pear and zippy acidity.

Member Offer

$52 per bottle Non-Member: $62.99 each

If you come from an Italian household, you know we don’t need an excuse to eat panettone – the sweet bread filled with raisins and candied citrus – so you already know what we’re serving for dessert. Choose your own adventure when it comes to flavour: fruit, chocolate, pistachio, limoncello or even salted caramel. The ultimate Italian cake deserves the ultimate Italian liqueur – Disaronno. It’s sweet with an almond-nuttiness that comes from apricot kernels, and it also has fruity notes and a kick of spice. Serve your Disaronno neat or on ice.

8. Indian

Nothing says ‘host with the most’ more than having appetisers ready for guests on arrival, so if it’s Indian cuisine you’re plating up, you could start with pakora (Indian vegetable fritters), samosas and chicken tikka – bite-sized tandoori chicken often served on skewers. To cut through the oil, spice and fried parcels, we reckon your guests will thank you for an ice-cold lager that’s low in carbs. Enter the Burleigh Brewing Co. Big Head No Carb Beer. Then it’s time to get serious with family-style vindaloo, rice, garlic and cheese naan, with some yogurt for those who need to cool down the heat. Vindaloo is spicy, as it should be, so it loves a rosé and we’re reaching for the Dominique Portet’s Single Vineyard Rosé. It’s dry, with bright red fruits and a touch of mint.

$76.99 case (24)

A bottle of Burleigh Big Head No Carb Lager

Plum cake, or Kerala fruit cake, will round us out. It’s not as dense as a regular fruit cake, it uses caramelised sugar and is loaded with nuts, dried fruits like figs, raisins and cherries, and spices like clove, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. It can be made without alcohol, but when it does include booze, it’s usually brandy or dark rum. Kerala fruit cake is considered a gift, so we recommend serving it with Glenfiddich 12YO Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The flavours of the Scotch echo the spice and nuttiness of the fruit cake (and it also makes a great gift for that family KK you forgot about).

9. German

We’re going rich in flavour for our German-inspired menu, so it has to be a juicy roasted duck stuffed with apple and other dried fruit, paired with sides like (more) stuffing, potato dumplings (drool) and red cabbage. You could go for a German riesling here, but the duck really demands pinot noir, so we’ve gone with the always-reliable Nanny Goat Pinot Noir. It’s a light, dry pinot from Central Otago in New Zealand – juicy with red cherries and red plums, there’s also a hint of spice.

You know we love two things, a theme and history, so, for dessert, we’re giving you both. Stollen is Germany’s oldest baked good, which is especially popular at Christmas. It’s an oval-shaped fruit bread that’s jam-packed with dried fruits, candied citrus, nuts, marzipan and spices, and then coated in icing sugar to resemble a snow-capped Germany. Grab the rocks glasses because we’re serving Cognac, specifically Martell Blue Swift, which is made from 100% Martell VSOP Cognac before being finished in bourbon casks. You'll taste ginger and candied fruit with toasted oak from the casks.

$123.99 each

10. Filipino

Bringhe is the Filipino-spin on paella (it’s also known as Kapampangan paella), and it’s made with glutinous rice, chicken, coconut milk, vegetables like capsicum, onion and carrot, plus turmeric and banana leaves for cooking. We’re cracking a San Miguel Pale Pilsen, which comes straight from the Philippines. It's smooth and full-bodied and will cut through the richness and creaminess that comes from the coconut milk. Then, it’s time for the main event – the lechon (or roasted pig). Lechon is a whole roasted suckling pig known for its crispy, shiny skin. Serve this alongside garlic rice and vegetables, and don’t forget the lechon sauce – it's a liver pate-based sauce made with vinegar, garlic, onion and sugar (you can also serve lechon with soy sauce and vinegar). We’re going to need a celebratory wine to match, so we’ve selected Torbreck's The Sporran Shiraz from the Barossa Valley – you can expect dark fruits on the nose and black fruits and spice on the palate.

Now, you can’t have a Filipino banquet without bringing out a leche flan (it’s similar to a crème caramel except it doesn't use cream and is richer and heavier). We love caffeine with our leche flan, so we’re shaking up a round of Espresso Martinis. The backbone of this excellent cocktail is vodka (we’re using Mishka) and coffee liqueur (go for Mr Black Cold Brew). Coffee and caramel? Yes, please.

$44.99 each

Torbreck's The Sporran Shiraz is an excellent food wine

The Bideona Tempranillo de Laderas is from Rioja, Spain

11. Spanish

Jamón ibérico, rich cheeses, pickled vegetables – you’ll need these to build a charcuterie board – the only way to kick off a Spanish-inspired Christmas menu. Well, that and a glass of the Chapel Hill Enlightened Rosé. This rosé has an ABV of 8%, so, as the name suggests, it’s on the lighter side and bursting with notes of raspberry and sour cherry. It will absolutely slot right in with a plate of jamón, cheeses like manchego, a good blue, and a pile of picked veg. For something more substantial, we’re cooking cordero asado, which is especially popular in the Catalan region. It’s roasted lamb marinated with garlic, lemon and herbs, served with a big bowl of patatas fritas (AKA roast potatoes). Wine? Yes, please. We’re pouring Bideona Tempranillo de Laderas from Rioja. This tempranillo brings flavours of blackberries, cherries and herbs and spice.

Let’s talk dessert – we’re serving turrón (a Spanish nougat that’s typically made from toasted almonds, honey, sugar and egg) and flan – a baked custard topped with a toffee caramel layer. Pick up a bottle of Barbadillo La Cilla Pedro Ximenez for a taste of sultanas and caramel. Talk about a match made in heaven.

$27.99 each

Need more tips for nailing the season? Check out our gift guides to wine, beer, spirits and gin, or jump into our home of all things Christmas for everything you need from hosting to toasting.