Wagamama is set to release its newest Christmas menu for 2026, and I got the chance to try out some of the items ahead of its release.
The restaurant chain has plenty of fusion dishes combining British and Asian cuisines, and it has carried that on for its festive menu this year.
In a statement, it shared: "Bringing warmth and bold flavours to the bench this winter, the iconic restaurant chain is introducing a delicious mix of show-stopping mains, festive twists on classics, spectacular side plates and indulgent seasonal treats."
I got the chance to try some of the new menu at a preview event before the items are released in restaurants on Wednesday, November 18, and here's what I thought.
What were wagamama's new Christmas menu items like?
The first menu item I got to try was the 'Sweet Heat Sprouts' which saw the vegetable cooked in a cranberry gochujang sauce along with onion and ginger.
Sprouts are often something I just tolerate on a Christmas dinner plate without really loving, but they were definitely elevated here.
The sweetness of the gochujang sauce gave it such a pleasant flavour profile, and a slight bit of spice coming through also gave it some extra points.
Outside of the starters, the new wagamama Christmas menu also has a drink in the spiced berry gin spritz.
This is a mixture of Roku gin, spiced red berry syrup, ginger beer, cranberries and orange.
I have a bit of a sweet tooth regardless, but this really worked for me.
The drink actually does come across as being quite warming, and the meld of fruity flavours made it a delightful experience.
If you're not a fan of sweet cocktails, it may not be for you, but I would recommend trying if you do fall in that category.
After that, it was onto the unusual main event in the roast dinner ramen.
The dish is exactly as it sounds, with all the trimmings of a usual Christmas dinner in a bowl of rich chicken broth.
I was slightly concerned about how soggy all the items would end up, particularly with the Yorkshire Pudding, but it surprisingly avoided that issue.
The broth just gives an extra bit of flavour to all the meats and vegetables, while the noodles add a different element to the dish.
It is undoubtedly very messy to eat, but all the meats are so tender, and the vegetables are packed with flavour.
As an extra note, it is also very filling, as even the half-portion I was served was almost too much.
The other main dish on the menu was the cranberry katsu chicken curry, which had a cranberry sauce over the chicken and rice.
This had a very subtle flavour, and you may well find it hard to taste the cranberry amongst the usual flavours of the dish.
As a result, it definitely stood out the least among the new menu items, but was still solid.
Finally, there was the dessert, which was the chocolate orange bao nut.
This is a crispy panko bao dusted with cinnamon sugar, filled with a scoop of chocolate orange ice cream, finished with a drizzle of dark chocolate sauce.
Safe to say I was quite happy with this one, especially as chocolate orange is a flavour I absolutely love.
The sweet doughiness of the bao nut combined beautifully with the ice cream, so I have no complaints with this one.
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The verdict
Overall, I enjoyed the majority of the new Christmas menu items at wagamama, especially the chocolate orange bao nut.
Given my concerns with the roast dinner ramen, I was also pleasantly surprised with that, and the 'Sweet Heat Sprouts' were also a winner for me.
The only slight disappointment may come with the cranberry katsu chicken curry if you're looking for a major festive twist on an existing dish.
Will you be trying any of wagamama's new Christmas menu items in the festive period? Let us know in the comments.
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