Have you already broken your resolutions from January 1? Do not worry; The Chinese Year of the Dragon comes to life on February 10, promising nobility, honor, luck and success.
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is the largest public holiday in China and east and southeast Asia. During the festivities, where food and beverages play an important role, special New Year’s dishes rich in symbolism are also offered.
Yusheng’s “welfare launch” salad is the most famous; “yusheng” means “raw fish” and is similar to the Chinese word for “abundance.” The idea is; The higher ingredients are thrown into the air with chopsticks, the more luck will rain down over the next 12 months.
Meatballs are another traditional dish, as it is said that the number of meatballs eaten corresponds to one’s wealth for the following year. The Cantonese word for fish – “yu” – is similar to the word for “wish” and is optionally served whole, as the head and tail symbolize good beginnings and endings. Meanwhile, whole chicken rebirth, long strips of “longevity” noodles, represent a long life, while meals often end with nian gao, a sweet, sticky rice cake symbolizing reaching new heights in the coming year.
Chinatown and the West End are the focus of the largest London New Year celebrations outside Asia. Details are yet to be confirmed but it usually involves a parade from Charing Cross Road via Shaftesbury Avenue to Trafalgar Square, with plenty of food to be had along the way. For more food inspiration, check out our guide to the best Chinese restaurants in London, the capital’s best dim sum and where Chinese chefs love to dine.
But here we’ve chosen the London restaurants offering the best celebrations of Chinese New Year, from Michelin-starred balloons to special menus, lion dances to wishing trees. However, breathing fire is optional.
This list will be updated as the Lunar New Year approaches.
Hakkasan
London’s Michelin-starred couple of Hakkasans are set to party this Chinese New Year with wishing trees, lion dances, champagne cocktails and a Yuletide menu (£128). Things kick off with the “Prosperity Wishes” dim sum duo of lobster and cheese lantern puffs and wild mushroom dumplings with black truffle, followed by smoked “eight treasures” duck and wild red king prawns with fried dragon’s beard noodles. The lion dance will take place on February 8 at 18.30 at Hakkasan Hanway Place, and on February 10 at 17.00 at Hakkasan Mayfair. Don’t forget to hang your ribbon on the wish tree when you leave.
How much? £128 (for minimum two people) or order a la carte
When? January 30-February 25
17 Bruton Street, W1J 6QB and 8 Hanway Place, W1T 1HD, hakkasan.com
Ming House
The St James’ Court hotel is the London outpost of India’s flamboyant Taj group, of which House of Ming is its in-house restaurant, and has established itself as one of the best Chinese in New Delhi. A good-looking and smelling space, it’s been made even more appealing this Lunar New Year with all-gold ceilings and waving incense, “lucky bamboo” ornaments and traditional red envelopes. Six special events represent good luck for the Lunar New Year; Yunnan style lamb with celery and ginger pepper sounds the most delicious of all. Wash it all down with Firestorm, a cocktail of dried oranges, five spice, and a flaming garnish.
How much? Chinese New Year meals from £24
When? 9-11 February
St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel, 54 Buckingham Gate, SW1E 6AF, houseofming.co.uk
Mimi Mei Fair
While some restaurants pack away Christmas decorations every year, one wonders if Mimi’s owner Samyukta Nair hides wishing trees in her attic every winter to unwrap for the next Lunar New Year. For the Year of the Dragon, the pair of trees are dressed in blue, green, pink and maroon in honor of the wooden dragon, surrounded by hydrangeas and hung with gilded cages for diners to drop off red envelopes containing red envelopes. wishes. For food, a “richness basket” with a trio of dim sum will be followed by crispy Norfolk pork with pineapple and pomelo or tiger prawns served with egg white and black bean sauce; To finish, there is chocolate served with tangerines and walnuts.
How much? Three courses including welcome Courvoisier Cognac cocktail, £128
When? 1-24 February
55 Curzon Street, W1J 8PG, mimimeifair.com
Pan Pacific London
The Singapore-based high-rise hotel on Liverpool Street has a few offers this Chinese New Year. Afternoon tea serves lamb and bamboo shoot buns as well as sui mai and pastry baskets, a collaboration between the hotel’s executive pastry chef Francesco Mannino and Bun House co-founder and Chef Z. On Chinese New Year evening, Straits Kitchen restaurant will serve a six-course menu, starting with wagyu beef, fried abalone, steamed turbot and yu sheng bluefin tuna salad followed by sweet cream dessert.
How much? Afternoon tea, £68; six course menu, £138
When? Afternoon tea, February 8-March 25; dinner, February 10 only
80 Houndsditch, EC3A 7AB, panpacific.com
gouqi
This swanky Trafalgar Square Chinese eatery is overseen by two Hakkasan alumni: suave restaurant manager Alan Tang and chef Chee Hwee Tong, who earned the original Hanway Place Hakkasan its Michelin star. So, high standards in both service and cooking are pretty much guaranteed, but so are high prices. Still, if you can’t sail the boat on New Year’s Eve, when can you? Tables of four or more must order the eight-course set menu (£128); Smaller groups are free to choose from options such as abalone with premium oyster sauce and pork belly, and kumquat and coffee dessert shaped like yin-yang. dragon shape. The restaurant will be decorated with Chinese red lanterns, an illuminated 10-foot dragon and fireworks, and there will be free toys for children. Note that tables are served in three sessions at 5, 8 and 22.30.
How much? Eight courses (tables of four or more), £128; three courses (tables 1-3) around £100
When? 9-10 February
25-34 Cockspur Street, SW1Y 5BN, gouqi-restaurants.co.uk
Baba Bao
Chinese New Year isn’t just for China: Taiwan is also celebrating Lunar New Year, and the Tooting supplier to the island’s most famous culinary specialist is going all out on the donut front for the Year of the Dragon. The all-day banquet menu (£60) includes venison and plum bao (tofu and plum for vegetarians), but there’s more to the menu than bao; There are dishes chosen to represent good luck, from dumplings and fried dumplings that resemble ancient Chinese gold ingots. nian gao is a traditional rice cake that represents prosperity. Still hungry? Add a whole bream for an extra £15.
How much? Four courses, £60 (£50 for vegetarian/pescatarian menu)
When? February 11
113 Mitcham Road, SW17 9PE, daddybao.co.uk
Chinese Tang
If the Dorchester location wasn’t enough of a clue that China Tang is more upscale than the average Cantonese, then the ribbon-covered chopsticks, embroidered napkins and wallpaper imported from China and hand-finished on site should indicate the size of the final bill. For such a dazzling setting – you could dine on a Jazz Age ocean liner – the refreshingly simple menu offers a flamboyant take on Anglo-Chinese favourites, although there’s a special menu for Lunar New Year offering à la carte prosperity. raw fish salad, lobster with XO sauce over crispy noodles, and wok-fried whole tiger prawns. Are you confident about your finances in 2024? Split an order of “Five Blessings Landing on Your Home”, a dish of mixed seafood, poultry and Japanese abalone for £588. Lion dancers will perform at dinner on February 9 and 10.
How much? Chinese New Year meals from £20
When? 9-11 February
53 Park Road, W1K 1QA, chinatanglondon.co.uk
Ting
The towering Ting on the Shard’s 35th floor may offer one of the best vantage points in London on New Year’s Eve, but it’s also dazzling for Lunar New Year, although the fireworks may be harder to spot. The New Year’s menu is designed to symbolize luck and prosperity: crispy duck bites with pancakes and oscietra caviar; BBQ pork belly with Chinese mustard; Wok-fried spicy shrimps with dried crab, crispy garlic and dried red pepper. Good fortune may not be guaranteed for the year ahead, but at least the views will have you feeling on top of the world.
How much? Chinese New Year meals from £21
When? 9-13 February
Floor 35, 31 St Thomas Street, SE1 9QU, ting-shangri-la.com
Yauatcha
Dim sum and Cantonese specialists in London’s Soho and the City are presenting almost month-long Year of the Dragon celebrations. The Chinese New Year menu features seven Chinese celebratory dishes based on auspicious ingredients, from abalone chicken shui mai on a dim sum plate to Alaskan king crab with kam heong sauce with taro and dried shrimp, as well as the Lucky Dragon petit gâteau, a white sesame sponge. and praline cake with kumquat compote and ginger cream. A lion dance will be held on February 9 at 19:00 in Yauatcha City and on February 10 in Soho at 15:00.
How much? Shared menu for minimum two people, £98; Individual Chinese New Year meals from £12
When: January 30-February 25
15-17 Broadwick Street, W1F 0DL and Broadgate Circle, EC2M 2QS, yauatcha.com
Park Chinois
Even by Mayfair standards, Park Chinois takes opulence to new levels of gold-plated, velvet extravagance; This makes the restaurant’s more-for-more approach to everything from interior design to culinary inspiration the perfect get-together for Lunar New Year. It promises 11 days of immersive entertainment, including lion dances every night from February 1-11, live entertainment from the in-house band, and a Chinese drummer on February 9 and 10. poached fish maw followed by truffled New Zealand prawns or rib eye of Australian wagyu with pineapple XO sauce. Do you really want to show off? Pre-order the “Eight Treasure” (£438), roasted suckling pig with sticky rice, Chinese pork sausage, salted duck egg and dried shrimp.
How much? Chinese New Year meals from £18
When? 1-11 February
17 Berkeley Street, W1J 8EA, parkchinois.com
@mrbenmccormack