The Resy Guide to the Lunar New Year

On the very first day of the Year of the Rat, Chinese Tuxedo is throwing an all-day banquet feast for a lucky $88 per head. Already have plans? Stop by anytime for revamped dim sum (chicken and corn Tuxedo dumplings are a must) and top-notch cocktails. Pro Tip: Ask about the bricked-off tunnel for a surprising slice of old Chinatown.

This stunning shop calls for a group of intrepid eaters. Dive straight for the small and classic sections of the menu, where chicken feet tossed in chile oil (some of the city’s best), flaming frog wok-fried with chiles, and fiery Hunan charcuterie dole out both pleasure and pain in the best way possible. Get yourself a bowl of rice mifen noodles to momentarily soothe your taste buds, and then dig back in.

Skipping the cold sesame noodles at Hwa Yuan Szechuan is like ordering the sole at Peter Luger: This cult Chinatown restaurant specializes in the slick, beloved noodles. It’s also the perfect place to go wild, family-style; order the excellent Beijing duck, mapo tofu, and a basket or two of steaming dumplings. Hwa Yuan plays the hits, and plays them extremely well.

Come to Kings Co. Imperial for the mock eel alone. This spot, where tiki cocktails and tantalizing Chinese American plates fight for space, is the place to feast alongside your vegetarian friends. Vegetarians, look for the mushroom-studded Beijing noodles and the dry-fried long beans. Carnivores, reach for the crispy garlic chicken and dan dan noodles.

Some of the best Shanghainese dishes in the city can be found within the walls of this Murray Hill gem. Pro Tip: You’ll want to set a Notify, because expats in-the-know have already locked down seats for the seafood-forward Lunar Year specials that Little Alley is about to unleash upon its homesick clientèle. We’re talking lobster with ginger scallions, blanched clams, and salted duck-egg crab.

Visit the holy grail of Sichuan spice on Jan. 25 and Jan. 26 for specials that will set your mouth ablaze. Málà literally combines the Chinese characters for “numbing” and “spicy,” and both locations of Málà Project will be delivering on their name, offering specials like baby lamb, fish fillet with pickled pepper, and MáLà Project crab. Take out your tissues, and sip heavily from the Baijiu Sour cocktail.

What will you wish for this year? Mission Chinese Food Bushwick is letting you eat your aspirations with three one-night-only tasting menus: Wealth ($38), Prosperity ($58), and Happiness ($88). Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, Danny Bowien will be playing his greatest hits in an eight-course dinner ($60). Make a Resy for January 25 only.

Battling the Nom Wah Tea Parlor crowds on a weekend is a New York rite of passage. Manhattan’s oldest dim sum parlor, with retro diner sheen, is worth the hype. But much like breakfast can be enjoyed all day, so can these cult dumplings; to avoid the line, claim your roast pork buns, siu mai, and translucent rice rolls after 5 p.m. Better yet, visit on a slow weekday.

XLB lovers, right this way. Pinch Chinese knows its way around a xiao long bao, and you can thank chef and Din Tai Fung vet Charlie Chen for that. His delicate pouches explode in a rich, savory, and porky broth, a worthy alternative if you can’t trek to the original DTF in Taiwan. Order the dumplings liberally: their purse-like shape symbolizes wealth for the new year.

If a 7-train ride to Flushing isn’t in the cards, hit up St. Marks instead: Szechuan Mountain House has graced Manhattan with its intoxicating Sichuanese plates. Most everything comes laden with ruby-red chiles, and you’ll find regulars and newcomers alike getting teary-eyed over a heady fish stew. Pro Tip: After your meal, make a beeline for Kung Fu Tea right across the street for some sweet relief.

This isn’t your average hot pot: Tang breathes opulence with its brass accents, wood-paneled walls, and marble tables. And the food that arrives in the copper pots is just as dazzling as the decor, especially come Lunar New Year. The holiday prix fixe ($75 to $99, available Jan. 24-25) is fit for an emperor, with delicacies like Wagyu beef, lobster, and black trumpet mushrooms arriving on heaping platters, ready to be dipped into flavorful broth.

How does one snag a table at win son? Gather five to eight friends, and make a Resy there. This Taiwanese American destination is best enjoyed in groups. Request the big, round table, and happily spin a lazy Susan filled with juicy pork buns, flaky scallion pancakes, and a special, must-order Lunar Year collab with Mimi Cheng’s: a plump lamb wonton, dripping with cumin and spice, available only in January.