
Have you walked around one of the city’s Chinatowns lately? Over in Manhattan, every shop lining Mott Street is dotted in specks of red (envelopes) and orange (mandarins), meaning one thing and one thing only: Lunar New Year is upon us. And this Tuesday, Feb. 1, it’s the Year of the Tiger we’ll be welcoming.
Hence will begin one of the Asian community’s most important holidays, a 16-day celebration known as the Spring Festival. With auspicious foods and superstitions galore, it’s a wonderful time to be around a table with loved ones.
So, consider the two-week span from Feb. 1 to 15 as your designated time to eat your way through Chinatown’s numerous family-owned restaurants as well as many other incredible spots throughout the city — Lunar New Year is celebrated in Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, and beyond, too, after all. (If you need some help in Manhattan Chinatown, Welcome to Chinatown has an impressive directory.)
Here are the restaurants doing exciting Lunar New Year happenings this year, from decadent get-lucky specials and banquets, to cookie tins and takeout feasts.