
The Resy Guide to Celebrating Lunar New Year in New York
While we’ve just celebrated the start of 2025, in just a few weeks — on Wednesday, Jan. 29 to be exact — we’ll be commemorating the start of the Lunar New Year, specifically the Year of the Snake.
Lunar New Year is one of the Asian community’s most important holidays, a two-week-long 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 in late January and early February 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.
Here are some restaurants doing some exciting Lunar New Year happenings this year, as well as classic standbys always worth paying a visit.
And for more inspiration on where to dine in Chinatown all year-round, we’ve got you covered, too: From Flushing in Queens and Sunset Park in Brooklyn to Manhattan Chinatown. And if you need some additional help in Manhattan Chinatown, Welcome to Chinatown has an impressive directory.
Manhattan
53 Midtown

This stunner of a spot in Midtown has two days of Lunar New Year celebrations in store. On Lunar New Year’s eve, Jan. 28, they’re hosting performances of traditional lion dancers and serving up a special dinner menu. And on Jan. 29, they’re hosting a dim sum brunch from noon to 2:30 p.m. Later, for dinner that night, alongside their usual à la carte menu, they’ll also have dinner specials.
Read more about the menu (and the people behind it) at 53 here.

Atlas Kitchen Upper West Side
Set inside a beautiful space lined with ink-stained murals (courtesy of artist Qiu Anxiong), Atlas Kitchen is an Upper West Side gem that plays with the regional cuisines of Hunan and beyond. Must-order dishes include the seafood egg custard and spicy pig feet, but do order with your eyes — there’s a reason why the hanging sliced pork belly is on every table. For New Year’s, do consider pre-ordering a whole steamed bass or lobster (prepared with garlic and scallion or with salted egg yolk).
C as in Charlie NoHo
You likely haven’t had Korean American food quite like this before: At C as in Charlie, everything on the menu here combines Korean and Southern culinary traditions in fun, creative ways. And for Lunar New Year, they’re celebrating Korean Lunar New Year (Seollal) with a dessert special: five-color sesame gyeongdan (rice balls). Chef Eric Choi worked with Rice Blossoms to create the sweet rice balls, which come in five flavors: matcha, raspberry, black sesame, cocoa, and injeolmi, a bean powder coated rice cake. Each dessert also comes with a small envelope and a $1 bill inside.
Café China New York Midtown
Dining at Café China makes you feel like you’re starring in your own Wong Kar-wai film, and the beautiful vintage setting is equally matched by the exquisite cuisine where Sichuan classics shine. This new location is even grander in size, but the food and drink are just as excellent as you might remember, making it an ideal stop for any new year celebration.
CheLi – Manhattan East Village

Celebrate the Year of the Snake by dining on Shanghainese classics at this stunning restaurant on Saint Mark’s Place. Feast on wine-soaked crab, crispy eel in sweet-and-sour sauce, and sea urchin egg tofu stew, among other thrilling delicacies that are hard to find elsewhere.

Chinese Tuxedo Chinatown
From Jan. 27 to Feb. 9, Chinese Tuxedo is offering special Lunar New Year banquet dishes like Hong Kong-style sweet-and-sour prawns and red bean jian dui (rice balls) with roasted chestnut puree. On Jan. 29, Feb. 1, 2, 8, and 9, expect to see ceremonial lion dancers, too.
The Coop at Double Chicken Please Lower East Side
If you’d like to bookend your celebrations with a celebratory beverage, do consider stopping here and ordering yourself one of the city’s most creative cocktails (we’re partial to the Japanese Cold Noodle). While you’re there, why not pair it with one of DCP’s juicy Taiwanese-style fried chicken sandwiches, too? Chickens are thought to bring you good luck and prosperity, too. There’s also Free Range at Double Chicken Please (the front room), where you’ll find a whole menu dedicated to animated characters ranging from Winnie the Pooh to Doraemon.
P.S. Here are some tips on how to get in.
Grandma’s Home Flatiron
At this outpost of one of China’s most beloved restaurants, Hangzhou cuisine gets the spotlight, and from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2, they’re celebrating the Lunar New Year with plenty of specials that you likely won’t find easily elsewhere. We’re talking a jade treasure box of housemade spinach tofu and mushrooms, and a fortune seeker’s pot containing prawn, egg dumplings, fish dumplings, pork belly, pork skin, cabbage, winter bamboo, bean curd knots, and Chinese celtuce, just to name a few. There’s also steamed live lobster with sticky rice, sweet lunar rice balls with tangerine jam and cream, and a special cocktail, the River Snake Blessing, made with shochu, elderflower, cucumber, and lime.
If you’re celebrating with a group, they’ve also got special menus for parties of four or more for just $68 per person. And if you want a more private setting in their private dining room that fits up to 26, they’re offering a special menu for $78 per guest.
Han Dynasty – Upper West Side Upper West Side
Golden Diner Chinatown/LES

Photo by Aaron Richter for Resy
Through Thursday, Jan. 30, one of our favorite all-day spots has a tteokguk special for Lunar New Year. And in true Golden Diner fashion, it’s a blend of Asian and American flavors. In this case, chef Sam Yoo takes inspiration from sausage and broccoli rabe pasta, bringing together Korean rice cakes with a pork dumpling ragu, beef and anchovy broth, charred broccoli rabe, and a sprinkling of sesame.

Photo by Aaron Richter for Resy
Hop Kee Chinatown
Another OG for Cantonese cuisine in Chinatown that’s been open since 1968, Hop Kee is another can’t-miss spot that you should definitely consider for a Lunar New Year feast (or any feast any day of the year). If you go, don’t sleep on the signature Cantonese-style crabs with black bean sauce (a dish created by owner Peter Lee’s father years ago), the snails, anything that’s salt-and-pepper, the pan-fried flounder, and the spring chicken.
Walk-ins only.
House of the Red Pearl at Tin Building by Jean-Georges Pier 17 / South Street Seaport

Make a Resy for Saturday, Feb. 1, to take part in the Lunar New Year celebrations taking place here. From 12 to 12:30 p.m. and from 1 to 1:30 p.m. at the House of the Red Pearl, they’re hosting vibrant lion dance performances. Order yourself some ginger fried rice and roast duck to accompany the show, and then, in the afternoon, head over to the nearby Seaport Museum (207 Water Street) where you can take a 45-minute calligraphy workshop starting at 2, 3, and 4 p.m.

Hunan Slurp East Village

Noodles represent a long life and are a must for any Lunar New Year meal. Your one-way ticket to noodle heaven lies at this stunning slurp shop in the East Village, where chef Chao Wang cures homesickness with the delightful mifen rice noodles of his hometown. From Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 they’re serving a special sweet and savory dessert, pork tang yuan ($12), which are glutinous rice balls in a dried orange peel and red bean paste soup. Wang was inspired by his grandmother’s own tang yuan recipe for the festive treat. From Jan. 30 to Feb. 12, they’re also offering a special “beer duck” ($33) entree featuring duck braised in a complex sauce of chile peppers, ginger, and Tsingtao beer.

Hutong New York Midtown East
This elegant and opulent restaurant known for its highly prized Peking duck has many different ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year. First, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 12, they’re serving up a lo hei, or prosperity toss salad. They’ve also got three different Lunar New Year-themed cocktails, including a Lunar Spritz with baijiu and a non-alcoholic spiced Yuen Yeung made with tea, oat milk, coconut, coffee, and tapioca pearls. Guests are also encouraged to fill out and leave wishing cards to be hung on wishing tree branches inspired by the famous Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees in Hong Kong.
And if you prefer to celebrate the new year at home, they’ve also got you covered with a special Lunar New Year package (Jan. 28 to Feb. 12) that has everything from lo hei salad and truffle and wild mushroom bao to whole lobster tail and that famed roasted Peking duck, and much more. The package serves anywhere from two to four people and costs $395.
Hwa Yuan Szechuan Chinatown
Chinatown’s palatial fine dining destination that introduced cold sesame noodles to New York in the late ’60’s is a must, all year round, not only for those famous noodles but also for their Beijing duck, snow pea sprouts dumplings, and steamed whole fish with ginger and scallion.
Jing Fong Chinatown
The family-owned restaurant that’s become New York’s ultimate melting pot for the past 50 years is still one of the best places in the city to ring in the Lunar New Year. Stop by for their famous dim sum, or indulge in a proper banquet-style feast; you can’t go wrong.
Call (212) 964-5256 to make a reservation.
Justine’s on Hudson West Village
Chef Jeanne Jordan has joined forces with New York-based artist Han Feng to put on what promises to be a very memorable Lunar New Year feast on both Jan. 29 and Jan. 30. The menu draws from Jordan’s own Filipino and Chinese heritage, and both wine and gratuity are included in the $350 ticket price. P.S. The suggested dress code calls for a lucky combo of red and gold.
Kancil Upper West Side

Photo by Alex Staniloff, courtesy of Kancil
At this Upper West Side spot, Malaysian Lunar New Year traditions take the spotlight as chef Simpson Wong puts forth dishes that reflect his own upbringing in Tanjung Malim. On Jan. 29, expect to find a yu sheng (or yee sang) platter for the traditional “lo hei” or prosperity toss salad with flavors like spiced plum sauce and pomelo, as well as a whole fish dish and kuih bahulu, Malaysian madeleines for dessert. P.S. Don’t forget to order the puyuh goreng (fried quail with green sambal) or the sung har yee meen (wild prawns with crispy noodles) to round out your meal.
P.S. Every Monday through March 3, Kancil is also donating 50% of all proceeds collected on that day to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation to help with initiatives related to the L.A. wildfires.

Photo by Alex Staniloff, courtesy of Kancil
Laut Union Square
Over at Laut, they’re also ringing in the new year with a traditional yee sang (prosperity toss salad) that’s got everything from hawthorn cake and salmon to jellyfish and lettuce. To enjoy it, you and your fellow diners are encouraged to pick up your chopsticks and toss the salad accompaniments into the air for good fortune ahead. It’s just $20 per guest and a very fun — and interactive — way to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Madame Vo NYC East Village
This East Village stalwart is celebrating Tết with a special four-course menu that comes with two cocktails, available from Jan. 29 to Feb. 8 for $118 per person. Expect to see dishes like bánh tét chiên (savory, pan-fried sticky rice cakes filled with mung bean and pork); thịt kho trứng (braised pork belly and eggs in a caramelized coconut sauce); mì xào (stir-fried egg noodles with vegetables and seafood); and chè trôi nước (glutinous rice balls filled with mung bean paste adn served in a warm ginger syrup).
Mắm Lower East Side

If you’re looking for a place to celebrate Tết. Look no further than this Lower East Side gem helmed by married couple Nhung Dao and Jerald Head. The menu changes often but right now they’re serving up some of the city’s best phở. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on ordering the housemade tofu, either. And afterward, consider walking into Lai Rai just a few doors down the block, where you can unwind with some excellent ice cream (also from the Heads) and wine. P.S. Lai Rai currently has a killer Tết playlist featuring everyone from Mai Lệ Huyền to Đinh Hoàng.

Mission Chinese Food Chinatown Chinatown

Photo by Nathan Harsh for Resy
What was supposed to be a residency that lasted through Christmas has been renewed —and revived — and we couldn’t be any happier. Mission Chinese Food will remain at 45 Mott Street through the summer, which means you can ring in the Lunar New Year with all of your favorites plus a number of new specials. We’re especially keen on the whole steamed fish with two different chile sauces; manila clams with black bean sauce and heirloom beans from Norwich Meadows Farm; and the honey walnut prawns with chicories. Even better? They’ve also brought back the Phil Khallins and MSG margarita cocktails, too. So, what are you waiting for?
Learn more about why Danny Bowien decided to bring Mission Chinese Food back last summer here.

Photo by Nathan Harsh for Resy
Mee Sum Café Chinatown
Another old-school Chinatown spot known for its wonton soup, Mee Sum Café is the perfect place to order yourself some dumplings, barbecue pork, and comforting bowls of hot congee. Don’t overlook the Toisan-style sticky rice, wrapped in lotus leaves.
Walk-ins only.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor Chinatown

New York’s oldest dim sum parlor, located in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown, is always a good idea. If you go, do be sure to order as much dim sum as you can (and seriously consider bringing some home with you, too).

Monkey Thief Hell's Kitchen

Photo by Alex Staniloff, courtesy of Monkey Thief
Flavors hailing from Thai, Indian, Chinese, and Japanese cuisines are reinvented in the form of cocktails at this refreshing new addition to Hell’s Kitchen. Get your (and your grid’s) savory cocktail fix with one of their stylish, culinarily inspired drinks.
And on Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 6 p.m. to midnight, they’re hosting cocktail experts from across the city — Gelo Honrade from Jade and Clover, Ray Zhou from Chinato, Kevin Xue from Red Sorghum, and Sungrae Choi from Seoul Salon — to offer special Lunar New Year-inspired drinks throughout the night. Examples include a Lunar Negroni with baiju, and a Red Dancing Lion with fermented bean paste and Sichuan peppercorn-infused bitters. Each guest bartender will have an hour-and-a-half shift where they’ll serve two of their signature cocktails, alongside a special Monkey Thief cocktail.

Photo by Alex Staniloff, courtesy of Monkey Thief
OCTO Koreatown
This purveyor of Korean Chinese food, from the same team behind New Wonjo, has something for everyone seeking to celebrate the new year, from Peking duck and truffle siu mai to shrimp fried rice. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the jajangmyeon — a quintessential Korean Chinese dish of noodles drenched in a savory black bean sauce that also represents longevity — a must for any new year’s celebration.
Phoenix Palace Chinatown
This lovely sequel from the same team behind Potluck Club builds on their delicious evolution of Cantonese American cuisine with colorful, flavorful twists on Cantonese classics. Better yet, it’s located right in the heart of Manhattan Chinatown. We’re especially fond of their take on chilled tofu, salt-and-pepper cuttlefish, and chile crab noodles.
Pinch Chinese Soho
A superb Chinese restaurant powered by a Din Tai Fung vet (that’s Taiwan’s soup dumpling empire for you) and an award-winning sommelier make Pinch Chinese one of the best spots in the city for xialongbao and so much more. Do order their excellent soup dumplings and spring rolls for wealth, and the whole wind sand chicken (it’s really something else).
Potluck Club Chinatown

The embodiment of a distinctly Cantonese American revival, Chinatown’s Potluck Club celebrates Cantonese and American culinary traditions to delicious effect: salt-and-pepper chicken with scallion biscuits, anyone? Better yet, they’re open for weekend brunch, too.

Saigon Social Lower East Side
A critically acclaimed LES staple for Vietnamese American fare that’s become a community pillar — that’s Helen Nguyen’s Saigon Social. If you go, do be sure to order the banh beo, steamed rice cakes topped with shrimp and fried pork fat, and if you’re with a group, go for the whole fried fish for prosperity, too.
On Jan. 21, Saigon Social is also hosting a special Lunar New Year dinner with their friends from Van Van that will include everything from Vietnamese headcheese, pickles, and imperial rolls to sticky rice stuffed with mung beans and peppered pork belly, stuffed bitter melon soup, and much more. Tickets are $98 per person and seatings are available for 6 and 8 p.m.
Spicy Moon – Chelsea Chelsea


Sunn’s Chinatown
For the entire month of January, Sunn’s from chef-owner Sunny Lee will have tteokguk, the traditional soup served for Korean Lunar New Year, Seollal, on the menu. The comforting stew has short rib, oxtail broth, and rice cakes sliced like coins, meant to represent prosperity, and gets topped with julienned slices of egg omelet, shredded seaweed, and scallions. It’s also served with aged kkakdugi kimchi.
Read more about Sunn’s here.
Tolo Chinatown

Photo by Matt Dutile, courtesy of Tolo
Chef Ron Yan pulls from his childhood and family heritage to bring forth a crowdpleasing menu of Chinese dishes that pairs perfectly with Parcelle’s epic list of natural-leaning wines. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the marinated cucumber and wood-ear mushroom, sticky rice, and the typhoon shelter-style fried chicken.
On Jan. 28 and on Jan. 29, Tolo is also hosting a special chef’s counter meal for Lunar New Year with special dishes like wok-fried lotus root, confit duck leg, and “mama’s dumplings.” Tickets are $75 per person and seatings are for 6 and 8 p.m. Beginning in late January and into early February, Tolo will also have a few Lunar New Year specials on the menu, as well as special Year of the Snake vintages from previous Snake years (available Jan. 29 to Feb. 12) and a special wine flight highlighting wines from winemaker Icy Liu.

Photo by Matt Dutile, courtesy of Tolo
The Tyger Soho

Over at The Tyger, Chinese Tuxedo’s sibling restaurant where Southeast Asian culinary traditions shine, they’re offering a full lineup of auspicious dishes from Jan. 27 to Feb. 9, including beef short rib red curry. And if you happen to dine there on Jan. 29, Feb. 1, 2, 8, or 9, expect to see some incredible lion dance performances, too.

Wo Hop Next Door Chinatown
Wo Hop is an unapologetic bastion of Chinese American cuisine, a beacon to the late-night crowd, and a culinary landmark in its own right. This newer extension of the OG basement-level location (Wo Hop Next Door is located on the ground level of a no-nonsense enclave at 15 Mott Street) is still as old-school Cantonese as you can get. Don’t sleep on the pan-fried flounder or salt-and-pepper squid.
Walk-ins only.
Upon The Palace Tribeca

This relative newcomer to Tribeca is massive by New York standards, with more than 7,000 square feet of space, so do keep it in mind for any of your larger Lunar New Year gatherings. It’s helmed by chef Xueliang Yu, who formerly ran the kitchen over at Uluh in the East Village, and the menu is mixes both the traditional and contemporary when it comes to Chinese cuisine.
For Lunar New Year, they’ve got an extensive list of specials, including xiao long bao, braised beef short ribs, mapo tofu with filet mignon, black pepper roast duck, and tangerine red bean soup.

Wu’s Wonton King
This beloved BYOB spot is ideal for celebrating with a crew, whether you decide to feast on the house specialties like the iconic New York No. 1 wonton soup or the famous garlic aromatic crispy chicken, or if you decide to splurge on the whole suckling pig or king crab (both require pre-ordering).
Call (212) 477-1112 to make a reservation.
YAO Financial District

This elegant spot from the same team behind August Gatherings is commemorating Lunar New Year with a special menu that’s available through Feb. 12, including Cantonese specialties like braised black moss and dried oysters in abalone sauce and lobster with crispy rice. Additionally, Yao’s chef Kenny Leung has teamed with chef and cookbook author Jon Kung on a special menu that features everything from mini scallion pancakes with creme fraiche and caviar to a Chinese stir-fry of morels and leeks. P.S. Don’t overlook an order of August Gatherings’ famed fusilli with wild octopus and bone marrow or Yao’s incredible fried rice with roasted eel.
