Just when it’s about time to stop wishing everyone a Happy New Year, the Lunar New Year arrives and the celebrations start all over again.
Falling on the 29 January 2025 (today), the Lunar New Year marks the first new moon of the lunar calendar and is the most important annual celebration in China and many communities around the world. This year is the Year of the Snake, symbolising growth, wisdom, charm, and opportunity – we’ll toast to that.
With live performances at Hakkasan to BAO’s limited-edition sharing menus, this is how to celebrate Chinese New Year in London.
Think of dim sum, and Yauatcha springs to mind, thanks to their delicious dishes like the crystal scallop dumplings with pickled chilli and the Wagyu beef puff-baked dim sum. For the Lunar New Year (and the Year of the Snake) both of Yauatcha’s London spots will offer a celebratory set menu: the Blossoms of Fortune Dim Sum platter; a fiery selection of plates including pickled cabbage fried rice and stir-fried snake gourd with lotus root in sanbei sauce. Weave past the snake-themed window displays and lanterns, and opt for a table next to the open kitchen to spot chefs preparing the special Year of the Snake menu, while bartenders shake up the Lucky Snake (Yuzu sake and vanilla). Order a couple to sip on as you watch the traditional lion dance (hosted at Yauatcha Soho on Sunday 1 February). Those with a sweet tooth will be pleased to hear that Yauatcha doesn’t skip on desserts, with a selection as fiery and fragrant as the savoury courses. For the new year, chefs have carefully prepared the Serpent’s Sweet, a Chinese New Year macaron with an oolong gnash, and the Firecracker Petit Gâteau, made with Bergamot curd and gel, and Sichuan Pepper Chantilly, the true showstoppers. Finish your meal with macarons or a selection of pineapple pastries washed down with a tea from the 24 types Yauatcha offers on the menu. The only thing we have left to say is: let the festive feasting begin.
It wouldn’t be a Lunar New Year without a trip to Hakkasan. As one of the restaurant’s most important dates on the calendar, no element of celebration is spared here: everything from the interiors to the cocktail servings is vamped-up and considered. Let’s start with the special, limited-time new year menu, where parties of two or more will be served dishes inspired by the key characteristics that arrive with the Year of the Snake: elegance, charm, and wisdom. Tuck into the Golden Yuan Bao, a baked dim sum made with king crab, caviar and riceberry, and shaped like a gold bar for luck, or the succulent Plum Braised Beef Short Ribs served with a pineapple plum glaze. Traditional lion dance performances take shape around your table, spreading the exuberance of prosperity that comes with this celebration. The Lucky Red Envelope (a tradition in Chinese culture that symbolises good fortune for the new year) inspired dessert – made from a mango curry mousse with mango passionfruit sorbet – concludes the courses on a fruitful note. The carefully curated menu extends to the cocktail list too; Hakkasan has unveiled cocktails in partnership with Hennessy, including Xiǎo Lóng, The Snake mixed with whiskey, Campari, coconut, strawberry, grapefruit, Supasawa and Sichuan pepper, and the X.O Old Fashioned with whiskey, kumquat saccharum and Peychaud Bitters. But it’s not just the food and drink menus that bare the luxury of a true fine-dining experience: Hakkasan’s artfully designed interiors by Christian Liaigre are decorated with metal wishing trees and elegantly lit by snake-like lanterns. Hakkasan opened its London doors in 2001, and has since expanded across the world winning Michelin stars – a testament to its traditional Cantonese dishes, fused with a fine dining approach (that just can’t quite be matched anywhere else). Where better to welcome in a fruitful year of growth, wisdom and charm?
Aromatic and vibrant for every single one of your senses, Speedboat is the Chinatown restaurant by Luke Farrell, where each dish is packed with a variety of Southeast Asian spices grown in his greenhouses in Dorset. To celebrate the Lunar New Year, three special dishes will be available alongside the already mouth-watering menu, and for two weeks only. This includes: Tord Mun Pla Hoi Khai, a fish cake wrapped in hen’s egg; Kui Chai Tord Tai Khai, chive cakes; and Yam Muu Daeng, a house made red roast pork. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options on the menu too. To accompany the fun, flavour-packed dishes, Farrell has matched the energy of his food to an exciting-sounding cocktail, the Snakeblood Negroni, made with wild pomelo, calamansi, and som sea citrus from Ryewater Nursery. With delicious food, colourful interiors, and a laid-back vibe, Speedboat guarantees a fun evening of celebrating.
Chop Chop by the Four Seasons serves all the classics that are loved for a reason, including Salt & Pepper Prawns, Black Pepper Lobster, and the restaurant’s signature Cantonese Style Roast Duck. Next week, those born under the snake zodiac sign (which happens every 12 years) will be offered 20 per cent off the whole menu on select dates (now until 30 January) to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Snake. Additionally, every customer visiting on the eve of the new year will receive a complementary hangbao – the red envelope gift – to symbolise prosperity. Located in the Hippodrome Casino, Chop Chop is a seductive spot for celebrating Chinese New Year, with a cocktail (or two) from the Asian-inspired menu which boasts a margarita made with dragon fruit and the Jasmine Gin & Tea made with jasmine tea.
Celebrate Chinese New Year with sweeping views of the city skyline at Hutong, the award-winning restaurant housed on the 33rd floor of The Shard. On 29 January, today, the festivities kick off with a party – complete with a spectacular Lion Dance performance and a traditional Chinese calligrapher. For two weeks, ending on the 9 February) the high-end dining destination will offer a special menu of dishes intended to bring prosperity, happiness and health in the coming year. Signature dishes include the ceremonial Lo Hei (撈起) Salad – a raw fish salad tossed in the air to invite good fortune – as well as Wagyu beef in a rich hot and sour broth. For every guest who enjoys the Chinese New Year Menu, Hutong will donate £5 to support OneSky, a charity providing vulnerable children in Asia with nurturing care and early learning opportunities. Before you leave, make sure you write your new year’s dreams on a card to be hung on Hutong’s wishing tree, an age-old tradition that symbolises hope and good fortune for the 12 months ahead.
On the ground floor of Belgravia’s The Peninsula, Canton Blue (and adjoining bar Little Blue) is a Chinese restaurant specialising in authentic Cantonese food. Representing the trade relationships between China and Britain during the 19th century, the decor – designed with yellow, blue, and red displays of Cantonese porcelain and a British wall mural – includes feature walls and low-lit tables across two private dining rooms – The Silk Room and The Music Room. Though it’s not just style Canton Blue brings from the east, but great food too. Running until 8 February, Canton Blue will transform into ‘Canton Red’ which symbolises good fortune in Chinese culture, complete with rouge interiors as the entrances and lantern lights will be swathed in an opulent festive red decor. To accompany the decor, a ‘feast of fortune’ brings traditional dishes to the menu, including golden fish dumplings and stir-fried Wagyu beef. On the day itself (today, 29 January), guests will enjoy a three-course set menu accompanied by a traditional red envelope containing a bespoke message written by a Chinese calligrapher, as well as The Peninsula Dragon Dance featuring a band from 11am-12pm. Aside from the exciting menus, book the Art of Tea Chinese ceremony masterclass running until the 5 February at the Tea Lounge, for an expert-led tasting session serving traditional sweets and teas.
Name something better than a steaming bowl of trending thick noodles? Named ‘the best noodles in town’, Master Wei has two celebrated spots across the city – in Holborn and Hammersmith – which, led by founder and chef Guirong Wei, celebrate the cuisine of Xi’an in Northern China. Turn up for the Biang Biang noodles made with a choice of pork, vegetable or beef, and stay for the Xian pulled sweet potato balls. The menu is lively, riffing off the incredible street food of this northern Chinese province, from spicy cumin beef buns to mushroom pot sticker dumplings. Whether you celebrate the Lunar New Year or not, it’s the perfect day to enjoy these flavour-packed dishes.
Harrods is London’s hotspot for everything that falls within the luxury lifestyle realm including fashion, interiors and, of course, food and drink. On the fifth floor is Harrods longest lasting residency, Chai Wu, where London’s finest pan-Asian dining is served up, boasting plenty of signature dishes such as the crispy Bejing duck, carved table side. The restaurant’s food and design (including the open kitchen) takes inspiration from the five elements of Chinese philosophy – wood, metal, water, earth, and fire. To celebrate the Year of the Snake, Chai Wu is serving a special menu featuring dumplings, tiger prawns, seafood noodles and more.
Also in Harrods, on the fourth floor (just a floor below Chai Wu), is Dim Sum Terrace. Here, the menu focuses on dim sum – meaning a spread of Cantonese dishes to share in order to “recreate fond memories” through food. For Chinese New Year, it’s all about the dumplings. Not just your average dumplings though, at Dim Sum Terrace the handmade delicacies are filled with lobster, fried and then topped with caviar. Make sure to try the traditional Chinese teas and wine list on the heated terrace overlooking one of London’s finest boroughs.
A favourite on the weekend to-do list for residents all over London, the Duke of York market has plenty of local, independent makers and food stalls serving dishes from around the world. On Saturday 1 February, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, Chelsea will host a Chinese-edition of the well-loved market featuring delicious Chinese dishes alongside a vibrant entertainment programme. On the line-up are dragon dancers, lion performances and Chinese drummers. Open 11am to 4pm, we’re not sure a Saturday afternoon could get much more exciting than this.
A gem in Mayfair, Park Chinois is an opulent Asian restaurant that goes beyond just serving incredible Chinese dishes. Experiential and animated, Park Chinois brings the glamour and festivities of 1930s Shanghai to London within a relaxed dining atmosphere at the ground floor Salon de Chine and the lively lower ground Club Chinois, both drenched in Jacques Garcia’s rich interior design from red velvet draping to gold pillars. Expect the drama to increase for Chinese New Year as Park Chinois rings in the Year of the Snake with a special menu running across six days (running now until 9 February). The menu will be accompanied by immersive entertainment, including the traditional Lion Dance, Chinese drumming to accompany the in-house live band, and a late night DJ at Club Chinois.
Consistently ranked in the UK’s top 50 cocktail bars, this 1920s Shanghai-themed speakeasy is reserved for Londoners in the know. Hidden behind a secret door in Chinatown, Opium is one of London’s hidden gems and an excellent place to celebrate the Chinese New Year. If you’re doing Dry January this year (or just don’t drink), there’s no need for Lunar New Year to de-rail any sober endeavours with their new alcohol-free additions to the menu. These include the Bitter Orange Highball made with grapefruit soda and lemon juice, and the Latifolia Sour with orgeat syrup and lime juice, among others. Book for an intimate and fun night of celebrating.
London’s Indo-Chinese favourite is hopping on the Lunar New Year celebrations with a different kind of menu – two special edition matcha dishes will be added to celebrate the snake-like greenery of the new year. These two limited specials are the Green Mist Cocktail made with Himalayan Gin, coconut matcha foam, mustard lemon, pickled cucumber garnish, and the Sizzling Snakebite Brownie served with creamy matcha ice cream and hot chocolate sauce.
Founded and led by chef patron Atul Kochhar, Kanishka will continue serving the vibrant flavours of Indo-Chinese cuisine for the upcoming Lunar New Year, as a celebration of Kolkata’s culinary heritage. The Indo-Chinese sharing menu – designed especially for the new year – includes five plates from a selection of 12, including Tangra Sesame Prawn and Chilli Pepper Duck Bao. To accompany them, try the Celebration cocktail with cognac, sweet Vermouth, Campari, and orange bitters to help see the new year in with style.
BAO is serving up some of the best Taiwanese flavours in this exciting feasting menu. The ingredients of each dish have been selected for representing good luck, including the BAO prosperity tossing salad and the BAO honey-glazed pork and crispy bean curd (a traditional new year dish). Plus, if you choose this special menu, BAO will gift you a red envelope, with prizes like BAO vouchers, BAO x Carhartt limited edition merch, and more. BAO is eaten for good luck after all…
Lead image credit: Hakkasan
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