Celebrate Chinese New Year, aka Lunar New Year, with parades, lion dances, workshops and celebratory menus across London. We’ve got everything you need to know right here.
Take a closer look at some of the traditional dishes eaten over the New Year – plus where to find them in some of our favourite restaurants’ specials and set menus – along with some great value events and activities to welcome in the Year of the Snake.
Traditional Chinese/Lunar New Year dishes
We’ve chosen a selection of dishes traditionally eaten at New Year to bring good fortune for the coming year. They each have a symbolic meaning, usually because the name of the dish in Chinese sounds like an auspicious word such as luck, wealth or unity, or sometimes because of their appearance.
Prosperity Toss salad (魚生撈起) – prosperity
Those celebrating the Lunar New Year in Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan or Singapore might start with a Prosperity Toss salad, consisting of raw fish (such as salmon), shredded vegetables and toppings. Each ingredient is chosen for its symbolism: raw fish for abundance; pomelo and carrots for luck; green radish for eternal youth; red pepper, oil, crushed peanuts and golden crackers for wealth; white radish and sesame seeds for good business prospects; and plum sauce for family unity.
Now comes the fun bit. Every diner around the table uses chopsticks to toss the salad high into the air seven times, calling out ‘Lo hei!’, or ‘Rise!’ along with traditional good wishes for the new year. The louder you shout and the higher the salad goes, the more effective the wishes for good fortune. Don’t worry about the mess; the more it spills over the plate, the more your abundance will spill over in the coming year.
Spring rolls (春卷) – wealth
Spring rolls get their name because they are traditionally eaten during the Spring Festival (i.e. New Year) to welcome new beginnings. They symbolise wealth because of their golden colour once fried.
Dumplings (饺子) – wealth
Dumplings are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve, particularly in Northern China, and symbolise wealth. Chinese dumplings are said to resemble Chinese gold or silver ingots, the currency of imperial China; not the rectangular gold bars familiar from heist movies, but boat-shaped, with turned-up ends. The filling is usually pork and prawn, or pork and chive; according to custom, the more you can eat, the wealthier you will be – so tuck in.
Whole steamed fish (清蒸鱼) – abundance and fertility
One of the key dishes for a New Year’s Eve feast, it is important that the fish is served with head and tail intact as this signifies a good end to the old year and a good beginning to the next. Carp or catfish are traditional; the word for fish sounds like ‘surplus’, so this symbolises always having more than you need. Half of the fish is traditionally kept for the next day, so that the new year can begin with a ‘surplus’.
Whole chicken (白切鸡) – unity and togetherness
This is traditionally poached and served whole (complete with head and feet) to symbolise unity, along with ginger and spring onions.
Longevity noodles (长寿面) – happiness and a long life
A symbol of longevity, these long noodles are served uncut. Cooked with care to keep them intact, whoever manages to eat them without the strands breaking will live a long life. They are either boiled and served in a broth, or stir-fried; prawns are often used in this dish as in Cantonese the word for ‘prawn/shrimp’ is ‘ha’, which sounds like laughter and so symbolises happiness.
Buddha’s Delight (罗汉斋) – fortune and renewal
This vegetarian dish technically includes 18 ingredients (in honour of the 18 original arhats, or followers of Buddha) including shiitake mushrooms, cloud ear fungus, Chinese leaf, carrot, spring onions, sugar snap peas, dried bean curd, lily buds, bamboo shoot, taro root and fried tofu. This may form part of the main New Year’s Eve dinner, or be eaten as a welcomingly plain detox dish on New Year’s Day.
Glutinous rice balls (汤圆) – family togetherness and reunion
With their round shape symbolising unity and togetherness, these plump, slightly chewy treats sometimes have a red bean or sesame paste filling and are served warm in a light, syrupy broth.
Oranges (橙) – wealth and success
Oranges, tangerines and pomelos are considered lucky for their round, full shape, their golden colour and for the similarity of sound of the word for ‘orange’ in Chinese to the word for ‘success’. They are displayed in homes and businesses throughout the New Year celebrations, often given as gifts, and eaten as the final course of the New Year’s Eve dinner.
Where to eat in London
UBA, Shoreditch
UBA has a special Lunar New Year menu including spring rolls, longevity noodles, steamed sea bass and rice balls. Dine from this menu and you will be given a hongbao red envelope filled with special offers, such as 10% off food or 15% off cocktails, to redeem on a future visit.
Price: à la carte; from £45.50 for four courses.Dates: 24th-31st January 2025
Book here.
Chop Chop by the Four Seasons, Leicester Square
We are big fans of this excellent Cantonese restaurant in the Hippodrome Casino, which is one of London’s late-night dining stars. Lucky New Year dishes on the menu include spring rolls, pork and prawn dumplings, whole soya chicken and whole steamed seabass. Those visiting on the eve of Lunar New Year will receive a traditional hongbao red envelope as a symbol for good fortune, prosperity and blessings for the new year.
Cheapo Top Tip: If you were born in the Year of the Snake (2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929) you can claim a 20% discount on the entire menu, redeemable on 20th-23rd and 28th-30th January 2025 – just bring valid proof of age.
Price: à la carte; under £50.00 for the spring rolls, dumplings and either the chicken or fish.Dates:
Book here.
Two Hot Asians supper club, Shoreditch
Emily Yeoh, co-founder of hot sauce brand Two Hot Asians, is running a Lunar New Year supper club at Mama Shelter in Shoreditch. Expect delicious dumplings and a prosperity toss salad, plus prawn toast, Hainanese chicken and pandan tres leches cake.
Price: £49.00ppDates: 29th January 2025
Book here.
Bao London: Shoreditch, Marylebone, King’s Cross, Battersea, City
Head to Bao for New Year and you can get involved with their prosperity toss salad and longevity noodles, as well as honey-glazed pork, crispy bean curd and cute little snake-shaped buns with a pistachio filling. If you order the Lunar New Year set menu you’ll get a hongbao red envelope containing snake-themed prizes including vouchers, limited-edition BAO x Carhartt t-shirts and totes, and the grand prize – an engraved lighter which entitles the winner to a free BAO every day for a year.
Price: £29.00ppDates: 20th January-9th February 2025
Book here.
Daddy Bao, Tooting
Another great Taiwanese option is popular Tooting Broadway spot Daddy Bao, with their special seafood tasting menu including a prosperity toss salad, spring rolls, whole sea bass, longevity noodles and more.
Price: £60.00ppDates: 27th January 2025
Book here.
Studio Five, Wembley
This good value alternative to the larger, more traditional dinners also includes live music. The menu features grilled king prawns cooked in chilli, ginger and garlic (which are symbolic of happiness), followed by chicken or tofu stir-fried noodles and a dessert. Price: £30.00pp for three courses.
Dates: 29th January-1st February 2025
Book here.
What to do in London
Check out our Events section for all the cool stuff happening over the Lunar New Year: from parades and dragon dances to craft workshops and Mahjong classes, we’ve got you covered.
