NYC Lunar New Year 2025: Where to Celebrate the Year of the Snake

The Lunar New Year, encompassing Chinese New Year, Vietnamese Tết Nguyen Dan, and Korean Seol-Nal, is a time of rich traditions, with food playing a central symbolic role. Dumplings signify wealth, noodles represent longevity and happiness, and fish brings prosperity.

NYC offers a plethora of options to celebrate the Year of the Snake, starting January 29th. Here are some highlights:

Top NYC Restaurants for Lunar New Year Celebrations:

1. Ăn Tẹt Ga at Bánh Vietnamese Shop House (Upper West Side): Offers a Tết family meal box ($199) with bánh chưng, chả giò, thịt kho, xôi gấc, and more. Preorders available online for pickup on January 25th and 26th.

2. Kancil (Upper West Side): Chef Simpson Wong presents Lunar New Year specials including yusheng, whole fish, and kuih bahulu, available only on January 29th.

3. Din Tai Fung (Midtown): Celebrates its first Lunar New Year with Shanghai rice cakes, shrimp fried rice, and special red envelopes containing a salad recipe. Five lucky guests win VIP reservation access.

4. Asian Jewels (Flushing): Offers Lunar New Year preorders like sauteed lobster, steamed whole fish, and seafood rolls.

5. Grandma’s Home (Hangzhou Cuisine, NYC): Features a la carte dishes and a $68 coursed meal with soy-glazed fish, lobster, and xiao long bai. Available January 25th - February 2nd.

6. Milu (Gramercy): Offers a $16 Lunar New Year cookie tin with snake-shaped palmiers and orange blossom shortbreads. Preorders available online for pickup January 28th - 31st.

7. Hunan Slurp (East Village): Serves pork tang yuan (red bean paste soup with rice balls) January 28th - February 4th.

8. C as in Charlie (Noho): Offers a Seollal dessert special (five-color gyeongdan) on January 30th and 31st.

9. Saigon Social (Lower East Side): Hosts a Tết dinner with Vân Vân on January 21st. Reservations available online.

10. Round K by Sol (Chinatown): Serves tteokguk January 23rd - 31st.

11. Chinese Tuxedo & The Tyger (Chinatown & Little Italy): Tuxedo Hospitality restaurants with Lunar New Year decorations, lion dancers, and special dishes. January 27th - February 9th.

12. Nin Hao (Prospect Heights): Offers Lunar New Year specials including braised pork belly, sea bass, and rice cakes. January 28th - February 12th.

13. Leland Eating and Drinking House (Prospect Heights): Lunar New Year pop-up with lobster har gow, Hainan chicken, Beijing duck, and special cocktails. January 27th - February 2nd.

Lunar New Year Events:

1. Hana House Lunar New Year Market (Downtown Brooklyn): Food vendors, shops, entertainment, and live music. Tickets $7.18, February 1st, noon-6 p.m.