As of January 29th it’s the start of Lunar New Year and we officially enter into the Year of the Snake, which thankfully sounds in no way ominous or foreboding…
…because, as we all know, in Eastern tradition the snake in fact represents wisdom, intuition, and transformation – three things that are (probably) all present in some form or another across the capital’s various events & eateries this month. And there’s a lot to look forward to, ranging from spectacular lion dances, to supperclubs in art galleries, massive feasts, incredibly detailed steamed buns, screenings of classic movies, and a lot more…
Lunar New Year Parade | Lion dances! Music! Dumplings!
Paul / Flickr
This is probably the grandest way to spend Lunar New Year in London – because outside of China, this is the biggest Lunar New Years parade in the world. So yes, it’s pretty f**king impressive. And this year there’ll be dragon dances, live music, street food and more. Things usually kick off at 10am, and work their way from Trafalgar Square through to Chinatown, and onto Soho.
Details: 2nd February | Chinatown, Soho | Free
Housewarming: A British Vietnamese Home | At The Museum of the Home
As a special, one-off late opening, The Museum of the Home is unveiling “the first British Vietnamese Home at the Museum”, in which they’ll faithfully recreate a terraced house in the year 2024 dressed for Tết. It’s all free, and you can wander through a 400 year timescape of other homes while you’re there, too.
Details: 30th January, 6pm-9pm | The Museum of the Home | Free
Chinese New Year at the BFI | Premieres, Q&As, and classics
Celebrating Chinese cinema, the BFI will be rolling with a trio of movies from Hong Kong – one premiere (True Love, For Once In My Life), one Q&A with the producer (All Shall Be Well) and one classic (Tsui Hark’s timeless romantic comedy Shanghai Blues). Sounds fun.
Details: 23rd – 26th January | The BFI, Southbank
Roe | Sustainable feasting
It’s unlikely that you’ll find a massive ‘Year of the Snake Wellington’ on any other Lunar New Year menus this season, so Roe is definitely doing something different, and likely both delicious and sustainable to boot. That showstopper will be joined by crispy stuffed chicken wings; Exmoor caviar; mushroom noodle spring rolls; and some sweet & sour suckling pork with octopus rice, too.
Details: 28th January | 5 Park Drive, Wood Wharf, E14 9GG | £88 per person
My Neighbours The Dumplings Victoria Park | 50% off dumplings for Nudge Members
My Neighbours The Dumplings have a very delicious specialist subject, and it ain’t neighbours. Their dumplings are legendary, and not only are they creating a magnificent black-skinned number for the Lunar New Year, but they’re also giving Nudge Members 50% off them all too. Just order a couple of hot dishes from their menu, and any & all dumplings you spring for will be half price.
Details: Until 13th February | 178-180 Victoria Park Road, E9 7HD | Details here
Two Hot Asians | A huge supper club in Hackney
Two Hot Asians usually make hot Asian sauces, but once in a while they switch gears and break out the big woks in order to put on a supperclub. This is one of those times. They’ll be taking over the kitchen at Mamma Shelter in Hackney for the night, and whipping up a menu of fiery dumplings, sweet desserts, and succulent Hainanese roast chicken.
Details: 29th January | Mama Shelter, 437 Hackney Road London E2 8PP| £54 per person
Yauatcha | Beautiful pastries & lion dances
If there’s one thing that Yauatcha does better than almost anywhere else in London, it’s their sublimely pretty little Chinese baked goods. And for the Year of the Snake, they’re rustling up some gorgeous looking pineapple treats, with “sweet caramelised pineapple jam encased in buttery pastry”. And to gild that already sparkly lily, they’re also putting on a delicious looking special menu and a traditional lion dance on February 1st.
Details: Until 12th February (lion dance 1st Feb) | 15-17 Broadwick St, W1F 0DL
BAO | Eat buns, get lucky
Head to any BAO this Lunar New Year, and not only can you get a special set menu that includes these adorable little, pistachio-filled snake buns (along with a wealth of other dishes like noodles, dumplings, and bao), but they’ll also give you a red envelope containing a variety of snake themed prizes too. We’re talking vouchers, T-shirts, totes, and a grand prize of “a BAO on the house every day for a year”. Good luck.
Details: Until 9th February | BAO branches across London | £29pp
Ling Ling’s x Papi | Two heavyweights collide
Ling Ling’s? Great. Papi? Great. Ling Ling’s x Papi? Wild guess: probably great. The menu’s under wraps, but then half the fun of dining at Papi is not knowing precisely what you’re going to get on any given night. Plus, there’s karaoke later, and that’s going to be banging.
Details: 29th & 30th January | Papi, E8 3DQ
Gwei-Lo at Bruno | Macanese food & excellent wine
If you’ve never had Macanese food (that is, from Macau) then you’re in for a treat. Supperclub specialists Gwei·Lo will be hitting Bruno for a six-course Lunar New Year feast. Expect sweet & sour leek and torresmos, lard & preserved green strawberries, char sui pork neck with confit ginger spring onion, and almost cookies with rice ice cream & jasmine kombucha syrup, and more – all for £35.
Details: 29th January | 211a Victoria Park Road, E9 7JN | £35pp
Bun House Disco | Check out those buns
You see those fish-shaped buns that look like they’re probably filled with a creamy cube custard? You could be eating them if you get yourself down to Bun House Disco this Lunar New Year. There’ll also be special menu items like prosperity tossed shrooms; crispy oyster mushrooms with assorted pickles & greens; and ‘disco a la orange’ confit duck legs with a spiced cider honey glaze.
Details: 28th January – 2nd February | 118 Bethnal Green Road, E2 7EE
Sambal Shiok | Malaysian feasting in North London
Sambal Shiok are one of the finest exemplars of Malaysian food in the city, and they’ll be throwing a trio of pop up feasts for Lunar New Year at their Holloway Road restaurant. Prepare for 8 courses of Prosperity toss salads, eight treasures soup, golden fragrant chicken, pandan almond cake, and more.
Details: 25th & 29th January, 8th February | 171 Holloway Rd, N7 8LX | £78.88
Xi Home Dumplings Bay | Cool AF dragon buns
We challenge you to find a steamed bun quite as detailed and insanely cool as these are anywhere outside of China. They come in four flavours – custard egg yolk, sweet ube & taro, truffle chocolate, and custard matcha – and they’re only around for the Lunar New Year celebrations.
Details: Available until 2nd February | Available to pick up from 10 Blossom Street, E1 6PL (preorder necessary) | £46
Lá Lốt and HUS London’s Family Banquet | A pop up in an art gallery
(From last year’s event)
Okay, this is really two popups instead of one. They’re both taking place inside the art gallery It’s A Local Collective in Bloomsbury. Eric Wan of Lá Lốt will kick things off with a four-course seasonal menu that explores the “rituals of food”, then HUS will immerse everyone in a retelling of Chinese Opera The Peony Pavilion with help from four courses of modern Shanghainese tapas and performer WenHsin Lee of Punchdrunk. Sounds amazing.
Details: 31st January & 1st February (Lá Lốt), 7th & 8th February (HUS) | 107 Guilford St, WC1N 1DP | £65
While we’re here… may as well check out the best Chinese restaurants in London too