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London’s Best Places to Celebrate the Fire Horse

  • Jessy Davis
  • Feb 17
  • 2 min read

With Chinese New Year arriving later than expected, the city’s celebrations stretch from elegant Mayfair tables to relaxed neighbourhood kitchens—here’s where to go now.


Dim Sum Library


Dim Sum Library’s wagyu beef puff
Dim Sum Library’s wagyu beef puff

Covent Garden's Dim Sum Library offers a delectable pan-Asian set menu to commemorate the new lunar cycle. The meal will commence with a prosperity toss salad, known as Lo Hei, traditionally consumed by Singaporeans, Malaysians, and Indonesians for this occasion. This will be followed by luxurious Wagyu and black garlic dim sums, black truffle crispy-skin chicken, and steamed Alaskan black cod fillets infused with Sichuan pepper. Anticipate whimsical elements: the restaurant has collaborated with Peddlers Gin to offer limited edition cocktails, such as the ‘Good Fortune Mule’ and ‘Imperial Horse.’ Additionally, a Lucky Horse chopstick game challenges your dexterity with oversized chopsticks, providing prizes for successfully retrieving a small figurine.




Noodle & Beer



Noodle & Beer, a Sichuan staple, is commemorating the onset of a new year with seven specials—a number considered auspicious in Chinese culture—at its Chinatown and Spitalfields locations. Anticipate celebratory decorations, as the restaurants will be adorned with crimson garlands and equine-themed lighting, featuring interactive games such as calligraphy and horse block painting, along with auspicious red envelopes (known as Hong Baos) containing a surprise gift for each patron. The specials feature Joy dumplings and Prosperity beer duck, which undoubtedly signify the new year with optimistic intent.




Amazing Grace


The Lunar New Year is not solely a Chinese event; it is also commemorated in Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and numerous other Asian nations. Amazing Grace will feature a pan-Asian menu at its London Bridge and Canary Wharf restaurants to commemorate this occasion. A red envelope will disclose a surprise gift and a limited-edition cocktail, The Electric Azure, reflecting the season's auspicious colours. The menu offers a variety of options, including Korean BBQ chicken wings and Vietnamese slaw. As customary, live music will accompany your dining experience.




Novikov



Novikov is an eccentric establishment located in the heart of Mayfair; it features a triad of dining options, including a lounge and two separate pan-Asian and Italian restaurants. The Asian restaurant will provide an exclusive array of delicious specialities in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Consider lobster bao buns accompanied by yuzu–piquillo pepper sauce, alongside aromatic steamed market fish with gai lan, ginger, and soy. The meals generally represent abundance and good fortune, and satiated guests will undoubtedly experience this as they indulge until the conclusion, where dessert features a reinterpretation of the Prosperity mandarin - a yoghurt mousse enveloping a mandarin core, adorned with a white chocolate glaze.




The Wolseley


Although now a prestigious British establishment, The Wolseley was formerly the site of a renowned Chinese restaurant. The Lunar New Year afternoon tea will honour this tradition with a delectable twist. The classic afternoon tea selection is accompanied by a traditional mooncake for the limited-edition menu, while visitors may opt for Saicho sparkling tea in champagne flutes, allowing them to toast 'gānbēi' (cheers) to the new year with sophistication.


Book via thewolseley.com; from £46.50




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