Lunar New Year – also known as Chinese New Year – is one of the biggest dates in the Asian cultural calendar. Each new year is represented by one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac and, on 17 February 2026, celebrations will usher in the Year of the Horse, symbolising power, freedom and momentum. Celebrate Lunar New Year in London, and all the good things it’s predicted to bring, with opulent offerings from the capital’s most sophisticated restaurants and bars. 

Shanghai Me, Mayfair

Having opened last year as Hilton Park Lane’s rooftop restaurant, Shanghai Me will celebrate its first Chinese New Year welcoming the Year of the Horse throughout February. The space, which features 1930s Shanghai and Art Deco interiors, will be transformed with immersive Chinese décor such as glowing lanterns and elegant Chinese fans, as well as a specially curated festive menu.

From 16 February to 3 March, dine on standout dishes from the festive menu such as the spicy wagyu barbecue roll, crispy slow-cooked lamb shank, a two piece creamy king crab puff with caviar, and roasted pineapple cake for dessert. For one night only, on 18 February, Shanghai Me will elevate the celebrations with a spectacular lion dance and mesmerising Chinese drummers.

22 Park Lane, W1K 1BE, visit shanghaime-london.com

Duck & Waffle, The City

Sky-high restaurant Duck & Waffle, situated on the 40^th floor of 110 Bishopsgate, is ringing in the Year of the Horse with a limited-edition menu available from 16-20 February. Inspired by the energy, strength and momentum of the horse, the menu begins with a selection of small plates, including prawn crackers served with crispy chilli oil and tea-infused duck eggs paired with bang-bang peanut dressing. For the main course, guests are invited to choose from a trio of celebratory options, including crispy duck confit pancakes served with cucumber, spring onions and hoisin sauce; plant-based pancakes with crispy oyster mushrooms and tofu; or a fillet of sea bass with pak choi, chilli, ginger, soy and oyster sauce.

Desserts continue the indulgence with a choice of duck egg custard tart, accompanied by matcha ice cream, or rice pudding with poached rhubarb and honey. The experience concludes with fortune cookies, offering a playful nod to tradition and a sweet start to the year ahead.

From £40 per person, visit duckandwaffle.com

Mei Ume at Four Seasons Hotel at Tower Bridge

Available from 15 February until 3 March, Mei Ume’s chef Peter Ho has prepared a multi-course menu that showcases traditional dishes eaten on Lunar New Year. To start, take part in the Yu Sheng ritual, or Prosperity Toss Salad: a tangy salad traditionally eaten while standing and tossed with chopsticks, with the higher the toss indicating the better the luck that person will have in the New Year. The remainder of the eight-course menu features koi dim sum in seafood broth, Iberico char siu and roast pork platter, and double-boiled clam superior soup with morel mushroom and mustard.

From £128 per person, visit fourseasons.com

Chinatown, Soho

This month, London will once again come alive for Chinese New Year with the largest celebration in the world outside of China. Chinatown will be the epicentre of the festivities, with thousands of visitors from far and wide expected to visit over the 15-day celebration period. With more than 60 restaurants, bars, shops, and businesses across 11 streets blending cultural dishes and experiences, lion dance performances will weave through the streets throughout February, before the annual Chinese New Year parade takes place on 22 February, starting from Trafalgar Square.

Visit chinatown.co.uk

The Peninsula, Belgravia

From 3 February to 3 March, The Peninsula will come alive for Lunar New Year with feasts, festivities, and artful Asian traditions to celebrate the Year of The Horse. The hotel will present a curated calendar of celebrations inspired by The Peninsula’s rich Asian heritage, ranging from exquisite culinary offerings, spectacular dragon dances, and a striking new art installation by Chinese textile artist Lin Fanglu.

Canton Blue, the hotel’s signature Cantonese restaurant, will serve a six-course set menu available at lunch and dinner featuring Lunar New Year dim sum, steamed sea bass with ginger and shiitake mushroom, deep-fried lobster with salted egg sauce, and chestnut cream and mandarin mousse – an elegant finale symbolising luck and prosperity. Meanwhile, Little Blue Noodle Bar will celebrate with a curated baijiu cocktail list, where guests can enjoy signature dishes such as traditional dandan noodles and braised beef cheek noodles, alongside six signature Chinese baijiu cocktails.

In the Tea Lounge, encounter She’s Bestowed Love II: a compelling limited-time installation by Fanglu. Composed of hand-dyed red textiles, and drawing on the textile traditions of the Bai communities of Yunnan province, the installation reflects The Peninsula’s enduring commitment to heritage and craftsmanship. Finally, on 17 February, don't miss a spirited dragon dance in the hotel’s courtyard, believed to dispel negative energy and invite good fortune.

Visit peninsula.com

Carousel, Fitzrovia

Innovative foodie hub Carousel has devised a limited edition collaboration in honour of the Year of the Horse. For five nights only chefs, from 17-21 February, John Javier (Caia) and Jackson Boxer (Dove, Brunswick House, Henri) and will come together to create a tasting menu of regional Chinese fare reinvented wiht contemporary influences. Highlights include monkfish and prawn siu mai with trout roe, bang bang chicken, burnt cabbage with fish sauce butter, and a deep fried milk ice cream to finish. This is Chinese cooking – but not as you know it.

£69.50 per person, visit carousel-london.com

The Ivy Asia, across London

With stunning, theatrical surroundings and a lively atmosphere, The Ivy Asia is the perfect setting to ring in the Year of the Horse. Opt for the Lunar Dragon lunch menu – think crispy wontons, king oyster and shiitake gyoza, and salt and pepper beef fillet with ginger noodles – or the Lunar Samurai dinner menu for an all-out evening celebration. The menu features a selection of signature dishes, with starters including barbecue duck salad, tiger prawn rendang and massaman lamb. Just like the lunch menu, mains are accompanied by steamed rice and wok-fried greens – and be sure to save room for the passion fruit and coconut doughnuts.

From £19.95 per person, visit theivyasia.com

Chop Chop at The Hippodrome, Leicester Square

For a dose of West End dazzle, celebrate at one of London’s most authentic Cantonese restaurants, Chop Chop by Four Seasons at The Hippodrome. To celebrate the Year of the Horse, diners born under this zodiac sign (1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990 and 2002) can enjoy 20 per cent off the full menu from 16-19 February (bring ID); book on opening night to catch a vibrant lion dance in the heart of the restaurant and a red envelope giveaway, adding a touch of tradition and good fortune to the evening. Expect premium dim sum, handmade dumplings, Hong Kong-style roast duck, and pistachio mille crêpe cake or yuzu cheesecake for dessert.

Visit hippodromecasino.com

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