Happy year of the Horse!

Whether it’s a deeply important tradition or your very first time celebrating, the Lunar New Year is the perfect opportunity for cultural connection. The celebrations in London’s Chinatown are the biggest outside Asia, they are not to be missed. And whether you call it CNY, Spring Festival, Tết (like I do!), or something else, the Lunar New Year is also a good time to eat great food. To celebrate the year of the Horse, I have explored a little bit, and also asked my Taiwanese flatmate, for some of the best places in and around Chinatown to treat yourself to delights from across Asia.

• You can never go wrong with a sweet or savoury treat from Chinatown Bakery! There’s always a queue out the door, and for good reason: the shop and offers a wide variety of baked goods of all kinds.

→ Where to find them: 7 Newport Pl
→ New Year’s special: this LNY, the bakery is revisiting a festive favourite: the mooncake (I know, extending the mid-autumn festival until the New Year)! Several varieties are on offer, so you can try and sample them all. My personal fave is the white lotus.

• The underdog to the more famous Chinatown Bakery (and just steps away) is Mrs Bakery! Aside from the delicious baked goods, they also offer a variety of hot and cold drinks you won’t find elsewhere, like their fermented rice latte. I tried the mochi black rice bun - just delish, soft and not too sweet - but I plan on going back to try everything!

→ Where to find them: 12-13 Little Newport St

• Another crowd favourite: Bun House. You might know them for their deliciously runny custard buns, but they are no strangers to putting out exceptional LNY specials. Last year, they had the cutest fish-shaped buns ever, and this year, they’re going all out and putting on a full feast social. The perfect occasion if you want to mark the occasion!

→ Where to find them: 26-27 Lisle St for the custard buns or 118 Bethnal Green Rd (in Shoreditch) for the disco feast.

And you’re looking for something a little more consistent than a snack or want to celebrate the occasion properly with a sit-down meal, here are a few addresses that rarely miss the spot:

• First, Beijing Dumpling is a more casual spot with a very varied menu. The ideal place for a fun evening out with your flatmates or coursemates - everyone is sure to find something that fits their taste, and the prices are student-friendly. They also have a great range of vegetarian options!

→ Where to find them: 23 Lisle St

If you’re willing to splurge on something a little fancier for LNY and to walk a few steps out of Chinatown towards Covent Garden, two addresses that everyone agrees on for banging New Year’s specials:

• Dim Sum Library’s specificity, aside from delicious dim sum, is that it offers an afternoon tea inspired by traditional Hong Kong tastes - the perfect opportunity to mix Asian and English traditions for a unique London LNY. The dim sum menu is also relatively short, which is always a sign of quality in my opinion!

→ Where to find them: 136 Long Acre

• And of course, I can’t finish this list without at least mentioning Din Tai Fung. Do I even need to introduce them… Perhaps the most famous dumplings of the English-speaking world. Who doesn’t love xia long bao? This February, they have an array of LNY specials, including drinks and events. It’s a bit more posh than the others, but you really can’t miss with that one. Trust me: it’s popular for a reason!

→ Where to find them: 5 Henrietta St

Happy new year and bon appétit!