Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is a widely celebrated festival across the world. It is observed to commemorate the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. This year, the festival marks the transition from the Year of the Rabbit (2023) to the Year of the Dragon (2024). The festival starts on February 10 and concludes on February 20. Here’s a list of places to eat in San Francisco to ring in the Year of the Dragon:
Where to eat in San Francisco on Lunar New Year?
Some of the traditional foods that are consumed during the Chinese New Year festivities include dumplings, noodles, and Nian Gao, which translates to rice cake or New Year cake in English. If you are from San Francisco and are wondering where to dine to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, then you should check out these places to eat:
China Live
For authentic Chinese cuisine, you should make a reservation at China Live by world-renowned Chef George Chen. The restaurant has been recognised as World’s Greatest Places by Time Magazine, per China Live’s official website. To mark the Chinese New Year, the restaurant is offering a special menu starting February 10.
The festive menu features Double Happiness ‘Shiu Jiao’ Water Dumplings made with shrimp and chives, Shanghai trap lobster, and local Dungeness crab with a choice of salt and pepper or ginger and scallion.
Eight Tables
{{/usCountry}}The festive menu features Double Happiness ‘Shiu Jiao’ Water Dumplings made with shrimp and chives, Shanghai trap lobster, and local Dungeness crab with a choice of salt and pepper or ginger and scallion.
Eight Tables
{{/usCountry}}Also, by Chef George Chen, the Chinese restaurant Eight Tables is offering a special six-course meal in honour of the Lunar New Year. The $300 meal includes delicacies like XO rice clay pot with black truffle, foie gras, and Iberico ham; smoked garlic chicken with foraged mushrooms, gai lan; and a special sauce made with Hennessy V.S. Table.
Z&Y Restaurant
Located in Chinatown, Z&Y Restaurant is offering a Chinese New Year special menu which includes traditional dishes like Szechuan-style chicken; salt and pepper crab; and fish filet with flaming chile oil. Per the restaurant's official website, “The award-winning Chinese culinary destination in San Francisco’s historic Chinatown, offers authentic Szechuan dishes created by owner and executive Chef Lijun Han.”