Wine and dine at Tsim Sha Tsui Centre and Empire Centre this Chinese New Year

New Year celebrations centre around families and food – and a meal at Shanghai Min 1987 is a feast both for the eyes and the stomach. Specialising in Shanghainese cuisine, signature dishes include the traditional chicken and wonton soup and stir fried river shrimp, served with your choice of longjing or truffle. If you prefer to keep the celebrations at home, then call ahead to purchase a poon choi – a traditional braised dish containing abalone, sea cucumber and pork knuckle that comfortably feeds six people.

With its unbeatable harbour views, Italian eatery Spasso rings in the new year with a decadent tribute to the truffle. Until March 31, Spasso offers diners an exclusive range of dishes which showcase both raw and cooked black truffle. Specialties include a hand tossed focaccia and slow cooked guinea fowl, but adventurous diners can embrace the restaurant’s 'no menu, no rules' approach and experience a dynamic, creative menu inspired by the signature ingredient.

Famed chef Gordon Ramsay’s gastropub promises a lively atmosphere filled with food and entertainment with a three-course Chinese New Year menu ($488), and (for the American football fans), a live stream of the 54th Super Bowl. On February 3, the London House big screens will be dedicated to the NFL’s biggest annual highlight for an animated morning. With a spacious outdoor terrace, an extensive beer and wine menu and dedication to classic pub grub, it makes for a great venue to catch all the action. 

January and February are some of Hong Kong’s coldest months. And while we may not have cosy fireplaces to warm ourselves by, we do have quaint cafes and the promise of an indulgent hot chocolate. A Belgian bakery and restaurant serving simple, wholesome and seasonal food, Le Pain Quotidien offers its patrons just that – marshmallow-laden cocoa drinks ($44) and plates of fluffy egg cloud toast ($128, includes one hot beverage) are available throughout the month of January.

While not your typical Chinese New Year fare, pizza is the kind of comfort food that brings friends and families together. Start a communal meal off at PizzaExpress the Italian way with an antipasti board. Follow that up with two of their newest features: Parma e Grana Padano pizza ($168)— Romana pizza topped with Prosciutto di Parma and Grana Padano— and Spaghetti con Polpette ($128)— pork meatballs in bolognese. For each Parma e Grana Padano pizza sold, PizzaExpress will donate $8 to Feeding Hong Kong.