15th annual Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival, Chinese New Year
Photograph: Filip Wolak
Photograph: Filip Wolak

The best things to do for Lunar New Year (a.k.a. Chinese New Year)

Ring in the Year of the Dragon with these fun and colorful cultural events in NYC.

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Lunar New Year (or Chinese New Year) is here to lift us up with new beginnings, beautiful art and delicious food. The celebration includes bursting firecrackers, lion dances, and delicious cuisine, including at Chinatown's Chinese New Year Parade, one of the best events in February. Don't miss filling your belly with amazing cuisine from one of the best Chinese restaurants in NYC either!

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Lunar New Year in NYC

Looking for some grub?

While Manhattan’s Chinese restaurants might be your first thought for dim sum, don’t sleep on Flushing or Sunset Park’s Chinatowns. Many spots order takeout and delivery, if that’s your thing, but we believe that dim sum is one of the few things worth putting on pants for.

Gather a crew to feast on a midday Chinese meal. Here are the best spots for dim sum that NYC has to offer.

 

New York has a long lineage of Chinese restaurants showcasing the culinary traditions of nearly every province in China, as well as the fusion fare created by immigrants in the United States.

Whether you're looking to sample fiery Szechuan fare or experience a classic weekend dim sum brunch, the city has got you covered. From white-clothed Midtown restaurants to hole-in-the-wall Chinatown restaurants, find the best Chinese restaurant NYC has to offer.

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No need to stick to one borough—the best dumplings in NYC can be eaten throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Head downtown to get your soup dumpling fix at one of the best Chinatown restaurants in the city. Exploring new neighborhoods? Take the train to Sunset Park for some of the best dim sum outside Hong Kong.

And if you're really on a budget, there are plenty of options for cheap dumplings along the way.

  • Bakeries

New York's Chinatown is packed with amazing dim sum restaurants, fun-loving karaoke bars and top-notch Chinese bakeries offering a dizzying array of pastries. Most are known for one exceptional item, however, whether thats a buttery egg tart, a fluffy sponge cake or a lotus-filled hopia. It doesnt get much sweeter than this.

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