The Ultimate Guide to Lunar New Year in Los Angeles

The Lunar New Year — also known as Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Tet Nguyen Dan, and Seollal — falls on February 10 this year and is celebrated by millions of people around the world, including those in China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and here in Los Angeles.

Since food is the cornerstone of Lunar New Year celebrations, we’ve rounded up some of the holiday’s most essential dishes, shared a bit about the dish’s cultural significance, and provided details on where to find each dish in Los Angeles. Toward the end, there’s a list of specials around town celebrating Lunar New Year. Here’s to a lucky and prosperous Year of the Dragon.

---

Niángāo (glutinous rice cake)

Glutinous rice cake, or niángāo, is one of the most symbolic Lunar New Year dishes. Also translated as a “New Year cake,” niángāo is made of glutinous rice flour. The sweet variety, which hails from southern China, is the more popular version and is made with sugar, sticky rice, chestnuts, Chinese dates, and lotus leaves. The savory version is typically stir-fried in dishes in Shanghainese and northern Chinese cuisine.

Glutinous rice cake symbolizes progress, advancement, and growth because the sound for niángāo in Chinese sounds similar to “getting higher year after year.” This can refer to children growing taller and stronger, students getting better grades, or achieving general success in the New Year. New Year cake is cut into small pieces, steamed, or battered in egg and pan-fried. The texture is similar to that of mochi.

Here’s where to find it:

• Atlantic Times Seafood. 500 N. Atlantic Boulevard, Ste. 200, Monterey Park, (626) 872-0388.
• Phoenix Food Boutique (multiple locations).
• Domies Bakery. 7609 Garvey Avenue, Rosemead, (626) 280-3085.
• Kee Wah Bakery (multiple locations).
• Huge Tree Pastry. 423 N. Atlantic Boulevard, Monterey Park, (626) 458-8689.
• Happy Bakery. 846 E. Valley Boulevard, Ste. B, San Gabriel, (626) 308-3532.
• Also available in Asian supermarkets like 99 Ranch, 168 Market, GW-Supermarket, TS Emporium, and Thuan Phat.

Fó tiào qiáng (Buddha jumps over the wall)

Wonho Frank Lee

Fó tiào qiáng, which literally translates to “Buddha jumps over the wall,” is a traditional and expensive stew. The thick soup from Fujian, China, dates back to the Qing Dynasty and is thought to have many health properties. The name derives from the legend that the dish was so good that even a vegetarian monk would jump over a temple’s walls just to taste it.

The dish is a delicacy made up of luxury ingredients and is high in nutrients and collagen. It takes up to two days to make it, with many additional hours in preparation time. Typically, the soup has dried abalone, dried scallops, dried shiitake mushrooms, scallops, fish maw, pork tendon, taro, quail eggs, bamboo shoots, ginseng, sea cucumber, red dates, Chinese wolfberry, Jinhua ham, and beef shank, to name a few. Ingredients can be interchanged depending on the season and what is available.

Buddha jumps over the wall is most often served at banquets and important holidays like Lunar New Year. Preparing the dish is difficult and time-consuming since certain recipes use up to 30 main ingredients and more than 10 condiments. Jiang Nan Spring is offering its version of the dish in two sizes ($168 for the small size) and requires diners to bring in their own vessel for the soup.

Here’s where to find it:

• Array 36: 5449 Rosemead Boulevard, Temple City, CA 91776. (626) 508-5886.
• Also available in Asian supermarkets like 99 Ranch, TS Emporium, and 168 Market in the frozen food section.

Chinese togetherness tray and Vietnamese mứt tết

Both Chinese and Vietnamese cultures consider togetherness trays quintessential to the Lunar New Year holiday. They believe that since many of the items in the trays are sweet, eating sweet foods will bring them good luck and success in the new year. The Tray of Togetherness is a red Chinese candy box with usually six or eight compartments (since six symbolizes luck and eight symbolizes wealth) filled with different candied fruits, vegetables, snacks, and candies that all have symbolically auspicious meanings. The snacks featured are extra special since they are only sold this time of the year.

Dried candied lotus root signifies abundance year after year. Dried candied coconut signifies togetherness. Dried red watermelon seeds signify happiness for their red color and fertility, or an abundance of offspring, as the word for “seeds” is a homophone for the word for “children.” Candied winter melon and ginger symbolize growth and good health. Dried pineapple signifies good luck or prosperity. Apples mean peace and harmony. Citrus fruits symbolize prosperity and wealth, and peanuts symbolize longevity. Pistachios bring happiness since the Chinese translation literally means “happy nuts.”

Unlike Chinese togetherness trays, Vietnamese mứt tết are typically divided into five compartments. Many of the meanings of the snacks are similar to the Chinese ones, but the Vietnamese trays feature different sweets. Vietnamese trays also have fried seeds like watermelon, lotus, sunlight flower seeds, and pumpkin, but they include candied fruits like soursop, preserved tamarind, candied wax gourd, banana candy with sesame and peanut, candied tomato, candied starfruit, candied ginger, and colorful candied coconut ribbons. Mứt tết typically includes a sugar-preserved jam — in most cases kumquat, as it symbolizes good fortune.

Here’s where to find it:

• Vua Kho Bo (multiple locations) sells a large selection of goods for DIY togetherness trays.
• Nature Land (multiple locations in the San Gabriel Valley and Orange County) is offering build-your-own togetherness trays or mứt tết.
• Also available in Asian supermarkets like 99 Ranch, 168 Market, GW-Supermarket, and Thuan Phat.

Tāngtuán (glutinous rice balls) or chè trôi nước

Usually eaten on the last day of the Lunar New Year celebrations, known as the Lantern Festival, tāngtuán are sweet mochi rice balls that symbolize togetherness. Tāngtuán can have black sesame, red bean, and ground peanuts. There’s even an option that’s a bit boozy with fermented glutinous rice and dried osmanthus flower. The pronunciation of tāngtuán is very similar to a Chinese phrase meaning “being together and gathering with your family.”

Chè trôi nước is the Vietnamese version of the glutinous rice balls. It is made with a creamy mung bean paste and topped with sweet ginger syrup and drizzled with coconut cream and lightly toasted sesame seeds for a dessert.

Here’s where to find tāngtuán:

• Southern Mini Town. 833 W. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, (626) 289-6578.
• Jiang Nan Spring. 910 E. Main Street, Alhambra, (626) 766-1688.
• Dun Huang. 1370 Fullerton Road, Ste 105, Rowland Heights, (626) 820-9079.
• Thach Che Hien Khanh. 8150 Garvey Avenue, Ste. 117i, Rosemead, (626) 288-8128.

Here’s where to find chè trôi nước:

• Thach Che Hien Khanh. 8150 Garvey Avenue, Ste. 117i, Rosemead, (626) 288-8128.
• VK Tofu. 9210 Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, (626) 288-1001.
• Also available at Vietnamese sandwich shops like Banh Mi Che Cali.

Luóbo gāo (turnip cake)

Turnip cakes are a staple in dim sum, but they are also a lucky Lunar New Year food. During the celebration, bakeries and restaurants make a larger version for sale than what’s available at dim sum parlors. Although it is a Cantonese food, the Taiwanese and Fujianese also eat this during the New Year since the pronunciation for turnip cake, cai tao gui, is a homonym for good fortune. The cakes can be eaten steamed or fried.

Here’s where to find it:

• Domies Bakery. 7609 Garvey Avenue, Rosemead, (626) 280-3085.
• Atlantic Seafood: 500 N. Atlantic Boulevard, Ste. 200, Monterey Park, (626) 872-0388.
• Phoenix Food Boutique (multiple locations).

Banh tet (cylindrical glutinous rice cake)

Vietnamese banh tet is offered to the ancestral altar and then eaten by revelers afterward during the Lunar New Year celebration. It is typically in the shape of a cylinder and stuffed with glutinous rice, pork fat, mung bean seasoned with shallots and black pepper, and rolled into banana leaves, then boiled for many hours. After cooking, the leaves are removed and the cake is sliced into wheel shapes.

The rice cakes are served with pickled scallions, pickled vegetables, and fish sauce. Some people eat it steamed and others like to fry the cake so the result is chewy and crispy. You can also sprinkle sugar on top, or dip with chile and soy sauce for more umami taste. The cylindrical form of banh tet is popular in southern Vietnam, whereas the squared shapes are prepared in the central and northern parts of Vietnam.

Although you can buy banh tet at markets and Vietnamese sandwich shops, some restaurants like Sau Can Tho ($25 for a four pound banh tet) make ones from scratch . However, the true meaning behind this dish is to promote family bonding, since making it is time-consuming. Here’s where to find it:

• Sau Can Tho. 8450 Garvey Avenue, #103, Rosemead, (626) 307-8868.
• Trai Cay Mien Tay. 9324 E. Garvey Avenue, #D, South El Monte, (626) 452-8984.
• Also available at Vietnamese markets and Vietnamese sandwich shops.

Lo hei

Shutterstock

Lo hei is a Cantonese tradition that has become popularized in Singapore and Malaysia. The name, which literally translates to “tossing up good fortune,” refers to the ritual where families gather around a plate during the Lunar New Year, and then mix and toss the ingredients while wishing each other lucky phrases before eating it. The tradition dictates that the higher the toss, the luckier the year ahead will be.

Typically, raw fish like salmon is the centerpiece of the dish. Other auspicious ingredients like carrots, pomelo, peanuts, sesame seeds, green and white radish, and crackers are drizzled with plum sauce.

Here’s where to find it:

• Malaysian home cook Wendy (last name withheld) is selling lo hei through her Instagram account: Malaysian Food Lovers LA. The “Prosperity Toss Salad’’ comes with salmon sashimi topped with a choice of fried shrimp, cocktail shrimp, or surf clam, along with white radish, carrots, red peppers, red pickled ginger, seaweed, pickled leeks, green onions, cilantro, jellyfish, pomelo, peanuts, sesame seeds, candied winter melon, five spice, lime, and other lucky ingredients. The $60 lo hei salad feeds six and is available for preordering now for pickup on January 21. Send a direct message through Instagram to order.
• Malaysian home cook @samanthatanofficial is making lo hei and other Lunar New Year snacks like fresh pineapple tarts and Malaysian jerky available for nationwide shipping or local pick up in Wilshire Park. Curbside pickups start February 3 and will be available throughout all 15 days of Lunar New Year until February 24.

Good luck cookies

Brittle horn cookie is a crispy peanut puff cookie. It is considered good luck because it is made in the shape of gold ingots that the ancient Chinese used for centuries as money. The cookies are topped with some dried coconut and sesame seeds. Chinese believe that eating these cookies bring good fortune.

Chinese smiling sesame cookie balls are a popular Lunar New Year snack. They are small crispy sesame-infused cookies with moist interiors that are supposed to bring a happy and prosperous new year. The cookie gets its name from the way the dough ball cracks open when deep-fried, which many think resembles someone laughing.

Here’s where to find it:

• Domies Bakery. 7609 Garvey Avenue, Rosemead, (626) 280-3085.
• Phoenix Food Boutique (multiple locations).
• Also available in Asian supermarkets like 99 Ranch, 168 Market, GW-Supermarket, and Thuan Phat.
• Bistro Na’s. 9055 Las Tunas Drive, #105, Temple City, (626) 286-1999.

Tteokguk (rice cake soup)

Shutterstock

Lunar New Year in South Korea, known as Seollal, runs for three days. The Korean New Year is similar to a birthday, and eating tteokguk is part of the celebration. Koreans believe that once you are finished eating your soup, you are one year older.

Eating a bowl of tteokguk is said to bring a person a long life. It is a savory soup made with a meat stock, vegetables, and rice cakes. The rice cake soup is very symbolic during the Lunar New Year as it represents long life and a bright new year. The shape of the cakes resemble Korea’s old coin currency, yeopjeon, which is believed to symbolize prosperity.

Here’s where to find it:

• Yongsusan Restaurant. 950 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, (213) 388-3042.
• Seong Buk Dong. 3303 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, (213) 738-8977.
• LeeGa. 698 S. Vermont Avenue #106, Los Angeles, 90005. 213-674-7288.

Poon choi

Shutterstock

Poon choi, which literally translates to “basin vegetables” in Cantonese, is a shared delicacy that is from Hong Kong and dates back seven centuries. Legend has it that when Emperor Bing of the Song Dynasty found himself near modern-day Hong Kong/Guangdong area, the villagers wanted to pay their respects and feed the Emperor and his army by throwing in the most luxurious ingredients they could offer from their homes. However, due to the lack of containers, the villagers had to instead lay the prized ingredients layer by layer in a large bowl.

Poon choi is a dish that is only seen during big celebrations and during the Lunar New Year holiday. The dish symbolizes abundance in the coming year. The dish requires lots of preparation and is very time-consuming to make. The basin is assembled into a casserole where each item must be prepared separately and then layered into place. Although there are no set ingredients, there can be upwards of 15 ingredients depending on how lavish the poon choi is, including barbecue pork, abalone, sea cucumber, lamb, beef, pigskin, bean curd, taro, turnip, and napa cabbage. Prices range from $199 to $299 depending on the size and ingredients.

Here’s where to find it:

• Hop Woo BBQ & Seafood Restaurant. 845 North Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 617-3038.
• Sham Tseng BBQ. 634 Garvey Avenue, Monterey Park, (626) 289-4858.
• U2 Cafe & BBQ. 1200 E. Valley Boulevard, Alhambra, (626) 282-1800.
• Atlantic Seafood & Dim Sum Restaurant. 500 N. Atlantic Boulevard, Monterey Park, (626) 872-0388.
• Happy Harbor Cuisine. 736 E Valley Boulevard, Alhambra, (626) 282-3838.
• Sea Harbour. 3939 N. Rosemead Boulevard, Rosemead, (626) 288-3939.
• Ho Kee Cafe. 533 S. Del Mar Avenue, San Gabriel, (626) 766-1076 and 558 Las Tunas Drive, Arcadia, (626) 766-1076.
• Capital Seafood. 333 E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, (626) 574-8889 and 755 W. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park, (626) 282-3318.
• 888 Seafood. 8450 E. Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, (626) 573-1888.
• NBC Seafood. 404 S. Atlantic Boulevard, Monterey Park, (626) 282-2323.
• New Fusion. 1227 S. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, (626) 821-0899.
• J. Zhou. 2601 Park Avenue, Tustin, (714) 258-8833.
• Colette 975 North Michillinda Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91107, (626) 510-6286.
• Happy Harbor, 1015 Nogales Street, Ste. 126, Rowland Heights, CA 91748, (626) 965-2020.
• A-Me Kitchen. 288 Valley Boulevard #110, Alhambra, CA 9180, (626) 872-6915
• Phoenix Food & Dessert, various locations all over San Gabriel Valley.

Fa gao (fortune cake)

Shutterstock

Fortune cake is a Chinese cupcake-like pastry that is eaten for Lunar New Year. The top of the cake is split into multiple segments. The cakes are dense and gummy, as they are made mainly of rice flour. The name of the pastry, “fa,” means both “raised” and “prosperity (leavened),” so “fa gao” means both “fortune cake” and “raised (leavened) cake.” These cakes are steamed and eaten to signify wealth in the new year.

Here’s where to find it:

• Domies Bakery. 7609 Garvey Avenue, Rosemead, (626) 280-3085.
• Huge Tree Pastry. 423 N. Atlantic Boulevard, Ste. 106, Monterey Park, (626) 458-8689.
• Tanbii Bakery, 8150 Garvey Avenue, Ste. 104, Rosemead, (626) 280-2151.

Lunar New Year Specials (presented alphabetically)

Niku X

• AK Fresh Roast at Blossom Market Hall will distribute scratchers to customers who spend $15 or more on February 10.
• Aliya Lavaland will begin selling its limited edition Lunar New Year mandarin orange mooncakes beginning February 2. The pastry shop specializes in “lava” pastry mooncakes — a fusion of Thai, Cantonese, and French pastries crafted with fresh taro, Hawaiian ube, mung beans, black sesame, and matcha. The unique orange mooncake is created by blending mung beans with an orange creamsicle flavor and dried apricot.
• Baekjeong KBBQ and Ahgassi Gopchang are celebrating the holiday on February 10 with complimentary bowls of tteok-guk for guests to accompany their dining experiences. Baekjeong in Torrance, Buena Park, and Temple City will be participating.
• Baking with Ish will feature a special item: black & white sesame cookies with white chocolate, kalamansi donut, and bibingka “rice cake” with salted egg.
• Bistro Na’s will be offering Lunar New Year Sets for six people, ranging from $500 to $900, and for 10 people, priced at $888, $988, $1,288, and $1,588. These sets include signature items such as crispy shrimp and a new item, stewed crab meat & fish maw, available from February 9 to February 24. A one-day reservation in advance is required.
• Bistro Na’s will collaborate with Meet Fresh from February 10 to 24 with a new dessert item: Chef’s Tian Dessert — black sesame soup with tofu pudding and potaro balls priced at $8.50. A donation of $5 from each item sold will go to No Kid Hungry. This special dessert will be available at select Meet Fresh outlets.
• Blossom Market Hall’s Ten Seven Rolls will offer customers a free che thai drink (Vietnamese fruit cocktail) with every purchase.
• Cafe Et Cetera at Blossom Market Hall will offer jianbing (Chinese crepes) exclusively for the Lunar New Year weekend.
• Dōmi is launching several Lunar New Year dessert specials, including a Lunar New Year Gift Set that features one of each of this year’s specials: mandarin profiterole, prosperity milk tea cube, and white chocolate blossom orb. The items are available for pickup starting January 25. Alongside these smaller pastries, Dōmi is introducing a special velvet oolong mousse cake made with Four Seasons oolong tea, designed to serve 6 to 8 people
• Go Cakes is reintroducing its Lunar New Year mandarin tree mini cream puff tower from February 10 to 12. The cream puff tower consists of 20 cream puffs infused with mandarin orange flavor and adorned with chocolate decor. The mandarin, symbolizing immense luck, wealth, and prosperity in the upcoming Year of the Dragon, adds a festive touch to this delightful treat. Pre-order your mandarin tree mini cream puff tower here.
• Happy Harbor Rowland Heights is offering three tiers of Lunar New Year dinner sets, priced at $738, $988, and $2,298 for 10 people, respectively. The menu features a variety of dishes, including crispy roasted pig and squab, braised oysters with black moss and dry scallop, braised abalone, braised sea cucumber and geoduck, and lobster in supreme soup. The specific dishes vary depending on the selected tier menu set.
• Hop Woo BBQ will be offering braised pig feet with dried oyster, fat choy, and lettuce and braised pig feet with arrowhead root, fat choy, and lettuce.
• Hot Pot Hot Pot in Monterey Park will partner with the local Buddhist temple Wong Tai Sen to host a dragon dance for diners on February 17 at 7 p.m.
• Jasmine Creamery at Blossom Market Hall will introduce a special salted egg yolk gelato beginning January 26. The creamy salted egg gelato is topped with crushed bolo crust — a traditional Hong Kong bolo bun topping. It will also debut a kaya toast: toasted bread slathered with pandan kaya jam — a popular Singaporean jam made from coconut milk, eggs, and pandan. The toast is sandwiched with cold slices of butter in the middle, then dipped into a soft-boiled onsen egg seasoned with white pepper and soy sauce.
• Kato has two experiences: From February 7 to 9, enjoy a $125 cocktail pairing collaboration with Shawn Lickliter and Vay Su from Double Dragon, featuring signatures from Kato’s bar program and a joint creation by the four bartenders, in addition to the menu. From February 10 to 12, savor a $395 9-course Lunar New Year menu with guest chefs Daisy Ryan of Bell’s (Los Alamos) and Matthew Lightner of Atera, complemented by a wine or spirit-free pairing curated by Ryan Bailey and Austin Hennelly.
• Manduyo will give away 10 dumplings with any purchase of 10 dumplings from February 6 to 11.

Ron De Angelis

• Ms. Chi will feature a six-course family-style dinner from February 9 to 25 celebrating the Year of the Dragon with chef Shirley Chung. The menu includes auspicious dishes such as the lucky charm of the yu sheng prosperity toss salad and the Year of the Dragon longevity noodles, each symbolizing themes of wealth and long life. The price is $69 per person, with a minimum requirement of 2 persons (starting at $138).
• Niku X will showcase two limited edition menus featuring lobster, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune. Both the Lunar New Year yakiniku menu and the Lunar New Year Masami Ranch tomahawk menu, curated by chef Shin Thompson, will be available from February 9 to February 11. Additionally, each order from these special menus will include a surprise gift for guests.
• Paradise Dynasty will be celebrating the Year of the Dragon with a special menu for Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year menu will be available from January 15 to March 31, for both dine-in and takeout. Some specialty dishes include steamed Chilean sea bass with supreme soya sauce, braised pork shank with dried scallop and spinach, golden salted egg yolk prawn, Paradise salted duck, Dynasty eight treasure sticky rice, and Singapore-style stir-fried black pepper lobster. Additionally, guests will receive festive red envelopes containing a voucher for 20 percent off their next visit.
• Phoenix Food Boutique will offer a variety of lucky Lunar New Year dishes until the first two weeks of the new year. The menu includes poon choi, New Year cake, taro cake, daikon cake, lucky cookies, sesame balls, crispy egg twists, and yau gok — a fried sweet rice dumpling believed to bring good fortune due to its resemblance to ancient Chinese money. These delectable items are available at all its locations throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
• Sau Can Tho will be offering thịt kho trúng, braised pork and eggs, priced at $16 for a 32oz cup. The square pieces of meat and round eggs in this dish are symbolic, representing fertility and conveying wishes for a happy New Year and a family with many more children.
• Sea Harbour will offer sets for 10 people priced at $688, $888, $1088, and $1,688. These sets include deep-fried tender pigeon, double-boiled morel mushrooms with chicken soup, and chicken salad with black truffle. A two-day reservation is required.
• Seoul Sausage is hosting a Lunar New Year’s Eve Party in collaboration with GANBAE, transforming its patio into a pojangmacha for one night. Pre-order a to-go kit or grab a seat and enjoy complimentary drinks. Each kit, priced at $80, includes two servings of bindaedduk panisse, beet kkakdugi, mushroom doenjang tteokbokki, gimmari (featuring Seoul Sausage bulgogi), spicy eomuk tang, and hodduk. Pre-orders begin on January 26 for a limited dine-in and pickup on February 9.
• Sprinkles has teamed up with the Bruce Lee Foundation and Gold House for a Golden Dragon Bruce Lee Cupcake nationwide. Inspired by the traditional almond cookies gifted during Lunar New Year and symbolic of the Year of the Dragon, the red velvet cupcake is swirled with slivered almonds on top of a buttery Twin Dragon almond cookie crust, and topped with almond cream cheese frosting and topped with a dragon candy decoration. The cupcakes are $6 and are available from January 22 to February 11.
• Steep, in collaboration with Firstborn, will host a two-night Lunar New Year celebration dinner at Mandarin Plaza on February 9 and 10. The event will feature a blend of traditional Lunar New Year festive dishes crafted by Steep, alongside modern Chinese creations by chef Anthony Wang. Additionally, two special baijiu cocktails, curated with Ming River Baijiu, will be offered during the celebration.
• Thai Central Cuisine has a special $88 Lunar New Year set from February 1 to 10 that consists of crispy chive cakes, fried tofu and crispy pork, Chinese-style fried noodles, steamed fish lime sauce, and mango sticky rice.
• Wanderlust Creamery will offer specialty ice cream flavors in honor of the Lunar New Year. Visit for oolong pineapple cake, durian dan tat, jasmine milk tea with boba, lychee with raspberry rose jam, and Hong Kong French toast ice cream available during February.