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Where to Celebrate Lunar New Year in Melbourne

Updated 1 month ago

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Lunar New Year is a huge celebration. In China alone, it counts for one of the world’s largest migrations, as many millions of people return home during the 40-day Spring Festival. But it reaches well beyond China, with celebrations in Malaysia, Korea (for Seollal), Vietnam (for Tet), Thailand (for Songkran), and beyond. In 2025, the Year of the Snake slithers towards us – symbolising wisdom and change – on Wednesday, January 29 (but festivities often kick off with a reunion dinner the night before). Whether you’re unable to make it home, or you just want to embrace the celebrations, these are the places in Melbourne to ring it in. Many are offering exclusive set menus, lion dancing, firecrackers and more – with some offerings running right through February. They’re sure to make this year’s celebration one to remember.

  • Yugen Dining

    Restaurant

    Descend to the basement restaurant for a five-course Lunar New Year banquet ($168pp) bookended by rock oysters and a caramelised pineapple tart dessert (with many showstoppers in between). Book in between January 29 to February 2.

    Book a Table

  • Yan

    Restaurant

    This creative smokehouse is ringing in the Year of the Snake with the return of its yee sang salad, available to pre-order. Book a table for the technicolour dish along with favourites like smoked chicken katsu.

  • David’s

    Restaurant

    This Melbourne yum cha mainstay is throwing a special Lunar New Year dinner on January 29 with crispy shrimp fried rice, prawn dumplings, Shanghai xiao long baos and a lion dance to bring good luck.

  • Ruyi

    Restaurant

    Kingfish ceviche and barramundi steamed in three types of soy sauce take centrestage at this laneway diner’s seven-course banquet ($108pp). Book a table on January 28 and 29 feast of food, a one-off Lunar New year cocktail, lion dancing and firecrackers.

  • Sleepy’s Cafe and Wine Bar

    Bar

    The laid-back neighbourhood spot is serving a one-off set menu ($55pp) inspired by owner-chef Steve Chan’s recent trip to Shanghai and Taiwan. Expect rice cakes, fish and Chinese wines. Book in for January 29 here.

  • Warabi

    Restaurant

    Receive a lucky red envelope with prizes, from special cocktails to complimentary experiences, when you book in for a theatrical omakase between January 28 to February 1.

    Book a Table

  • Spice Temple

    Restaurant

    Welcome luck and prosperity with a nine-course banquet. There’ll be purse-shaped pipis that represent opportunity, red noodles with braised beef for longevity and more. Book the feast from January 22 to February 5.

  • Moonhouse

    Restaurant

    Book an elegant burgundy booth and come hungry for Moonhouse’s festive banquet ($88pp). There’ll be yu sheng, spring onion pancakes, chicken and prawn wontons and more.

    Book a Table

  • Lagoon Dining

    Restaurant

    The slick contemporary Chinese diner is serving a special reunion feast. There’ll be scallop crudo, pork wontons, chow mein, soy milk pudding and more as part of the celebrations.

    Book a Table

  • Albert Park Hotel

    Restaurant

    This four-storey boozer serves contemporary spins on Chinese cuisine. Book a spot from January 29 to February 2 for yee sang, lion dances and lucky red envelopes.

  • Hawker Hall

    Restaurant

    Get lucky with fortune cookie giveaways worth $888, share-friendly lunch and dinner banquets ($88pp) and one-off Lunar New Year specials including salt and pepper chicken ribs.

    Book a Table

  • Mya Tiger

    Restaurant

    Glistening views of the bay make a fine backdrop to a Lunar New Year banquet ($98pp) at The Espy’s upstairs restaurant. Book in for yee sang salad with kingfish, lobster taro dumplings and a glass of Moet.

  • Lee Ho Fook

    Restaurant

    Book a seat at Victor Liong’s Chinese eatery and welcome the Year of the Snake with yee sang salad, a special menu and Hennessy cognac.

  • Katori

    Restaurant

    Dine at the charcoal grill-forward Japanese restaurant for special Lunar New Year sets featuring lobster sashimi, MS9+ steak and ponzu jelly salmon roe oysters. Or place an order online before January 31.

  • Kariton Sorbetes Chinatown

    Shop

    The playful Filipino dessert spot is scooping a new red packet flavour: gelato with jujube red velvet, candied goji berry and baijiu jelly. If you spend $20 or more, receive a lucky red packet with prizes like the chance to create your dream flavour.

  • Kariton Sorbetes Footscray

    Shop

    The playful Filipino dessert spot is scooping a new red packet flavour: gelato with jujube red velvet, candied goji berry and baijiu jelly. If you spend $20 or more, receive a lucky red packet with prizes like the chance to create your dream flavour.

  • Charlong

    Restaurant

    For two days only, from January 28 to 29, book a table at the Thai dinner for one-off festive dishes like scallop and ox tail dumplings, steamed barramundi and chicken longevity noodles.

  • Tina’s Noodle Kitchen

    Restaurant

    Head to the casual diner – by the Dainty Sichuan crew – and celebrate with hot, spicy and slurpable Chongqing-style noodle soup.

  • Dainty Sichuan South Yarra

    Restaurant

    Start the new year right at the iconic Sichuanese diner with a menu of more than 100 dishes. Plus, there's live seafood and southern-style yum cha.

  • Little Sichuan

    Restaurant

    This younger sibling of hotpot institution Dainty Sichuan uses the same rich broths and variety of ingredients, but specialises in malatang style – or hotpot for one.

  • Roast Duck Inn

    Restaurant

    A whole duck, plus the plum dipping sauce, is the star here. Or celebrate with crispy-skin roast pork and soy sauce chicken. Better yet? Both.

    Book a Table

More Options

Oriental Teahouse, South Yarra and Melbourne
January 29 is the night to book a table at David Zhou’s South Yarra outpost of Oriental Teahouse – the younger sibling to David’s in Prahran – for a yum cha dinner. Or head to the CBD location on February 1 for lunchtime yum cha. Both feasts will feature traditional lion dances to bring in good luck for the year ahead.

Dodee Paidang, Swanston Street and Glen Waverley
The busy basement spot is serving special stir-fried lucky Hokkien noodles to celebrate a long and prosperous life. Plus, get extra lucky and win prizes with scratch cards when you spend $50 or more.

Kariton Sorbetes, Glen Waverley
The playful Filipino dessert spot is scooping a new red packet flavour: cow cheese gelato with jujube red velvet, candied goji berry and baijiu jelly. If you spend $20 or more, receive a lucky red packet with prizes inside from free scoops to getting the chance to create your dream gelato flavour.

Laksa King, Glen Waverley
Ring in Lunar New Year with four different types of laksa renditions including king prawn, beef, roast duck and combination. Book in for lunch or dinner here.

Haidilao, Melbourne and Glen Waverley
Come for unlimited snow-marbled Wagyu ($29.90) at the Sichuan hotpot giants. The hand-stretched noodles, robot waiters, sauce station and masked dances will be there, too. Plus, red packets and festive plushies to take home.

Simon’s Peiking Duck, Box Hill
Bookings fill up quickly at Simon’s Peiking Duck Chinese Restaurant. Celebrate new beginnings with crispy on the outside and tender on the inside Peking duck pancakes with spring onion, cucumber and special plum sauce. It’s served with stir-fried bean shoots with duck meat; and duck bone soup with bean curd.