What to Eat for a Prosperous Chinese New Year: Lucky and Auspicious Lunar New Year Foods and Best Restaurant Places
Celebrate Chinese New Year with these Prosperous Foods: Guide to Best Chinese New Year Food and where to find them
Start the Lunar New Year right with a spread of Chinese New Year food that’s not just tasty, but packed with meaning—each dish symbolizes good fortune and prosperity for the year ahead. From Cantonese classics to festive treats, every bite is believed to bring good luck and set the tone for a new year celebration filled with togetherness and joy.
Whether you're hosting a new year feast or simply enjoying the coming year with loved ones, these lucky food choices ensure an auspicious start to the year to come. Don't forget to keep the festive vibes alive as you head into the lantern festival!
In this guide, discover the best Chinese New Year food to celebrate with. Find out where to get these lucky food dishes that bring good fortune and joy for the Lunar New Year.
What foods are eaten at Chinese New Year? Prosperous Chinese New Year Dishes to Welcome the Year of the Snake 2025
During Chinese New Year, certain foods hold special significance, representing wishes for prosperity, luck, and happiness in the coming year. These dishes are not only enjoyed for their flavors but also for the symbolic meanings they carry.
The selection of these foods is influenced by their pronunciation, appearance, and preparation, each element contributing to the overall auspicious message. In this article, we highlight essential dishes for celebrating the Lunar New Year and explore the meanings behind them.
Fish – Prosperity
Fish represents abundance and surplus for the year ahead. It’s believed that having whole fish on the table will ensure wealth and good fortune.
Dumplings – Wealth
Dumplings, shaped like gold ingots, symbolize wealth and prosperity. The more you eat, the more money you’ll make in the coming year.
Whole Chicken
Unity and Good Luck: Chicken represents unity, completeness, and good luck. It's often served whole to symbolize family togetherness.
Nian Gao
Higher Position or Income: The glutinous rice cake symbolizes progress and growth, both in career and life. This dish commonly use glutinous rice flour that makes the texture more ticker.
Spring Rolls – Wealth
Their golden appearance represents gold bars, making them a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
Sweet Rice Balls – Family Togetherness
Tangyuan’s round shape signifies unity and family reunion, making them a symbol of happiness and togetherness.
Longevity Noodles – Happiness and Longevity
The long noodles symbolize a wish for a long, healthy life.
Lion’s Head Meatballs – Family Unity
These round meatballs symbolize strength and unity within the family.
Steamed Pork Belly with Taro – Prosperity
Pork represents a prosperous life, while taro adds a harmonious balance to the dish.
Shrimp – Happiness
Shrimp represents good fortune, happiness, and joy, thanks to its association with laughter.
Vegetables – Spring and Wealth
Different vegetables represent growth, renewal, and prosperity, with each variety carrying its own specific meaning.
Fruit – Fullness and Wealth
Fruits like tangerine, oranges and pomelos are thought to bring good fortune, with their round shape and bright colors symbolizing wealth and success.
Where to eat in Singapore on Chinese New Year where lucky food is present?
Singapore celebrates Chinese New Year with great enthusiasm, reflecting the country’s rich cultural traditions. With a large Chinese community, the festivities bring families together through vibrant parades, lion dances, and delicious meals, making it a time of unity and joy.
If you're looking for where to eat in Singapore during Chinese New Year, you'll find many places offering festive menus and traditional dishes. Here is your Guide!
Sarai Fine Thai
Expect a Thai fine dining restaurant to be a top pick for vegan Chinese New Year fare. Sarai Fine Thai has proven us in the best way possible. The restaurant offers a vegan menu that captures the freshness of spring and the symbolism of renewal.
Enjoy dishes like the Pomelo Salad with Ground Coconut and Peanut Dressing, the zesty Clear Tom Yum Soup, and the rich, comforting Coconut Soup with Assorted Vegetables and Mushrooms. For mains, try the Thai-Style Fried Noodles with Vegetables and Tofu, and finish with Seasonal Fruits in Smoked Jasmine Water for a refreshing touch.
At $48++ for lunch and $68++ for dinner, this is a stellar way to enjoy lucky foods and celebrate a prosperous Chinese New Year.
Tajimaya Yakiniku
For many, Yusheng is a must-have dish during Chinese New Year, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity. At Tajimaya Yakiniku, they give this tradition a unique twist with their Snake Yusheng ($148++ for 8-10 pax) and Flower Yusheng ($108++ for 5-6 pax).
This Japanese grill restaurant serves up a vibrant, fresh version of the dish, perfect for sharing with family and friends. Legend has it that tossing the Yusheng high will bring even greater luck, so gather your loved ones, dig in, and celebrate a prosperous start to the year with delicious food and good company.
Siam Kitchen
Where do we start with Siam Kitchen? This halal Thai spot isn’t just about the flavors; it’s about food that feels like a celebration in every bite. Take the Steamed Seabass ($32.90)—it’s fresh, flaky, and represents abundance.
Then, there’s the Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls ($5.90), which, with every crispy crunch, symbolize wealth. And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, the Mango Sticky Rice ($8.90) will hit the spot—sweet, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying.
From the flavorful Tom Yum Mama Noodles ($9.90) to the crispy, juicy Butterfly Chicken (half: $12.90, whole: $21.90). Siam Kitchen serves up Thai comfort with a side of good fortune. It’s the perfect place to indulge in tasty dishes that are as lucky as they are delicious.
Chinese New Year 2025 is a time to celebrate with food to ring prosperity in the year, good fortune, and family togetherness. Every dish has a symbol from ginger and sesame that carries special meaning. Rice flour cakes, deep-fried treats, and black sesame fillings all have their place in the celebrations, each offering wishes for happiness and success.
The shred of cabbage represents new beginnings, while braised dishes remind us to appreciate the past. The head and tail of the fish signify completeness, and chewy treats are enjoyed for longevity. These traditional Chinese New Year foods are meant to bring fortune for the year ahead.
As you eat during Lunar New Year, remember that every bite carries a wish for prosperity. Don’t miss out on these festive flavors—visit our top restaurants, where we've curated the best Lunar New Year food to make your celebration even more special. Book your table today for a year filled with joy and success!
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