Six Places to Celebrate Chinese New Year in Austin

The Year of the Rooster begins with the Chinese New Year tomorrow and plenty of places around town are celebrating with dragon dances, fireworks, and lots of red. But of course our favorite tradition is feasting on lucky foods to start the year off right. From fish to dumplings to sweet rice balls, these six Austin restaurants have you covered.

Old Thousand

The new Eastside hot spot with two special prix fixe menus on Saturday – a six-course dinner for two featuring dishes like salt & pepper crab, lion’s head meatball soup, and Cantonese roasted chicken ($80). Their eight-course dinner for four features platters like spicy cucumber salad, the Old Thousand clay pot with pork belly, duck confit, and chili-soy ($160). Dinner is served 5-11pm, but the bar will remain open until midnight. Guests can make a reservation or walk in.

Snow Pea Asian Bistro

Both locations are celebrating the New Year on Saturday from noon-9pm with surprises for each guest, special menu options, and plenty of drinks. Their all-day dinner special ($29.99) combines ahi tuna to yellowtail sushi, a small saké, and two pieces of crab rangoon. The restaurant invites you to wear all red to the event to keep away bad fortune and evil spirits.

Wu Chow

Round up six or more of your closest friends to help celebrate the Chinese New Year with dinner at Wu Chow Saturday. The West Fifth restaurant is pulling out all the stops with a prix fixe menu ($88 per person) that includes plates like Sichuan lobster, Beijing roast duck with crispy skin, Hunan-style wagyu beef, and wok-tossed snow pea shoots. The party doesn’t end there, however. On Sunday, Wu Chow is having a public celebration between 6-10pm featuring complimentary small appetizers passed until 8pm, drink specials, and the traditional dragon dance.

Chinatown

The MoPac location of the classic Austin restaurant celebrates the New Year with a banquet menu on Saturday featuring snow crab claw and crispy walnut shrimp, crispy roast duck, shaken beef Vietnamese style, and Cantonese style sweet & sour red fish ($80).

General Tso’Boy

The fast casual eatery on the Domain Northside is wishing its customers prosperity in the Lunar New Year on Saturday with a traditional pineapple cake soft serve sundae topped with a pineapple caramel sauce. If you are in the mood for something savory, try the spicy pork wonton soup or spicy pork chili wontons.

New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant

The family-friendly restaurant in North Austin is extending the celebration to the entire weekend. Check out their specialty family-style dinner menu that you can tailor to the size of your brood ($228.95-288.95).