Lunar New Year kicks off on Friday, February 12 and restaurants around DC are ringing in the Year of the Ox with special menus and dishes. Here’s where to join in the festivities:
Anju
1805 18th St., NW
The modern-Korean spot in Adams Morgan is offering a $65 four-course menu for those dining in-house during Lunar New Year. In honor of the Year of the Ox, chef Angel Barreto is serving braised oxtail along with vegetable pancakes and citrus yuzu panna cotta for dessert. For those opting for takeout, a dish from the special will be available to-go each night. Details: Dine-in from February 12 to February 13, and February 15 to February 19.
Cakes By Happy Eatery
9685 Liberia Ave., Manassas
Celebrate with special prosperity fish cakes from Victoria Wu and sister Emily Wu-Rorrer, who run this second-generation Chinese-American bakery. Pastries are filled with candied pineapple or sweetened red beans, wrapped in a pastry dough, and baked until golden brown. Details: Available starting February 11; $12 each.
Chiko
423 8th St., SE; 2029 P St., NW; 7280 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda
Celebrate the holiday with a festive bunch of dining options from the Chinese-Korean “fine-casual” restaurants. Head to the Capitol Hill flagship to pick up $60 oxtail noodle soup kits that include access to a Zoom cooking session on Thursday, February 11. (The soup will also be available at all locations from February 20 to February 21). There is also a dumpling-filled dim sum brunch ($15 to $25) available at the Dupont Circle and Bethesda locations, as well as a $70 dinner for two from the Capitol Hill and Dupont Circle restaurants. Details: Dates vary by special.
Cut by Wolfgang Puck
1050 31st St., NW
The new Georgetown restaurant is running a special that nods to Puck’s closed Chinese restaurant in DC, The Source. A family-style, three-course menu ($95 per person) includes appetizers like pork belly-chive dumplings and crispy prawn spring rolls, and entrees such as whole “angry” lobster with habanero sambal and fermented black bean or duck drunken noodle. For dessert: pineapple mousse. Details: Available for pickup February 9 through 12.
Ice Cream Jubilee
301 Water St., SE; 1407 T St., NW; 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Ring in the Lunar New Year at ice cream tasting parties featuring holiday flavors from owner Victoria Lai—think red bean/almond cookie and Thai iced tea. The $19 ticket includes a flight of six different ice creams and a pint for the road. Details: February 12 to 14, February 19 to 21, February 26 to 28.
Makan
3400 11th St., NW
Chef/owner James Wozniuk is teaming up with Thip Khao chef Seng Luangrath and former DBGB chef Nicholas Tang to prepare a five-course feast at his new Malaysian restaurant in Columbia Heights. Pickled mackerel, pork and shrimp wontons dressed in chili oil, and steamed chicken with gingery sauce are all on the menu. Details: Dine-in only (plus heated outdoor seating) on February 10 at 5 PM and 7:30 PM.
Maketto
1351 H St., NE
Chef Erik Bruner-Yang’s Taiwanese/Cambodian flagship is putting together an $88 spread for two centering around a show-stopping entree of whole-roasted duck. The menu also includes steamed buns to build your own duck buns, along with accouterments like spicy cucumbers and ginger scallion rice. Details: Pick-up only from February 12 to February 13.
Moon Rabbit
801 Wharf St., SW
The Wharf restaurant helmed by chef Kevin Tien is reopening its dining room after a brief hiatus, starting with Viet-Cajun dishes that nod to February holidays like Lunar New Year and Mardi Gras. The $75 to-go option features pho-rubbed fried chicken and fried dirty rice, while the dine-in menu includes hamachi crudo and salt-and-pepper churros. Details: Pick-up until February 10; Dine-in from February 11 to February 14.
Thip Khao
3462 14th St., NW
Celebrate the Year of the Ox with a Laotian menu for two ($70), kicking off the festivities with a mezcal, strawberry, and ginger cocktail. Libations are paired with poached whole chicken to dip in ginger-scallion rice and sticky rice imbued with savory chicken fat. Details: Pick-up only on February 12.
Tiger Fork
922 N St., NW
Blagden Alley’s Hong Kong-influenced restaurant is handing out traditional red envelopes during Lunar New Year to pair with a la carte Cantonese specials. Decadent dishes include gingery noodles with Maine lobster and spicy beef-stuffed dumplings. Details: Dine-in, pick-up, and delivery from February 12 to February 18.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
