8 Canadian Restaurants That Celebrate Lunar New Year in Style

With Lunar New Year right around the corner on February 17, Chinese kitchens across Canada are shifting into a higher gear defined by abundance, symbolism and a quiet kind of culinary bravado. This is the season when chefs pull out their most auspicious ingredients and refined techniques: whole fish for prosperity, luxurious seafood, hand-pleated dumplings, and banquet dishes designed not just to impress, but to signal luck, longevity, and togetherness. Across Canada, upscale Chinese restaurants are treating the holiday less like a single evening and more like a showcase of multi-course feasts, limited-time specialties, and modern interpretations that honour tradition while flexing contemporary finesse.

The fine-dining establishments that follow are home to some of the most elevated Lunar New Year dishes being served across the country.

aKin, Toronto

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This Michelin-starred destination in Toronto’s Old Town offers one of the city’s most distinctive culinary experiences. Led by Chef Eric Chong with mentorship from acclaimed chef Alvin Leung, aKin serves an immersive blind 10-course tasting menu that reimagines Asian and Chinese culinary traditions with creative precision and elegant technique. Dishes evolve seasonally, drawing on inspirations from across Asia: think refined takes on dim sum, lobster cheung fun, char siu bao, and other elevated interpretations that are sure to embrace Lunar New Year themes as the big day approaches.

iDen & Quanjude Beijing Duck House, Vancouver

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Representing a legendary Beijing institution in Vancouver, this Michelin-starred flagship brings centuries-old roast duck traditions to Canada’s West Coast. Established in Beijing in 1864, Quanjude’s signature hanging oven roast duck is the star here, carved tableside with a beautifully crisp skin and succulent meat that’s become its hallmark. Beyond the iconic duck, the menu showcases refined Chinese classics and luxurious ingredients like abalone, Dungeness crab, and premium lobster, all of which will take on inventive forms as Lunar New Year nears.

Oncle Lee Kăo, Montreal

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Set in the heart of Old Montreal, Oncle Lee Kăo is Chef Andersen Lee’s contemporary spin on Chinese cuisine with an emphasis on kăo, the Mandarin word for grill. It’s a vibrant and inviting space where refined interpretations of classic flavours meet live-fire techniques, from smoky grilled skewers and marinated meats to seafood designed to share. The menu also includes beautifully presented small plates like shrimp toast and sesame jian dui, making each course ideal for festive occasions.

On that note, Oncle Lee Kăo will be serving a beef short rib and black bean platter for Lunar New Year. As chef Lee puts it: “Deeply comforting and wonderfully simple, it is meant to be shared and enjoyed with the hands: tender bites of beef rolled into green onion pancakes. The platter features glossy, melt‑in‑your‑mouth meat, served with its garnishes and a fragrant, aromatic broth that brings all the elements together — a simple dish that is both satisfying and nourishing to the soul.”

MIMI Chinese, Toronto

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MIMI Chinese is reopening today — February 6th — just in time to ring in the Year of the Horse. Launched by chefs Braden Chong and David Schwartz (of Linny’s Diner and Sunnys Chinese fame), MIMI Chinese shows off its new, renovated self for the Lunar New Year. Filled with chic white tablecloths, black tile, and low-fi neon signs, the new MIMI also includes a refreshed menu. Celebrate the holiday with specialties like honey walnut shrimp and Canadian wagyu.

Din Tai Fung, Vancouver

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The long-anticipated downtown Vancouver outpost of the globally renowned Taiwanese dumpling house brings its iconic small plates and meticulous craftsmanship to Canada’s West Coast. Located on Alberni Street, this sleek, spacious restaurant is known for its signature xiao long bao (soup dumplings) handmade with delicate wrappers, plus an array of steamed buns, spicy wontons, noodles, and wok-tossed favourites that reward sharing and discovery. With a menu rooted in tradition, Din Tai Fung offers a casual-meets-festive destination that’s ideal for gathering with family and friends to welcome the Lunar New Year.

Yu Seafood, Toronto and Richmond Hill

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Yu Seafood blends contemporary flair with familiar Chinese favourites across its Toronto and Richmond Hill locations. Known for fresh seafood, a varied dim sum program and elegant set menus, this stylish restaurant balances traditional flavours with refined execution, making it a prime destination for celebrating Lunar New Year. For the season, Yu highlights classics like Poon Choi and rice cake dishes that speak to abundance and togetherness, alongside live lobster and various festive combinations.

Black+Blue, Vancouver

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Taking place on The Roof at Black+Blue, a one-night-only Lunar New Year dinner on Feb. 18 pairs elevated Asian cuisine with some of Australia’s most storied wines. Created in collaboration with Penfolds Winery, the four-course menu is designed to move in lockstep with a curated lineup of the winery’s most distinguished bottles. Hosted by Penfolds luxury sales manager Ambrose Leung alongside Black+Blue’s culinary team, the evening is sure to blend precision cooking and bold flavours. At $250 per person, it’s an intimate, polished celebration that treats Lunar New Year as both a cultural moment and a sensory experience where heritage, hospitality, and world-class wine take centre stage.

Bao Bei, Vancouver

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Tucked into Vancouver’s historic Chinatown, Bao Bei is a stylish brasserie serving modern Chinese small plates with global flair. The name means “precious,” and here the food feels that way, its creative reinterpretations of Chinese and Taiwanese classics managing to be both playful and refined. The Michelin-recommended restaurant is celebrating Lunar New Year with a special family-style menu that includes griddled spot prawns and Humboldt squid with preserved vegetables and a chilli vinegar soy dip; lobster Sashimi; and cornmeal-crusted fried branzin with herbed tom kha sauce.

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