Chinese New Year 2019 in London and Chinatown: Best menus to celebrate Year of the Pig

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Ailis Brennan5 February 2019

Chinese New Year is always a great excuse to explore the capital’s superb array of Chinese restaurants and with 2019 marking the Year of the Pig, we don’t need asking twice.

While the main event takes place on February 5, festivities are running in London throughout the month, including a delectable selection of special menus at some of London’s best Chinese hotspots.

From pig-shaped puddings to porky treats, spicy specials to spectacular entertainment, these are the celebratory menus in London restaurants to pig out on this Chinese New Year.

Park Chinois

This ultra-luxe Mayfair restaurant is doing Chinese New Year in typically glamorous fashion. From February 4-10, visitors to the 1930s Shanghai-themed Park Chinois will be treated to performances by traditional Chinese drummers and elaborately costumed lion dancers. On the table, diners will indulge in an eight course menu featuring spiced and roasted suckling pig with bean curd, and a dessert of custard-filled bao buns decorated to look like lucky pigs. At £128 per head it's one for those coming off the back of a prosperous year.

17 Berkeley Street, W1J 8EA, parkchinois.com

XU Teahouse

XU is celebrating Chinese New Year Taiwanese-style, and with a few foodie friends in tow. The Teahouse’s Taming of the Pig menu will run until February 28 at £39 per head, featuring a fire cracker roll, poached oysters with tiger pearls and char siu Iberico pork and lardo rice. The Chinatown restaurant is also hosting a series of festive events throughout the month, including lion dances on February 9 and 10, a Mahjong event with Carhartt on February 26, and a pig-centric dinner with chefs Fergus Henderson (St John) and Margot Henderson (Rochelle Canteen) on February 19.

30 Rupert Street, W1D 6DL, xulondon.com

Bun House

Bun House has a big year ahead of it, with the popular Soho spot expected to open a new Chinatown location next month. At the steam-filled takeaway cafe on the ground floor, the short but sweet bun menu will welcome The Piggy a light pink baozi bun filled with sweet and sticky char siu pork and decorated with pointed ears, beaded eyes and a little snuffling snout. This pig is particularly budget-friendly: the warm bundles of joy will set you back just £2.80 each.

24 Greek Street, W1D 4DZ, bun.house

Imperial Treasure

Imperial Treasure arrived in London last month with a trail of Michelin stars and Standard critic Fay Maschler deeming its pancakes to be the best she’s ever tasted: if those aren’t reasons enough to try it out, maybe Chinese New Year will do it. The St James’s restaurant will be serving up a special selection of festive Cantonese-style dishes until February 19, with offerings including a dish of sliced Australian abalone (a sea snail considered a prized delicacy) and traditional new year cake, which comes topped with a slither of gold leaf.

9 Waterloo Place, SW1Y 4BE, imperialtreasure.com

Hutong

Hutong is putting some fire in the belly of the Year of the Pig, serving up a chilli-filled menu at its restaurant on The Shard’s 33rd floor. The Sichuan restaurant loves to spice things up all year round, and has put heat front and centre of the Chinese New Year set offering. Dishes on the nine course menu include a scallop and prawn wonton with homemade chilli oil, slow cooked lamb rack with cumin and Sichuan peppers, and a spectacular dish of deep fried Dover sole with fresh chillies and zingy lime. Following on from a big party on February 4, the menu will be available all the way through until March 3 at £88 per person.

33, The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street, SE1 9RY, hutong.co.uk

The best Chinese restaurants in London

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