Best Restaurants to Celebrate Lunar New Year in New Zealand

Serving up traditional Korean cuisine with a contemporary twist, Gaja is an excellent choice for your Lunar New Year celebrations. Tucked into the heart of Ponsonby, Gaja is famous for its hearty dumplings, gochujang ribs, and menu of sake cocktails. Flecked in paper lanterns, bright neon murals, and built on a relaxed atmosphere, Gaja is perfect for spending an evening with loved ones, indulging in a range of sharing plates, and enjoying the very best of Korean flavours.  

Spend an evening with loved ones at Auckland’s iconic waterfront spot, where dining quickly turns into a dance floor. Sip cocktails and snap sunset photos before indulging in a menu of gourmet burgers, tacos, and a range of shared plates. With alfresco, rooftop dining, DJ music, and stunning views of Auckland’s bustling harbour, you are in for a fantastic evening celebrating the Lunar New Year.  

Nestled in Auckland’s charming Milford suburb, the Milford Motel is the perfect seaside escape, and a great spot for your Lunar New Year. With a comprehensive menu of spritz and other cocktails, Milford Motel invites guests to indulge in a humble yet chic outdoor dining experience. Its covered alfresco dining area makes it ideal for rain or shine! With palm trees, pastel pink walls, lounge suites and bar stool arrangements craft a relaxed and elegant setting for celebrating! Not to mention, their large menu caters to all taste buds, including gluten-free and vegetarian options! 

Hanoi Heaven shares the story of French influence on Vietnamese cuisine, and is a wonderful spot to ring in the Lunar New Year. This tranquil oasis in the heart of Takapuna crafts the vibrant flavours of Vietnam with an elegant contemporary twist, where the menu embarks on a journey through Vietnam’s rich heritage. Bathed in earthy tones and warm lighting, Hanoi Heaven is a calm and peaceful spot to enjoy the Lunar New Year with loved ones! 

Spend the Lunar New Year indulging in authentic Japanese cuisine. Tucked into Wellington’s Te Aro neighbourhood, Miyabi serves up traditional Japanese dishes that are perfect for sharing with your loved ones, including sashimi, sushi, tempura, and even vegetarian and gluten-free options. Bringing locally sourced ingredients and imports from Japan, each dish is a genuine blend of flavours, where quality and authenticity with no frills are truly at the heart of this humble establishment. For a more casual dining experience this Lunar New Year, try Miyabi! 

For an elegant and sophisticated take on modern European cuisine, try High Water Eatery. With its low, moody lighting, and menu were everything is truly made from scratch, you are in for a charming dining experience and dishes packed with fresh flavour. Their pickling, fermenting, smoking, curing, and baking are all done on site, and their meats are cooked in a Pira charcoal oven, allowing dishes to be flecked with a smoky aroma. Open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday, High Water Eatery is a wonderful spot to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the heart of Cuba Street.  

Offering the very best of Euro-Asian cuisine, this 5-star contemporary setting in the heart of Christchurch makes the perfect spot for your Lunar New Year celebrations. With panoramic views of Cashel Mall, the Bridge of Remembrance, and the Weeping Willow banks of the Avon River, King of Snake is a dining experience of elegance and luxury. You can choose a full à la carte menu or share nibbles and cocktails at the bar. Their menu harmoniously blends fresh New Zealand produce with Asian fusion flavours and textures, with large sharing plates catering to all taste buds, such as seafood, poultry, beef, lamb and pork, and vegetable dishes.