The Year of the Fire Horse has arrived in a blaze of optimism and forward momentum. Lunar New Year is the moment to gather properly, order generously and lean into dishes that symbolise abundance and prosperity. Across Auckland, dining rooms are marking the occasion with seafood towers, prosperity tosses, wood-fired showpieces and cocktails designed for toasting new beginnings. Here, in alphabetical order, are the restaurants worth booking.
Huami
Huami’s Lunar New Year menus are designed for proper reunion dining. The Nectar Menu at $129 per person offers a procession of premium Chinese dishes that honour tradition while presenting them with modern elegance. For larger family gatherings, festive banquet menus for five to twelve guests deliver abundance in format and flavour. It is ceremonial, considered and ideal for a long, lingering evening.
Advieh
At Commercial Bay, Advieh brings drama to the table with its Limited Edition Seafood Tower, priced from $179 to $289. This is a celebration in vertical form. Crayfish, pāua and shellfish are layered generously alongside Turkish pide and Lou Sang sashimi, nodding to tradition while staying unmistakably true to Advieh’s bold Middle Eastern sensibility. It is lavish, abundant and designed to anchor the table. Pair it with the aptly named Miracle Fortune cocktail, and you have a Fire Horse feast that feels both symbolic and indulgent.
Bivacco
Bivacco approaches Lunar New Year with woodfire confidence. From 16 to 28 February, Crayfish Mafaldine brings sweet lobster together with garlic, chilli and bisque, brightened by cherry tomato and finished with pangrattato for texture. For those wanting a true centrepiece, whole or half crayfish roasted over flame and finished with seaweed butter delivers drama and depth. It is bold, generous and entirely aligned with Fire Horse energy.
Ebisu
Ebisu joins the festivities with its own vibrant Prosperity Salad, bringing sashimi, shredded vegetables and golden crackers together in a dish that feels bright and celebratory from first glance. Finished with honey ume dressing and tossed high at the table, it captures the essence of Lunar New Year in one generous bowl.
Ahi
Also at Commercial Bay, Ahi is marking Lunar New Year with a cocktail that feels refined rather than theatrical. Vodka is layered with rose fen chui and strawberry hibiscus, sharpened with fresh lemon and softened with faba for a silky finish. The result is light, floral and quietly celebratory, a subtle nod to the restaurant’s Shanghai pop-up and a polished way to toast the year ahead.
Azabu Mission Bay
At Azabu Mission Bay, the Prosperity Salad returns as both a ritual and crowd-pleaser. Premium tuna and salmon sashimi are woven with shredded carrot, red cabbage, pickled ginger, daikon and wakame, finished with sesame, golden crackers and ume-honey dressing. The theatre comes with the traditional toss. Lift it high and invite abundance into the year ahead, preferably with a table full of friends leaning in enthusiastically.
Cāntīng
Cāntīng’s Lucky Set Menu at $88 per person and Prosper Set Menu at $138 per person deliver a classic Lunar New Year experience done properly. Dumplings arrive first, followed by the essential yusheng prosperity toss, a joyful and symbolic ritual that invites good fortune with every enthusiastic lift of chopsticks. Cantonese favourites round out the menu, while BBQ duck and black cod appear for those choosing the more opulent Prosper option. It is festive, flavour-driven and built for communal celebration.
Sky Tower – The Lookout, Level 53
High above the city, The Lookout is pouring a limited-time Lunar New Year cocktail and mocktail menu through February. The Xin Xiang combines Chivas 12-year-old whisky with ginger syrup, citrus and grenadine for warmth and brightness, while the Shi Cheng layers orange apple juice, mango syrup, lemon and cranberry for a vibrant alcohol-free option. With Auckland glittering below, it is a celebratory toast served with perspective.
MASU
At MASU, the celebration unfolds with Japanese precision and robata fire. The Tokyo Platter, laden with crayfish, oysters and sashimi, arrives as a sculptural centrepiece that immediately elevates the table. Alongside the broader seafood and robata menu, it offers a refined and quietly indulgent way to mark the New Year.
Sìso Bar and Eatery
Sìso’s celebratory Seafood Platter reads like a greatest hits of the ocean. Grilled scampi, fresh oysters, smoked mussels, Southland clams, poached prawns and market fish crudo arrive together in a spread designed for convivial dining. Guests can add half a crayfish for an extra flourish. It is generous, social and perfectly suited to a table that plans to linger.
Origine
Origine keeps things elemental and impressive with its Whole Wild Legend Fiordland Lobster, priced at $99. Wood-fired and made for sharing, it is simple in concept yet rich in impact. Crack, pass and savour. It is exactly the kind of centre-of-table dish that signals abundance without excess.
Azabu Ponsonby
Azabu Ponsonby serves the same vibrant Prosperity Salad, and it lands perfectly in a room that thrives on sociable energy. Rich sashimi meets crisp vegetables and fragrant dressing, balanced by the crunch of golden crackers. It is celebratory without being heavy and interactive without being forced. Order it early in the evening and let the mood build from there.
However you choose to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse, the message is clear. Gather widely, order generously and lean into the symbolism. This is a year to move forward with confidence, and preferably with something delicious in hand.
