Lunar New Year is an international holiday celebrated by over 2 billion people each year that signifies the energy of that year’s zodiac.
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, which symbolizes rapid speed, bold energy, forward momentum, freedom, and transformative change.
Typically, the holiday is between January and February based on the lunar cycle, specifically the second new moon after the winter solstice. This year, Lunar New Year is today, Feb. 17!
The holiday is traditionally celebrated over 15 days with annual rituals to bring in luck and prosperity, prioritize family togetherness, and the arrival of spring representing a fresh start.
Some of these key traditions include cleaning homes to sweep away bad luck, decorating spaces with red lanterns and banners to represent happiness, lighting firecrackers and fireworks so that the loud noises ward off bad luck, and wearing clean or new clothes (often the color red) to symbolize a fresh start.
Additionally, many households that celebrate Lunar New Year have symbolic foods that they eat as a family. For instance, whole steamed fish for abundance, citrus for fullness, leafy greens for close family connection, noodles for longevity, whole chicken and sweet rice balls for prosperity and family unity, and dumplings, rice cakes, and spring rolls for wealth and prosperity.
Luckily for us, the Chinatown-International District on our 1 Line provides the best opportunity to celebrate. Not only will there be Lunar New Year festivities throughout February, but also local small businesses providing you with food options for good luck, longevity, and prosperity.
Here’s a few suggestions on where to start the Year of the Fire Horse off:
Chengdu Memory (367 feet, 2 minute walk)
Chengdu Memory specializes in Sichuanese hot pot. Pick between various soup options like yellow hearty chicken broth, herbal slow boiling pork broth, numbing tingling spicy, or a mushroom base. Then fill up on your favorite slices of meat, crisp vegetables, and fresh noodles to dip and indulge in. Hot pot is always great for large groups and gatherings, perfect for the Lunar New Year holiday!
E-Jae Pak Mor (292 feet, 1 minute walk)
E-Jae Pak Mor serves authentic Thai dishes and well-known street food items. You can find classics like Tom Yum Noodles and Kao Mun Gai to specialty items like Pak Mor. For first timers, we recommend getting their Pak Mor Yuan, steamed rice flour dumplings filled with seasoned ground pork and served with pork sausage, mint, fried shallots, and a tangy dipping sauce. If you’re looking for noodles, Su Kho Thai is a sweet and sour soup with spicy notes filled with pork, fish balls, and bean sprouts.
Tai Tung (0.1 miles, 4 minute walk)
Tai Tung is considered the oldest Chinese restaurant in Seattle that has been passed down through generations keeping the business a family tradition for 90 years. Additionally, they are also known for being one of Bruce Lee’s regular restaurants. You could start your meal here with his two favorites, oyster sauce beef and garlic shrimp, but we’d highly recommend their beef chow fun. Long noodles wok fried with tender pieces of beer in a glossy sauce perfect for longevity.
Dim Sum King (0.1 miles, 3 minute walk)
If you’re in a rush but don’t want to compromise quality for convenience, Dim Sum King should be your go-to stop. With over 40 years of dim sum experience in various cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, take-out never tasted so good! A favorite lunch order for us includes har gao (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork dumplings), and char siu bao (baked bbq pork buns).
Phnom Penh Noodle House (0.3 miles, 9 minute walk)
Phnom Penh Noodle House traces its origin back to the early 1940s at a mobile food operation in the streets of Battambang, Cambodia. With three generations of resilient history and recipes, Phnom Penh has been a Seattle institution since 1987. They have a variety of noodle dishes – soup and dry versions, egg and rice noodles, seafood and duck toppings.
Phở Ba (0.2 miles, 6 minute walk)
If you’re wanting a taste of authentic Vietnamese flavors, just look for the colorful sign labeled ‘Phở Ba’. Their rich and aromatic filled beef broth is what keeps loyal customers coming back for their noodle soups. A comforting bowl of pho with thin sliced beef and a side of shrimp spring rolls are a classic combination. Not to mention, if you’re extra hungry, you can get a large instead of a small, which is only a $1 difference!
Baegopa (0.2 miles, 6 minute walk)
Baegopa in Korean translates to “I’m hungry” which is fitting for what the restaurant specializes in. This Korean BBQ spot provides a la carte option but is mainly known for their AYCE (all you can eat). The all you can eat comes with a variety of side dishes, soups, and proteins to choose from. Eating grilled meats like kalbi and pork on Lunar New Year helps to strengthen the bond of a family while also bringing in prosperity and abundance.
Kilig (0.4 miles, 9 minute walk)
If you’ve heard of Musang, you know that chef Melissa Miranda and her extraordinary team create dishes that celebrate Filipino flavors and culture through elevated dishes. Kilig is her sister restaurant the combines Filipino flavors with the intertwining identities she spent a lot of time around with her dad in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Favorites include sinigang wings tossed in a tangy tamarind vinegar seasoning, bulalo beef shank soup, and oink oink braised pork adobo.
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