Chinese New Year Food:
12 Lucky Dishes and Where to Eat Them in Atlanta
The short answer: The classic Chinese New Year foods are whole fish (for surplus), dumplings and spring rolls (for wealth), nian gao rice cake (for a higher year), longevity noodles (for long life), a whole chicken (for family togetherness), tangyuan (for reunion) and mandarin oranges (for luck). Lunar New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6. In Atlanta, the easiest way to eat them is a banquet or family-style dinner at a Cantonese restaurant, plus dumplings, roast duck and noodles from Buford Highway and Duluth.
Lucky Chinese New Year foods and what they mean
| Dish | Chinese | What it stands for | Where to eat it in Atlanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole fish | 鱼 yú | "Surplus every year" (年年有余): yú sounds like the word for surplus | Masterpiece (Duluth), Urban Hai (Atlanta), Good Harvest (Doraville) |
| Dumplings | 饺子 jiǎozi | Wealth: the folded shape looks like old silver ingots | Northern China Eatery (Doraville), China Kitchen (Chamblee), more dumpling spots |
| Spring rolls | 春卷 chūnjuǎn | Wealth: golden rolls look like gold bars; eaten to welcome spring | Dim sum restaurants; see our dim sum guide |
| Nian gao (rice cake) | 年糕 niángāo | "Higher every year": gāo sounds like the word for tall | Asian bakeries and markets; see Asian supermarkets |
| Turnip cake | 萝卜糕 luóbo gāo | Rising fortune (also gāo); a Cantonese New Year favorite | Oriental Pearl (Chamblee), Canton Kitchen (Decatur) |
| Longevity noodles | 长寿面 chángshòu miàn | Long life: served uncut, so don't break them | LanZhou Ramen (Doraville), Authentic Hand Pulled Noodle House (Decatur) |
| Whole chicken | 鸡 jī | Family togetherness and completeness: served with head and feet | BBQ Corner 2 (soy sauce chicken, Doraville) |
| Roast duck and Peking duck | 烤鸭 kǎoyā | Fidelity and abundance at a celebration table | Best BBQ (Chamblee), Chef's House (Duluth), Peking duck guide |
| Tangyuan | 汤圆 tāngyuán | Reunion: round glutinous rice balls; eaten at the Lantern Festival | Frozen at Asian supermarkets; some dim sum menus |
| Buddha's delight | 罗汉斋 luóhàn zhāi | A meatless dish for purity on New Year's Day | Cantonese restaurants; ask for "lo han jai" |
| Lettuce | 生菜 shēngcài | Growing wealth: sounds like "bringing fortune" (生财) | Any Cantonese menu, often with oyster sauce |
| Mandarin oranges | 橘 jú / 橙 chéng | Luck and success: jú sounds like 吉 (luck) | Asian supermarkets sell them by the box in January and February |
Want the stories behind the customs, from red envelopes to lion dances? Our sister site has a full guide to Lunar New Year traditions.
How to order a Chinese New Year dinner in Atlanta
Book a banquet table early. Cantonese and seafood restaurants fill up for the New Year's Eve dinner (February 5, 2027) and the first weekend of the new year. Call two to three weeks ahead and ask whether they have a set New Year menu.
Order family style. A traditional table has an even number of dishes, with eight considered especially lucky because 八 (bā) sounds like 发 (fā, to prosper). Plan one dish per person plus rice, and make sure the fish comes last.
Leave some fish. Don't finish the whole fish; the leftover is the "surplus" carried into the new year.
Takeout feasts work too. Roast duck, char siu and soy sauce chicken from a Cantonese barbecue shop, a box of frozen dumplings and a bag of mandarins make an easy feast at home. See our Lunar New Year dining guide for restaurants taking New Year orders.
Foods some families avoid
Customs vary by family and region, but common ones include avoiding dishes with four of anything (四 sì sounds like the word for death), not cutting noodles, and skipping plain white tofu, which some associate with mourning.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important Chinese New Year food?
Fish is the dish almost every family serves, because 鱼 (yú) sounds like the word for surplus. In northern China, dumplings on New Year's Eve are just as essential.
When is Chinese New Year 2027?
Saturday, February 6, 2027, the start of the Year of the Goat. The reunion dinner is on New Year's Eve, Friday, February 5, and the celebrations end with the Lantern Festival on February 20. See Lunar New Year 2027 dates for other countries.
Where can I get a Chinese New Year dinner in Atlanta?
Cantonese restaurants on Buford Highway and in Duluth are the usual choice for banquets. Start with our Doraville and Chamblee guide, Duluth guide and dim sum list, and call ahead for New Year menus.
What do you eat on the Lantern Festival?
Tangyuan (汤圆), sweet glutinous rice balls filled with sesame, peanut or red bean paste, eaten in a warm, sweet soup.
Why do people eat dumplings at Chinese New Year?
Their shape looks like the silver and gold ingots once used as money, so eating them is a wish for wealth. Some families hide a coin in one dumpling for extra luck.