Best Restaurants for Chinese New Year in Toronto

KUNG HEI FAT CHOY! Chinese New Year falls on February 19th this year, based on the Chinese Lunar calendar. The celebrations include exchanging red envelopes of money, cleaning the house to remove the old and usher in the new, and of course, big meals where friends and family gather to commemorate the very festive occasion. Here are my top 5 restaurants to celebrate The Year of the Goat/Sheep:

Best Restaurants for Chinese New Year in Toronto
Stephanie Dickison By

Mother's Dumplings

1
421 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2G6

At Mother’s Dumplings, you'll often find a whole bunch of chefs grabbing a bite before work or on their day off. You’ve gotta know that if our chefs are eating here, the food has got to be top notch. And it is. Sublime dumplings are available boiled, steamed and pan-fried in a variety of met and vegetarian options such as Pork and Dill, Beef and Celery, and Vegetarian Chives and Noodles.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Dine And Dim Restaurant

2
633 Gerrard E, Toronto, ON M4M 1Y2

Pearl Court is one of the city’s most popular Chinese restaurants. This Chinatown East gem has been serving authentic Cantonese and dim sum for over 30 years. The dinner menu has over 150 dishes including a deep list of Szechuan dishes. Everything is made fresh to order, so you’ll excuse the bright lights and carpeting. In fact, you’ll barely notice – you’ll be too busy devouring your food.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Dragon Pearl Buffet

3
2-865 York Mills Rd, North York, ON M3B 1Y6

At first glance, you might feel like you’ve stepped inside a Disney World exhibition. The dramatic surroundings of the 500-seat dining room decorated in wood from retired ships and a collection of petrified wood is quite unlike restaurants in the downtown core.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:

Patois

4
794 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1V1

If you’re looking for something a little more novel this Chinese New Year, head to Patois for Chef Craig Wong’s Jamaican Chinese food. This Dundas West hotspot offers enticing selections. Choose from a regular menu of Chinese “Pineapple” Bun Burger, Kimchi Potstickers “Pierogi” Style and Dirty Fried Rice, and dinner features that have included Prosperity Jerk Lobster, Jerk Chicken Chow Mein, and Jamaican Oxtail Ramen Lomein. Chinese New Year just got a modern rewrite, with a Jamaican twist.

This business is featured in the following Smart Lists:
More from Stephanie Dickison Stephanie Dickison
Former editor of Dine.TO and industry expert Stephanie Dickison has been covering the Toronto food and restaurant scene for over a decade. In addition to profiling top chefs and interviewing celebs, her Open/Closed column is a must-read every Thursday for the newest openings, and latest news and events.
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