From the annual celebration at the Far East Center this weekend to specials from the 2025 James Beard semifinalists at Sắp Sửa and Yuan Wonton, here are the tastiest ways to celebrate Lunar New Year in Denver:
Ace Eat Serve
501 East 17th Avenue
January 29 through February 28
This uptown Asian eatery known for its ping pong and Peking duck is celebrating Valentine's and the Lunar New Year in one festive pop-up experience: Lucky in Love. The enclosed-and-heated patio and the main seating area have undergone a red, pink and gold-themed makeover featuring cherry blossoms, hanging lanterns and red umbrellas. A themed cocktail and food menu will be available to enjoy under the gold-accented glow, with bar seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The specialty menu is available during dinner only, from 4 p.m. to close. Dinner reservations can be made online.
Arden Tea Room
3355 South Yarrow Street
Now through February 2
The female and AANHPI-owned tea room in Lakewood that features boba, thai iced tea, milk tea and more is offering a Lunar New Year combo special for a limited time only. For $15, guests will receive two pork spring rolls, one 20-ounce drink with an add-on topping and one dessert.
Bao Brewhouse
1317 Fourteenth Street
Wednesday, January 29
Start the Lunar New Year off right with a romantic date-night special in the upstairs Tea Room at this upbeat Larimer Square hotspot. For $70 per person, you and your guest can each enjoy an entree, an order of dim sum, a sake flight, dessert and a complimentary goodie bag. The Dinner for Two also gives diners access to specialty off-menu items, such as the battered sea bass with sweet and sour pineapple sauce over jasmine rice and the dessert sesame balls. Reservations can be made online.
Coffeegraph
3800 Julian Street
Through February
Husband and wife Brenda and Troy Carlson opened this West Highland coffee shop last fall, drawing inspiration from Brenda's Chinese-Indonesian roots for its bites and drink menu. The shop is offering three specialty coffee drinks for Lunar New Year alongside a tasty collection of barbecue pork buns, ube cupcakes and additional desserts from frequent collaborator Banh Butter Bakery.
Catch Dân Dã's Lunar New Year specials this Friday and Saturday only.
Molly Martin
9945 East Colfax Avenue
January 30 and 31
One of the best new restaurants to open in 2024, Dân Dã is the first solo venture from chef An Nguyen. For two nights, it will offer a lineup of Lunar New Year dishes inspired by childhood experiences of the Lunar New Year Festival in Vietnam, colloquially called Tet. On January 30, its neighbor, the People's Building, is also hosting a lion dance performance from 6 to 7 p.m. and the dancers will drop by the restaurant after the performance to mingle with diners. Reservations for dinner are recommended and available online.
Far East Center
333 South Federal Boulevard
February 1 and 2
The city's prime Asian cultural hub is hosting its 34th annual Lunar New Year celebration this weekend, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The vibrant community event celebrates Asian culture and history with lion and dragon dance performances and other entertainment plus a Lunar New Year Market that features cultural cuisine from local vendors such as Pho Hong Restaurant, Mukja Food Truck and Vinh Xuong Bakery. The cultural event at the Far East Center is an excellent opportunity to engulf yourself in AAHNPI culture and decadent cuisine. Tickets are free and can be reserved online.
The cozy dining room at Le Colonial will feature a dragon dance performance on January 29.
Le Colonial
255 Fillmore Street
Janaury 29
The French-Vietnamese concept that debuted in Cherry Creek two months ago will kick off its Lunar New Year celebration with a traditional dragon dance performance at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are available online.
Magna Kainan
1350 40th Street
Janaury 29
Four chefs from celebrated Asian eateries around the city are coming together to ring in the Year of the Snake with style. The collaboration between Vietnamese favorite Sắp Sửa, Chinese eatery Hop Alley and new Filipino restaurant Magna Kainan is $125 per person. The event kicks off at 5 p.m. with a community cocktail hour followed by dinner from 7 to 9 p.m. The coursed dinner includes collaborative dishes that play on cherished Lunar New Year memories from the team of chefs such as the Triple Threat Noodle and Pork Three Ways. Stick around after dinner for karaoke from 9 to 11 p.m. Reservations are limited so act fast and book online.
MAKfam
39 West First Avenue
February 6
Reclaiming Denver's Chinatown is a fundraising dinner curated MAKfam. The Cantonese-style eatery is partnering with Colorado Asian Pacific United (CAPU) to host a reservation-only dinner on February 6 from 5 to 10 p.m. The dinner will feature a specialty Lunar New Year menu that plays on Chinese American and Cantonese flavors, with the cocktail menu centering around Baijiu, a traditional Chinese grain spirit. Thirty percent of proceeds will go to CAPU, which works to preserve and elevate forgotten AANHPI stories. Reservations are available online.
The Hanoi Highball featuring Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac is available at Mecha Noodle Bar on January 29 only.
Mecha Noodle Bar
2801 Walnut Street
January 29
This RiNo noodle bar from childhood friends Tony Pham and Rich Reyes serves both pho and ramen. Line up early for its noon opening on Lunar New Year because the first hundred guests will receive a lucky red envelope containing a $7 gift card, symbolizing prosperity and luck. Additionally, the bar will introduce a Southeast Asian spin on the classic Sidecar, the Hanoi Highball made with Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, Grand Marnier, fresh orange and lemon, and a splash of club soda.
Olive & Finch
1552 East 17th Avenue
3390 East First Avenue
January 29 through February 28
Both Olive & Finch locations are serving a specialty cocktail, the Snakebite, which comes with a red envelope containing $2 in Olive & Finch Cash, redeemable on any future food and drink orders.
Ni and Anna Nguyen, owners of Sắp Sửa.
Casey Wilson
2550 East Colfax Avenue
January 28
To celebrate the Lunar New Year, this Vietnamese hot spot is turning the reigns over for a night to chef Long Nguyen of the recently-closed Avanti stall Pho King Rapidos. The five-course prix-fixe dinner is an homage to Vietnamese-American history and is priced at $88 per person. Reservations are limited and available online.
Stellar Jay
240 Fourteenth Street
January 29
This rooftop restaurant at the Populus Hotel opened last fall and boasts impressive views. To celebrate the Lunar New Year, the restaurant will bring in guest chefs Sathia Sun and Joshua Mendiola alongside its executive chef Ian Wortham to craft a dinner that celebrates the Chinese roots of general manager Raya Kellenberger and the AANHPI community. The meal is $85 per person. Reservations are available online.
Wong Way Veg
1460 Leyden Street
January 29 and 30
Wong Way Veg has been a staple in the food truck scene for years but on Lunar New Year, it's offering a sit-down experience at 7 p.m. this Wednesday and Thursday at the Art Gym. The five-course prix-fixe meal is inspired by recipes from owner Lisa Wong's Chinese grandparents to honor the Year of the Snake. The dinner will feature hot tea, a shrimp wonton starter, soup, steamed buns, a noodle dish and a dumpling dish plus a five-spice ice cream sandwich for dessert for $78 per person. Reservations can be made online.
Yuan Wonton
2878 Fairfax Street
January 28 and 29 (Lunar New Year specials)
January 31 (Chifa Night)
Penelope Wong's Park Hill restaurant will be serving a special à la carte Lunar New Year menu on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Friday, chef Carolina Zubiate's monthly Chinese-Peruvian Chifa Night pop-up at Yuan Wonton will also feature a festive lion dance celebration. Reservations for both events are available online.
