Every year, I look forward to the New Year. Sometimes it’s the Year of the Water Monkey, then the Year of the Wood Snake or, as will be the case on February 17, 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse. Perhaps you’ve heard of this before, or maybe you’re wondering why I seem to be a few months off. Unlike in the West, many countries across East and Southeast Asia — especially China, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea — celebrate the Lunar New Year according to the traditional lunisolar calendar. It’s also known as Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), Seollal in Korea, or Tết in Vietnam. Because the celebration follows the lunar calendar, the date shifts each year in the Gregorian calendar. The twelve zodiac animals rotate annually, and we are now moving from the Year of the Wood Snake into the Year of the Fire Horse. The importance of this holiday becomes particularly visible in the news. Around this time, one of the world’s largest annual migrations takes place as millions of people travel home to celebrate with their families. Homes are cleaned and decorated, altars are prepared, and new clothes are worn, especially in red, a color associated with luck and prosperity. Red envelopes filled with money — hongbao in Chinese or lì xì in Vietnamese — are among the most cherished gifts. And, of course, food plays a central role, often tied to symbolism and superstition. (read more)
A whole steamed fish represents abundance and prosperity. Dumplings resemble gold ingots and symbolize wealth, long noodles stand for longevity, and sweet rice balls express unity and togetherness. Because of this deep cultural meaning, the Lunar New Year is celebrated widely across the diaspora as well. Berlin, too, offers plenty of places to mark the occasion with festive dishes. At Moii Café in Charlottenburg, a small but charming Taiwanese café, you’ll find mooncakes alongside beautifully crafted cakes and drinks. My favorites are the Osmanthus latte with jelly, the milky jasmine tea cake, and the mango sponge roll. For a classic celebratory meal, Jolly Restaurant is a longtime favorite, known for its Peking duck: crisp, lacquered skin and tender meat wrapped in thin pancakes or baos with sweet hoisin sauce. Perfect for sharing with family and friends.
At Dumpling Nian, combine two lucky dishes on one table: steamed sea bass with ginger and spring onions in soy sauce, alongside handmade dumplings filled with pork and Chinese cabbage, shrimp, or beef and carrots. Weekend brunch at Meet You Restaurant is another highlight. Their Shanghainese menu includes homemade dumplings, xiao long bao (soup dumplings), jianbing (crispy Chinese crêpes), baos, chili wontons, and warm soy milk. My tip: come with a group and share everything. If you’re craving southern Vietnamese comfort food, Saigon Cơm Niêu is my personal go-to. Alongside dishes like Bánh Canh Cua (a spicy crab noodle soup), they serve Thịt Kho Tàu, caramelized pork belly with whole eggs, traditionally eaten during Tết. The round eggs and square pieces of pork symbolize harmony, completeness, and family unity.
For a more cultural experience, visit Linh Thứu Pagoda during the holiday. Besides the beautiful temple setting, there’s vegan food, music, and the chance to light incense and make wishes for the year ahead. The celebrations continue at Dong Xuan Center, where you’ll find handmade bánh chưng and bánh tét (sticky rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves with mung beans and pork), red sticky rice (xôi gấc), and varieties of chè desserts. For Korean New Year traditions, Han BBQ offers an all-you-can-eat samgyeopsal (pork belly) barbecue until 17.02.2026, including rice, banchan, and salad. And at Dotori, a special four-course menu inspired by traditional Korean New Year dishes is paired with Korean beverages, an elegant way to welcome the Year of the Horse. However you choose to celebrate, the Lunar New Year is ultimately about gathering, sharing food, and starting fresh together. Berlin offers many ways to do just that.
Text: Alice M. Huynh / Photos: Matthieu Joannon, Alison Pang, Robyn Steffen
Alice M. Huynh grew up in the Allgäu Alps and has called Berlin home for over a decade. After beginning her career in New York’s fashion industry, she slowly turned toward what truly excites her: travel and food. Today, she works as a content creator focused on lifestyle, culinary culture, and travel.
Moii Café, Fasanenstr.46, 10719 Berlin–Charlottenburg; map
Jolly Restaurant, Am Kupfergraben 4/4a, 10117 Berlin–Mitte; map
Dumpling Nian, Eisenbahnstr.4, 10997 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Meet You Restaurant, Fasanenstr.41, 10719 Berlin–Charlottenburg; map
Saigon Cơm Niêu, Bülowstr. 9, 10783 Berlin–Schöneberg; map
Han BBQ, Kantstr.120/121, 10625 Berlin–Charlottenburg; map
Dong Xuan Center, Herzbergstr. 128-139, 10365 Berlin–Lichtenberg; map
Dotori, Gustav-Adolf-Str.159, 13086 Berlin–Weißensee; map
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