At Hakkasan Dubai, dinner tells a story this Chinese New Year. Following a period of growth, transformation and shedding of bad habits in the Year of the Snake, we now enter the Year of the Fire Horse. The ‘horse’ represents strength, progress and new beginnings.
And what better way to mark the occasion than with a specially curated festive menu inspired by tradition and prosperity?
Cantonese restaurant, Hakkasan, founded in London in 2001, was awarded its first Michelin star just two years later. Fast-forward to today, the group now has 11 locations across Europe, the US, Asia, and the Middle East. Housed at Atlantis, The Palm, Hakkasan Dubai is renowned for reimagining traditional Cantonese flavours with modern innovation.
Led by Executive Chef Andy Toh, the one Michelin-starred restaurant has curated a nine-course sharing menu that tells the story of Chinese New Year traditions through symbolic ingredients and unique dishes. Defining itself as more than a dining experience, it is a celebration of hope, renewal and togetherness, inviting guests to toast to prosperity, health and happiness.
What’s on the menu?
Reflecting the confident, ambitious and energetic spirit of the Fire Horse, Hakkasan Dubai’s celebratory menu is designed to be dynamic, balanced and full of life.
The journey begins with the ‘fortune money bag’. A symbol of wealth and abundance, it is filled with tender King Crab, scallops, spicy chilli sauce and fresh water chestnuts. In Chinese, water chestnuts are called mǎtí (馬蹄), which literally translates to “horse’s hoof”. As a result, they are featured throughout the menu to symbolise momentum and success.
This is followed by the ‘octopus yusheng salad’, a Chinese New Year staple traditionally associated with prosperity. Reimagined with octopus and seven vibrant vegetables, this dish invites diners to toss the salad high, with the belief that the higher the toss, the greater the fortune.
Hakkasan Dubai’s signature Peking duck is next up, featuring the traditional elements of pancakes, cucumber and spring onion, but with an additional option of 30g of caviar for that touch of extra luxury.
For mains, guests can choose from a selection of storytelling dishes rich in symbolism. The red seabream, representing abundance and success, is paired with calamansi soy, which signifies luck in Cantonese culture. Australian wagyu is complemented by red peppercorn, pomegranate and beetroot, reinforcing the auspicious red theme central to Chinese New Year.
Vegetable dishes highlight Chinese red dates, lotus seeds and water chestnuts, symbolising health, continuity and fertility. Lotus seeds are traditionally associated with family harmony and growth. Organic red jasmine rice with abalone and smoke roasted duck completes the meal.
To conclude the celebratory dinner, the dessert features the exclusively created ‘golden stallion’, a tribute to the Year of the Horse. The dish includes wheatgrass mousse, green apple cremeux and yoghurt crisp. Guests are also invited to take part in a lucky wishing ribbon ritual, where they can write their wishes as part of the festive celebration.
Complementing the menu, a team of expert mixologists have introduced a signature cocktail and mocktail inspired by the spirit of the horse. The celestial steed that balances bright citrus, fresh basil and botanicals in a crystal-clear yet aromatic serve. The ‘steed zero’ provides a refined non-alcoholic alternative with a juniper distillate for cocktail-level complexity.
Available for a limited time
The menu is available from Monday 16th February until Tuesday 3rd March 2026, from 6pm to 10pm. The signature nine-dish Chinese New Year set menu costs AED 738 (roughly USD 200) per person for a minimum of two guests. An à la carte menu will also be available. Children under 10 years are welcome to join the family seating, departing by 8:30pm.
Marking the first day of Chinese New Year on Tuesday 17th February, an energetic lion dance will entertain guests, accompanied by a DJ for that healthy balance of tradition with modern celebration.
To find out more about Hakkasan Dubai or to make a reservation, guests can log onto www.atlantis.com/dubai/restaurants/hakkasan, email hakkasan@atlantisthepalm.com or call +971 4 426 2626.
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