Chinese New Year celebrations for the Year Of The Ox start on 26 January, the first day of the harvest in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. But you don't have to journey as far as Beijing to ­experience the gastronomic delights that mark the traditional celebrations.

Restaurants across the capital are ­pulling out all the stops to celebrate the festival in style and to wish all their ­patrons, Kung Hei Fat Choi — Happy New Year! Here's our pick of the best...

Ping Pong
The dim sum chain is celebrating with executive chef Khin Vong's six-course New Year feast (£13.99 or £16.93 with a Sun Lik Beer, available from 26 January). It includes Year Of The Ox broth, slowly braised ox with mixed vegetables, baked and steamed dumplings galore, spring rolls, pak choi in ginger and garlic and chocolate pudding for dessert.

Don't forget to sample the Oxtini, £5.99, a delicious blend of vodka, apple juice, green apple liqueur, sage and egg white. Lucky punters who were born in the Year Of The Ox (1961, 1973, 1985) get one free. 
26 January-31 March, 45 Great Marlborough St, W1 (020 7851 6969, pingpongdimsum.com)

Min Jiang
Min Jiang feels about as far from the bustle of Chinatown as you can get, with its grand location on the 10th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel.

Chinese culture buffs will delight in the traditional New Year Yu Sheng Salad. It's made up of 27 ingredients and finished with a plum sauce dressing (£25 for two people and £38 for four).

Staff layer the ingredients in front of diners one at a time with each item having its own special toast — as they squeeze lime juice over the fish, the toast is fortune and luck, and as you sprinkle Pok Chui Chinese crackers on the top they wish you “gold coins ­everywhere!” At the end of the ceremony, everyone shouts “Lo Hei” (“mix it up”) and uses their chopsticks to toss the ingredients in the air. Continue the experience with wood-fired Beijing duck (£25 for a half and £48 for a whole).
23 Jan-9 Feb, Min Jiang, -24 Kensington High Street, W8 (020 7361 1988)

Kai Mayfair
Mayfair's smart Kai restaurant has come up with three special dishes to celebrate the New Year: there's Good Fortune, slices of salmon sashimi, spring onion ribbons, soy, vinegar and sesame oil dressing, £15; Long Life, pork fillet with crushed white pepper and spring onions, £18;  and Prosperity, steamed Chilean sea bass with soya sauce, spinach, red dates and pickled white radish, £32.

If you want to know what 2009 holds in store for you, then visit Kai on
26 and 31 January or 4 February when leading Chinese ­astrologer Ting-Food Chik will offer diners complimentary readings. 
26 January-4 February, 65 South Audley Street, W1 (020 7493 8988)

Hakkasan
Alan Yau has hired the acclaimed Nam Lang Pugilistic Association, masters of the Shaolin Martial Arts, to ­entertain diners at his three establishments. On 1 February they will begin at the Cha Cha Moon noodle bar at 7pm, moving on to Yauatcha at 7.30pm and performing their finale at Hakkasan at 8pm.

If you want to splash out, book a table at up-market Hakkasan, which is laying on a special New Year's menu. Head chef Tong Chee Hwee is preparing a feast that includes braised duck clay pot with wild fungus, £43.80, braised red gurnard wrapped in mooli (a Japanese radish), £38.80, and Nian Gao, stir-fried Shanghai New Year cake, £12.80. The New Year's menu at Hakkasan runs from 25 January to 1 February.
Hakkasan, 8 Hanway Place, W1 (020 7927 7000); Yauatcha, 15 Broadwick Street, W1 (020 7494 8888); Cha Cha Moon, 15-21 Ganton Street, W1 (020 7297 9800)

Golden Harvest
For those wanting the full Chinese New Year experience, a visit to the new Golden Harvest restaurant in Chinatown is a must. If you book for lunch on 1 February, you'll be in a prime position to watch the Chinese dragon parade, which starts in Gerard Street at midday. 
Owner Geoff Leong is serving up 15 special New Year dishes, including abalone in sea cucumber, £23.80, and dragon ginger lobster, £25.80. Anyone greeting staff with a rousing “Kung Hei Fat Choi” will receive a lucky red envelope containing prizes — from a free beer to a bottle of champagne and a meal for two.
15 Gerard Street, W1 (020 7494 1200)

Gilgamesh
Between 27 and 29 January, the Babylonian-style venue will be decked out with Chinese lanterns and diners will be treated to a traditional lion dance, accompanied by a parade of drummers.
Chef Ming Hwa has laid on dishes inspired by Chinese New Year traditions — Yee Sang (a salad of salmon, vegetables, pickled garlic shallots and plum sauce, £8) is said to bring wealth, Ho See (dried oyster and pork belly, £9.50) brings luck in business and Sap Cham (stir-fried Chinese vegetables, mushrooms, pickles and broccoli £8) brings in the year ahead. 
Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 (020 7482 5757, gilgameshbar.com)