Oceanside's 24 Suns Unveils a 15-Day Lunar New Year Dining Experience

From February 17 through March 3, Oceanside’s 24 Suns is inviting San Diegans to experience Lunar New Year as a full 15-day cultural immersion. Led by fine-dining–trained chefs Nic Webber and Jacob Jordan (alums of Del Mar’s Addison), the restaurant will mark the arrival of the Year of the Fire Horse with a rotating series of activations that bridge the gap between ancient Chinese tradition and Southern California’s coastal bounty.

The 24 Suns philosophy has always been rooted in the "twenty-four solar seasons" of the Chinese agricultural calendar, adapted to the specific "microseasons" of San Diego. This celebratory event deepens that connection, structuring the festival around the full 15-day arc of the Lunar holiday. By sourcing directly from local purveyors, the chefs ensure that every traditional dish remains tethered to the current California harvest.

The programming evolves daily to reflect the specific symbolic meaning of each phase of the new year. The journey begins on Day One (Tuesday, February 17) with a "clean start" vegetarian collaboration with Chef Davin Waite of Oceanside’s plant-based restaurant, The Plot, honoring the custom of eating only vegetables at the start of the new year to cultivate peace.

For Waite, the collaboration is as much about community as it is about the menu. "We're super excited to work with these guys. There is no better occasion than Lunar New Year, and it just happens to be a very plant-heavy time as far as what we eat and celebrate," says Waite. "Underneath it all, we’ve got all these restaurants in Oceanside popping up all over the place, and most people don't realize that we're all just kind of a large circle of friends. Being able to get out of our own kitchens and hang out with other people that we look up to and respect is super exciting."

As the festival progresses, the atmosphere shifts toward communal connection and celebration. Day Six features a coursed pairing with local tea purveyors, PARU Tea, highlighting tea’s role as a conduit for reflection, while Day Seven, known as the "Birthday of Humanity," transforms the dining room into a giant party where every guest receives an individual birthday cake soft-serve and a candle. By Day Ten, the focus returns to the land with a farm-driven menu created together with the team from Encinitas’ Fox Point Farms. The 15-day marathon finally culminates in the romantic Lantern Festival (Day 15), often called Chinese Valentine’s Day, complete with red décor, lantern riddles, and a matchmaking-inspired prix fixe.

Central to the 24 Suns experience is an auspicious seven-course tasting menu, where the number seven represents harmony and togetherness. The menu features elevated interpretations of symbolic staples, such as:

For those seeking a more casual experience, shareable à la carte dishes and a 5-course Family Style menu are also available.

24 Suns, 3375 Mission Ave J, Oceanside, CA 92058