New year, new zodiac. Same obsession with food.
Here’s how each Chinese zodiac sign eats, and what they should be ordering, in the Year of the Fire Horse.
🐎 Horse (Year of the Fire Horse 🔥)
Bold, fast, and always hungry.
Fire Horses don’t snack, they devour. They eat like they travel, quickly, enthusiastically, and with zero regrets. Spicy noodles? Yes. Extra chilli? Obviously. A street snack and a full meal? Correct.
If there’s a line at the stall, the Horse assumes it’s worth it and jumps in.
Eat this:
🔥 Chongqing xiaomian (重庆小面)
🔥 Spicy lamb skewers (羊肉串)
🔥 Mouthwatering chicken (口水鸡)
Food motto: “I’ll eat now and figure it out later.”
🐑 Sheep (Goat)
Gentle, thoughtful, and secretly very picky.
Sheep love food that feels comforting and intentional, handmade dumplings, slow-simmered soups, anything that tastes like someone’s grandma cares about you. They’ll say they’re “not very hungry” and then eat half the table.
Best enjoyed shared, preferably with a long conversation.
Eat this:
🍲 Lamb soup with flatbread (羊肉泡馍)
🥟 Handmade dumplings (饺子)
🍜 Beef noodle soup (牛肉面)
Food motto: “Can we order a few more dishes… just in case?”
🐒 Monkey
Curious, chaotic, and absolutely fearless at the snack stall.
Monkeys want novelty, texture, and something their friends swear they’d never eat. They order first, ask questions later, and insist it’s “actually really good.” One bite for them is never enough.
Dessert still non-negotiable.
Eat this:
🐰 Rabbit’s head (兔头)
👅 Duck tongue (鸭舌)
🍢 Anything on a stick (串儿)
Food motto: “Trust me. Just try it.”
🐓 Rooster
Opinionated, expressive, and absolutely right about food.
Roosters love dishes with contrast, crispy skins, bold sauces, strong aromatics.
They will explain exactly why this version is better than the one you had last time.
Eat this:
🍗 Crispy roast chicken (烧鸡)
🍤 Salt-and-pepper shrimp (椒盐虾)
🥬 Garlic-heavy stir-fried greens
Food motto: “No, that’s not how it’s supposed to taste.”
🐕 Dog
Loyal, comforting, and all about familiarity.
Dogs want food that feels warm, filling, and nostalgic. They’re happiest with a full bowl and people they like.
They’ll help finish anything on the table.
Eat this:
🥣 Congee (粥)
🥟 Steamed buns (包子)
🍲 Homestyle braised dishes
Food motto: “This hits the spot.”
🐖 Pig
Joyful, indulgent, and fully committed to pleasure.
Pigs eat for happiness. Crispy, fatty, sweet-savory, if it’s rich, they’re in.
They never regret ordering dessert and encourage everyone else to do the same.
Eat this:
🥓 Red-braised pork belly (红烧肉)
🍯 Char siu (叉烧)
🍡 Tangyuan or sesame desserts
Food motto: “We can walk it off later.”
🐀 Rat
Smart, strategic, and always one step ahead of the menu.
Rats know exactly what to order, what to skip, and how to get the best bite for the best price. They love food that’s precise, flavor-packed, and efficient.
Never underestimate how much they’ve already ordered before you arrived.
Eat this:
🍜 Soup dumplings (小笼包)
🍚 Claypot rice (煲仔饭)
🥟 Wontons in chilli oil (红油抄手)
Food motto: “This place is good, but order these three dishes.”
🐂 Ox
Reliable, serious, and built for big meals.
Ox energy is all about hearty, no-nonsense food. They don’t want trends, they want something that sticks with you. Portions matter. Protein matters.
They are deeply suspicious of small plates.
Eat this:
🥩 Red-braised beef (红烧牛肉)
🍜 Hand-pulled noodles (拉面)
🍲 Hot pot, extra lamb (火锅)
Food motto: “That should be enough food. For one person.”
🐅 Tiger
Confident, dramatic, and drawn to bold flavours.
Tigers want food that makes an entrance, spicy, smoky, sizzling. They order decisively and expect the table to follow.
Mild is not an option.
Eat this:
🌶 Mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐)
🔥 Dry-pot cauliflower or chicken (干锅)
🐟 Boiled fish in chilli oil (水煮鱼)
Food motto: “Make it spicy. No, spicier.”
🐰 Rabbit
Gentle, refined, and quietly discerning.
Rabbits love food that’s fresh, seasonal, and balanced. They notice texture and presentation and will absolutely judge oily dishes in silence.They thrive at vegetable-forward tables.
Eat this:
🥬 Stir-fried seasonal greens (清炒时蔬)
⬜ Tofu anything (豆腐)
🥟 Steamed vegetable dumplings (素蒸饺)
Food motto: “Simple food, done well.”
🐉 Dragon
Extra in the best way.
Dragons don’t just eat, they host a banquet. They want iconic dishes, big flavors, and at least one thing the table will talk about for days.
They order with confidence and zero budget anxiety.
Eat this:
🦆 Peking duck (北京烤鸭)
🦀 Hairy crab (大闸蟹, in season)
🐟 Whole steamed fish (清蒸鱼)
Food motto: “Let’s just order the signature.”
🐍 Snake
Cool, understated, and very specific.
Snakes appreciate clean flavors and quiet excellence. They hate over-ordering and love dishes that look simple but are technically perfect.
They are low-key judging your sauce choices.
Eat this:
🍗 White-cut chicken (白切鸡)
🥢 Cold sesame noodles (麻酱面)
🍲 Delicate herbal soups
Food motto: “You don’t need that many flavors.”
Want more advice on how to eat in the Year of the Fire Horse? Come eat with us on China’s best food tours. UnTour Food Tours runs small-group and private tours in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, seven days a week, showing you how locals really eat, and why Chinese food is one of the world’s great cuisines.
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