Local New Year's Day food specials for a lucky 2016

Around the world, a few special foods have been deemed auspicious to eat on New Year's Day. Grapes, greens, fish, pork, legumes and cakes are all consumed to bring good luck in the New Year.

If you're already buzzing around Broad Street for Mummers fun, here are some excellent ways to give your new year an auspicious start.

Pigs symbolize progress in parts of the Old World, and wealth and prosperity in the U.S. and Italy. Pork is eaten on New Year's Day in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Austria, and all over Philadelphia. The go-getters at South Philly's own new-old Triangle Tavern (1338 S. 10th St.) will be serving hot roast pork sandwiches ($6) outside their pointy pub from 9 a.m.

For their annual New Year's Day party, Nick's Old City (16 S. 2nd St.) breaks out Joey Dog's family recipe of pork and sauerkraut, from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m.

Night owls will appreciate Tattooed Mom's (530 South St.) free lucky pork buffet and cocktail specials that don't start until 5 p.m.

You also have until 5 p.m. to work up an appetite for Percy Street Barbecue's (900 South St.) inaugural 2016 All-You-Can-Eat Ribs ($24) night, kicking off New Year's Day and every Wednesday following, until they cry Uncle. Percy Street is also rich in two other traditional New Year's foods: cooked greens and legumes. The cooked leaves of collards, spinach, kale and chard resemble so much folded money _ so eat your vegetables and keep the green flowing in 2016.

Look for green lentils tucked into Italian brunch at Alla Spina (1410 Mt. Vernon St.) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; or visit Ms. Tootsie's (1322 South St.) for black-eyed peas, and collard greens with smoked turkey, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

No French New Year is complete without oysters. But if raw mollusks aren't your thing first thing in the morning, get into a next-level F.O.B.E. breakfast sandwich at Oyster House (1516 Sansom St.): fried oysters, bacon and egg on brioche ($12), from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Grapes and cakes, especially ring-shaped cakes like doughnuts, round out the main categories of lucky foods. Get your grapes in their most elevated form at Tria Café (Rittenhouse, 123 S. 18th St.; Wash West, 1137 Spruce St.). Both locations offer 10 different sparkling wines for $10 per glass, as well as their Top Ten Wines of the Year, also $10 per glass, from noon on.

Doughnuts abound around town, from Beiler's Bakery classic array in the Reading Terminal Market (12th & Arch St.) to Soy Café's (630 N. 2nd St.) tasty vegan rings. Try the delicate Green Tea to start or finish your New Year's Day the good-luck way.