Melbournes Best Regional Chinese Spots for Hot Pot

Another place where the spice level is up to you, Issan Thai is one of the best Thai restaurants in Melbourne . Located right near Footscray Station, this hidden gem has all the fixings that make Melbourne Thai food as authentic as you can find in Bangkok. Generous portion sizes, authentic recipes, and over 20 years old.
The menu serves up an exciting variety of soup bases such as tomato and oxtail, ready to have your choice of ingredients added. Think tasty additions like ox tongue, seafood combo, Wagyu roll and black tripe, along with fresh vegetables and noodles; or delve into braised dishes such as chicken feet, tendons and spiced minced beef. Those just looking to snack opt for the likes of crisp-fried sticky rice doughnuts. You’d be forgiven for mistaking spiffy hot pot hot pot near Melbourne restaurant Chef David for a nightclub, with all the neon lights, chrome chandeliers and patent leather seats in tow. From there you can take your pick of thinly sliced high-grade meat, vegetables, tofu, seafood, dumplings and noodles to bolster your pot. You’ll want to have a crack at the drinks list, too, with an extensive list of everything from beer and bubble tea, as well as mocktails and cocktails designed by former Lûmé head bartender Orlando Marzo.

Go-to restaurant for lovers of Chinese and Sichuan cuisine. Elevate your evening at these cult-status eateries, degustations and luxe fine-dining spots. If you’re near Rendezvous Hotel in Melbourne and hungry, make sure to stop by Straits Café. From breakfast to dinner, a quick bite or a celebration, Straits Café has what you want.
Jiyu has the highest queuing record in the history of the Chengdu restaurant industry which still remains unbroken nowadays. Jacinta Moore is a photographer and stylist based in Melbourne. According to the Victorian Auditor-General, 2017 University Annual Reports, and the Department of Education’s international student data webpage, 28 percent of international students in Australia come from China.

There is also a large a la carte menu covering all the stars of Sichuan cuisine and a few lesser known delicacies. The Braised and Stir-Fried Chicken in Chilli Oil has that perfect balance of heat, flavour and zing. Although fish isn’t the only thing on the menu, this restaurant has  a big seafood focus.
A Michelin-starred barbeque pork bun, dusted with sugar and baked to crisp perfection. Working with top-grade produce such as green lip abalone, snow crab and full-blood Wagyu, Crown Casino’s in-house Cantonese restaurant is largely geared towards visiting high rollers. But the luxurious dining room and its sweeping Yarra views are within reach of the average punter, provided they order wisely. Chinese is one of the most ancient and varied cuisines in the world, yet it often gets oversimplified in Australia.
Everything here is Halal, which means you don’t have to hold back on the kafta, lamb cutlets, Lebanese sausages, quail or chicken wings. Of course, there’s some epic falafel and babaganooj action too, and you can even order online for home delivery. George Calombaris’s delicious Greek hangout,Gazi, serves up some delicious Halal food in an awesome CBD setting. Everything except their lamb is certified Halal, so there are some drool-worthy options for both lunch and dinner. Bornga’s menu covers all the Korean BBQ bases and they certainly haven’t scrimped on the chicken options with boneless chicken dishes for days. Get down to Bornja if the thought of boneless fried chicken, sweet soy chicken and sweet chilli chicken tickles your fancy.

Melburnians seeking the indulgence of Sichuan hot pot cooking head to Tan Hot Pot on Bourke Street in the heart of the city. Experience Melbourne’s only duck blood tofu hot pot restaurant, where softly glowing red and yellow lanterns set a moody vibe as you settle in to choose your soup base, ingredients and flavours to appease any appetite. Watch as robot waiters bring your ingredients to the table from Wagyu to fish, seafood, fresh vegetables and noodles; ready for poaching in the aromatic broth, if you are unsure of cooking times check the menu for guidance. Shape your own culinary adventure based on century-old Chinese recipes at Dragon Hot Pot Swanston on Swanston Street. Perhaps Sichuan hot and sour broth tempts with beef, pork or tofu; while the more adventurous may opt for chicken feet, or offal to add to silky collagen bone broth. There are four levels of heat to choose from, and a vast array of add-ins to pimp your hot pot — including beef slices, house-made lobster balls, enoki, pork belly, braised short rib and sweet potato noodles.
A vast selection of ingredients, slick branding and Mandopop hits mean Dragon Hot Pot is busy around the clock, but its powerfully beefy soups, a drawcard for some, will not be for everyone. It’s also one of the more expensive options for one-person hotpot – bring a friend and share if you’re feeling the pinch. In this exercise, we’ve plucked out five of the city’s most impressive hot pots. Wrangle a crew – you’ll generally want at least four – and prepare to get a little messy (and smelly – good smelly) at one of Melbourne’s best. If you're still hunting city gems, try hitting up our favourite Korean BBQ joints or test your spice levels with Melbourne's hottest dishes.

This modern take on the classic Italian trattoria has a primo pizza offering and an all-weather rooftop terrace overlooking Chapel Street. Drunken chicken and deep-fried ice cream for dessert, of course. If we can make our finished product look as good as these guys do, we'll be coming back here to stock our freezers till the end of time. Madina Halal Meats have yummo recipes for their customers like spinach pies and kebab fingers. These guys offer everything from steaks to skewers, party catering and every marinade under the sun.
The broth comes in four spice levels, but even the mild option packs a punch. Many Melbournians would argue that the Shanghainese one at David’s is among the best and we tend to agree. From juicy xiao long bao soup dumplings and chicken ribs to Peking duck and pork belly bites, everything is made fresh and the attention to quality sings. Gorge on as many housemade pork buns, bao and forkfuls of veggie-loaded fried rice as you can manage, and then wash it all down with a frosty Tsingtao or a pot of premium Iron Buddha oolong tea. There’s white chocolate dumplings for dessert, and your vego mates won’t be left hungry; an optional plant-based yum cha menu is on hand. The cost ranges from $58 to $78 per head, depending on which banquet you choose.

Despite only opening in 2023, Thai Baan has been acclaimed as one  of the most authentic Thai Restaurants Melbourne offers. We’re never going to turn down a big bowl of ramen, and Shujinko doesn't turn away a late-night customer. Slurp up the salty, savoury goodness of proper Tonkotsu pork broth around the clock.