Dumplings are beloved in Melbourne and enjoyed in various styles. Our list of the best dumpling restaurants includes fine dining options, hidden gems and old favourites.
LessTea and dumplings, what could be better? Oriental Teahouse is the perfect spot if you’re looking for some of the best Asian food in Melbourne and a pot of steaming hot tea, all in an authentic Chinese teahouse atmosphere. The teahouse hosts an array of sweet and savoury dumplings, but some notable favourites are the signature white chocolate dumplings, ginger prawn dumplings, roast duck with Peking sauce dumplings, and the flame thrower pulled pork with slices of pork belly.
If you’re looking for Melbourne’s best dumplings we recommend you check out HuTong’s Dumpling Bar in the CBD. We love this spot because they offer authentic home-style dishes that will make your taste buds melt, with favourites of ours including prawn, boiled pork, spinach, pan-fried, crab meat, mushroom, duck meat and just about everything else on the menu!
Japanese dumplings, handmade, daily. At Chotto Motto, enjoy all the best that Japan has to offer. We’re talking food, drinks, vibes and the ideal dose of Japanese culture to transport you to the stress of Japan without having to leave Melbourne. We recommend the pork dumplings (obviously) with crispy chilli oil, miso butter braised greens with crispy garlic capsicum and the chocolate mochi brownie for dessert. They also sell some of their signature ingredients and a few cute accessories.
For Chinese cuisine about as authentic as it comes, look no further than Juicy Bao. While these guys specialise in steamed, juicy bao, they also have a great variety of noodles and seafood on their menu, like their Shanghai fried noodles and salt and pepper squid. The steamed vegetable and mushroom bao is our top pick, and, accompanied by Chinese tea and unpretentious vibes, we couldn’t think of a better way to enjoy a delicious feed.
Capturing the elegance, luxury and flavours of Shanghai, this Melbourne restaurant is a tribute to the delicacy of traditional Chinese food. The star of the show here is the legendary xiao long bao, which comes in six varieties and fusions. Once you taste the delicious sweetness of the soup broth and the freshness of pork filling, we guarantee you will be coming back for more.
If you’re a bonafide fan, then another great place to check out for some of the best dumplings in Melbourne is Shanghai Street. Since 2010 Shanghai Street has been offering a unique taste of traditional Chinese food and culture. Try their homemade favourites with pork, beef, chicken and prawn, as vegetarian and tasty Kung pao chicken.
Since its opening in 2008, Din Tai Fung has earned a reputation for pumping out some of the best dumplings Melbourne has to offer. Expanding up to ten venues across Melbourne and Sydney, the delicately crafted parcels are just one of the appeals at Din Tai Fung. Try all the different variations like black truffle pork, shrimp and pork and the popular xiao long boa.
Mr Huang Jin specialises in making some of Melbourne's most delicious Taiwanese-style dumplings. Located near Southern Cross Station, the popular hotspot serves up fried and steamed dumplings that melt in your mouth. Everything from seafood to pork and vegetarian options is available, but try the steamed laksa xiao long boa for an explosion of flavour in your mouth.
Supernormal combines all the things you love about Asian cuisine with influences from Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul and Hong Kong. What really stands out on the menu though is the delicious and tantalising dumplings, they’re so good owner Andrew McConnell once told The Guardian they serve 2000 per day! We recommend you try the prawn and chicken parcels with chilli and vinegar sauce, vegetable dumplings with spiced ginger vinegar and Szechuan pork favourites with sweet soy and chilli sauce.
RuYi Modern Chinese is the perfect spot for tasty dumplings in Melbourne and is the winner of the 2017 best Chinese in Melbourne award. You can’t go wrong if you want delicious pan-fried, boiled and steamed goodies. Some of our favourite dishes include the soup bursting pork and crab xiao long boa, pan-fried pork and chive dumpling, and steamed vegetarian with fresh spinach, mushroom and vermicelli.
The mother-and-daughter-run ShanDong MaMa is serving up some killer dumplings in Melbourne CBD. Located in a tucked away arcade, ShanDong MaMa offers an array of delicious and unique dumplings like sea urchin, the bold black dumplings made from squid ink, tasty vegetarian zucchini and perhaps the most popular and hyped-about Spanish mackerel dumplings.
Offering a fresh, contemporary take, Immi Dumpling bar in Mordialloc delivers delicious Chinese cooking with a relaxed, fusion vibe, both in the food and the interior of the trendy space. Known for its laid-back attitude and local wine list, it’s the perfect spot to meet with mates while you devour boiled dumplings, dumpling soups, pan-fired dumplings, wonton, yum cha, bao along with noodles and stir fry.