Cold weather, warm weather, hot pot holds a special place in the hearts of many. The act of communal dining and interactivity that it brings is something seldom found with other dishes.
Across town, you'll find different takes on the genre, from traditional Chinese Sichuan-style broths to Cambodian interpretations as well as some seriously beloved Thai variations.
Here's where to find the best hot pot in Melbourne for 2023:
Dragon Hot Pot
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
After a recipe that's been honed for years, Dragon Hot Pot and its various outposts around town consistently serve up some of the best hot pot in Melbourne. It's a deep menu but you can't miss, be it a signature bowl or going the DIY route, both ensure a hefty mix of meat, seafood and vegetables swimming in a hearty broth with an optional spice level that ranges from mild to the namesake 'dragon hot'.
Cambodia's Kitchen
CBD
Entering Cambodia's Kitchen right on Swanston Street you'll discover Kuy Teav, a noodle and broth soup made from pork bones and aromatics such as coriander, a mainstay breakfast in Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh in the country's south.
Housed in a very sizable bowl the slow-cooked broth rice noodles dance seamlessly with sliced pork as well as pork liver, heart and stomach—a nutritional serving of everything needed for the day of work ahead.
Nana Thai Hot Pot & BBQ
CBD
With lines out the door, Nana Thai Hot Pot & BBQ has shaken its former clandestine car park location for a simple shopfront on Bourke Street.
Now notorious in Melbourne, there's a lot happening on Nana's menu, the option to grill-your-own meat is a popular go-to and plates swing in with all manners of chicken and pork, but the hot-pot is the star and is a serious download of familiar Thai flavours of fish sauce, lime and chilli.
Panda Hot Pot
CARNEGIE/CARLTON
Located in Carlton and Carnegie, both Panda Hot Pot venues are visually stunning, with backdrops of intricately decorated ceilings, ornamental tables, and even a suspended dragon on entry (in Carlton).
Their signature Sichuan spicy soup is a good place to start; simmered for over 12 hours with a secret spice blend straight from Sichuan, you can then toss in countless additions like their thinly sliced premium beef, pureed prawns or fresh veggies.
Soi 38
CBD
With plastic red and blue tables, framed prints licked with the spicy oil that permeates the room, and steaming bowls of soup, Soi 38 is an all-sense experience. Housed next to a ticket machine inside a CBD car park, it became an instant Melbourne classic.
Lunch is the time to go for hot pot where a slew of different soups from spicy chicken to the famed Tom Yum encircle the restaurant.
Haidilao Hot Pot
VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Originating in Jianyang back in 1994, the Haidilao experience is second to none. An unsurprising inclusion in the best hot spot in Melbourne list, their accommodating service excels in both those experienced and unfamiliar with hot pot, with wait staff patiently guiding you through the ordering process. You can hand-stretched noodles at the table or opt for one of the many broth options off the menu and even go DIY.
Check out more of the best in Melbourne: