Melbourne boasts some of the best Yum Cha experiences in the whole of Australia. These restaurants serve a variety of nuanced dumplings and dishes that are intricately crafted to suit your every culinary desire.
Over at Spice Temple, the flavoursome dishes attract visitors from all ends of Australia. Mind you, with a renowned chef like Neil Perry at the helm, it’s popularity is not surprising.
It takes its inspiration from the underrated Chinese provinces and serves their culinary excellence to you, one dish at a time. These dishes are ordered via an a la carte menu and the service is also top notch.
David’s Restaurant is definitely a strong contender amongst the best yum cha restaurants in Melbourne.
The white interior of David’s, complete with paper lamps presents a minimalistic, slender environment to enjoy some Yum Cha! The baskets flow promptly to the table as soon as you are sat down.
It is an all-you-can eat style menu and each dish is influenced by generations of gorgeous cuisine crafted in rural Shanghai. You will be served each steaming basket with a smile until you are happily fed.
Also at Shop L2-2003, 619 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster, VIC 3108 Ph: (03) 9840 2248
Secret Kitchen’s trolleys roll out every day during lunchtime sittings. The hustle and bustle of the busy Chinatown streets is drowned out by the phenomenal fish tank that is on display.
It boasts itself as one of the most extensive live seafood aquariums in the whole of Melbourne and so you probably shouldn’t get too attached to any fish that you see!
This Yum Cha spot has fifty years of culinary experience and you can therefore expect to experience the most authentic, taste experience at this restaurant.
This restaurant isn’t your standard eatery. It’s culinary excellence comes at a price but for $50, you will receive a choice of three exquisite dishes including lobster, ginger & green onion dumplings alongside noodles or congee.
It may not be the most inexpensive option on this list, but you’ll most definitely continue your day feeling more than satisfied, knowing that you’ve just filled your stomach full of fresh and nutritious food.
This restaurant has built a cult-following for a reason. You may have to queue to get in but it is well worth any wait. You will be given a buzzer that will alert you to when there is seating available. Don’t be put off. Here, dumpling making truly is an art form.
It’s popularity speaks for itself and their dumplings are a taste sensation that you won’t forget in a hurry.
The flower drum is well known as an ancient Chinese dance and your tastebuds will undoubtedly be jiving once you have experienced the Melbournian version.
Their protein menu alternates seasonally and they only use the utmost freshest ingredients to achieve the intricate balance of flavours contained within each dish. Moreover, their Yum Cha banquets have made their mark as some of the best in the city.
They also come accompanied with matching wines. It may be a more expensive Yum Cha restaurant, but it promises to be an experience that you’ll never forget!
The Lucky Chan is undoubtedly a decadent option. They offer exquisite Yum Cha options alongside an incredible Cantonese menu that includes live seafood.
The trolleys are heavily laden with Dim Sum dishes that can either be a wholesome addition to a main course or easily be eaten as a whole meal.
This Yum Cha restaurant is located within the Builders Arms Hotel and there is an undoubtable juxtaposition between the hotel’s name and the intricate delicacies on offer here!
The head chef, Archan Chan, crafts beautifully modernised versions of traditional dishes including Peking duck spring rolls. The staff do not serve the dishes on trolleys and opt to serve you by hand.
They are also more than willing to encourage those who are more hesitant about their more experimental dishes.
Editor’s Note: We have been informed that Ricky & Pinky’s has closed. We will let you know if they pop up somewhere else.
HuTong may not serve traditional Yum Cha options but all of your hesitancy will soon be lost when you try a basket of their Xiao-Long-Bao. These heavenly parcels contain pan fried pork, chilli wonton and dumplings and will be sure to satisfy your dumpling-cravings.
The flavour of these parcels sets this restaurant apart as they are intricately crafted with a delicate balance of spiced meat.
Location: 10-11 Star Cres, Docklands, VIC 3008 Ph: (03) 96701128 Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm & 6pm-10pm, Sat 11:30am-3:30pm & 6pm-10pm, Sun 11am-3pm & 6pm-10pm
These trolleys roll out at an incredible pace and serve food ranging from traditional dumplings to more experimental options that come dripping in XO sauce. The Gold Leaf experience is a prominent example of the busy Yum Cha dining experience.
It is perfect for a weekday lunch hour, enabling you to sit back whilst indulging in their copious baskets and wash it down with some refreshing Chinese tea before returning to the day’s graft.
We are off to the wilds of Caulfield North for the next of our best yum cha restaurants in Melbourne.
This restaurant amalgamates Malaysian and Chinese cuisine (as well as Japanese culinary influences). It boasts an incredible selection of dim sum as part of their Yum Cha daily menu.
There are also a wide range of options for vegetarians and those with a gluten intolerance making this a wholesome and inclusive venue for gatherings of family and friends.
Location: South Yarra, 455 Chapel Street, South Yarra VIC 3141 Opening Hours: Sun-Thu 10:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10:30am-11pm
This teahouse delivers small parcels of delicious food coupled with exquisitely brewed Chinese tea. It boasts two locations across Melbourne and each takes an alternate approach to serving it’s Yum Cha.
You’ll undoubtedly find all of the quintessential flavours in both restaurants and this is the perfect location for immaculately crafted dumplings including a white chocolate option. You’d be a fool to miss out.
If you find yourself in Templestowe, check out Golden Dragon Palace. This restaurant is well known for serving some of the finest Yum Cha in the whole of Melbourne. The food is exquisitely well presented and the trolleys are packed with bamboo baskets.
In addition, the decor here is quite something. The restaurant is features ornate dragon’s as well as jaw-dropping chandeliers. Their scallop dumplings are highly recommended, as are their drool-inspiring mango pancakes for dessert.
This is definitely not one to miss but book ahead for lunchtime sittings to avoid unnecessary disappointment!
Chow down within this immaculately designed venue that boasts life-sized stone warriors that gaze at you whilst you eat.
This is a certainly unique experience. However, the East Imperial has definitely found the right balance between the Yum Cha trolley-tradition and providing an atmospheric environment with plenty to look at while you sample their exquisite food.
Impress your friends and please your family with the Magic Dumpling Maker Kit. These easy-to-use dumpling molds are great to get the kids helping in the kitchen. And, of course, you can also use them to make gyozas, empanadas, ravioli and more.
This restaurant is located near Parliament House and has been serving the highest standard of Cantonese food since the 1980s. It is renowned as a local favourite and has lasted for a long time for a very specific reason; it’s food is incredible.
The deep red windows and wonderfully nuanced fluorescent sign is just a small indication to the kind of authentic experience that is on offer at the Shark Fin Inn! This restaurant is one of the best Yum Cha restaurants in Australia, let alone Melbourne.
Over in Balaclava, the Commune Group has opened a stylish Chinese restaurant in an absolute stunner of a building.
With a menu that leans towards Cantonese fare, this Art Deco beauty now serves yum cha every Saturday and Sunday as a very appealing lunch option.
For $60pp, you get to choose 8 delectable dishes from a list that currently carries 18. And with some many favourites, from Roast Duck Pancake with Peach Hoisin to Crystal Prawn Dumpling with Fermented Chilli, deciding on a mere 8 is a tough call!
In a very civilised move, the team at Moonhouse can also rustle up you a Breakfast Martini Carafe or, for $35pp, there’s Bottomless Booze in the form of bubble, wine or beer.
All in all, it sounds like a must-try yum cha lunch experience to us.
Few dining spots tick as many boxes as SHU restaurant.
SHU is a pretty exciting addition to this list of the best yum cha restaurants in Melbourne. For whilst the core of the business is modern vegan Sichuan cuisine, served across to different plant-based degustation menus, they also do a fabulous Sunday Yum Cha.
For a budget-friendly $55pp (+$45 for drinks as well) you get to eat as much food as you can put away from across 10 vegan dishes. And if you think vegan yum cha doesn’t sound all that inspiring, what about a dish of Chilled Spinach Noodles Dan Dan Style? Or maybe Plant Prawn with Sticky Rice Pockets. Tempting or what?
To conclude, Melbourne has a wide variety of Yum Cha restaurants that either serve their dishes traditionally using trolleys and bamboo baskets or by hand.
You will find the right location to suit your requirements in the list above, whether you are seeking an ambient, calm atmosphere or somewhere to indulge in a speedy and hearty lunch. The taste sensation of these Asian-Australian restaurants awaits you.
When it comes to great places to eat in Australia, the list really is endless. There are so many different restaurants, cafés, and chains to try that you really are spoiled for choice. From Italian food, to Japanese food, to a good ‘ole rump steak, the food options are endless.
This is why I decided to set up my blog, Eatability, to share the best food and drink spots in Australia with as many people as possible. Hi, my name is Dylan Cole, and I moved to Australia five years ago from England, UK.
Through this blog, I will be sharing and recommending some of my favorite places you need to visit, such as where to find the best pizza in Adelaide, and the best bakery in Brisbane. Whatever food you are fancying, I have got you covered!
