Unique Restaurants in Melbourne

There are six bases and a selection of lamb cuts and platters, along with a range of handmade seafood balls and pastes. There are a handful of Korean hotpots, but the most popular are budae jjigae and jeongol. There are countless varieties of jjigae, but budae jjigae, aka army stew, is usually served over a flame.
Thankfully, Melbourne’s all-you-can-eat dining offerings have come a long way since then. Forget buffets with sad, limp salads and lukewarm bain-marie monstrosities. Today you’ll discover Brazilian barbecue with high-quality cuts, fresh seafood bars slinging hotpot melbourne bottomless oysters, lobster and A-grade sashimi, great value Sri Lankan and Indian vego feasts, and  glitzy hotel banquets. We’ve rounded up the best spots where you can go back for seconds, thirds, fourths – and fifths, if you dare – without judgement.

That's a mountain of meaty pork spines in tangy, aromatic broth with loads of lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime. This was my first experience with hotpot - the soup was delicious and extremely flavourful with hints of star ansie and black cardammon, which the receptive staff regularly top up. The ingredients are ordered separately but arrive extremely promptly. I would highly recommend the lamb balls and hand pulled noodles. Also of importance is that this is one of very few halal hot pot options. The only true downside is that it can get quite pricey, in a group of 5 we split approximately $45 each.
The dark, red-lit interior feels like it’s straight out of a Wong Kar Wai film. Complex flavours define its Sichuan hotpot, assorted grilled seafood dishes and steamed and braised meats. This stall in Box Hill has got cooked meat, entrees and vegetable dishes pre-packaged in takeaway containers, ready for you to grab and take to work or reheat at home.

They run a bottomless brunch every Saturday and Sunday, which includes free-flowing mimosas and prosecco, mimosas, Moscato, and spritz to go with a brunch item of your choice. Melbourne’s best dinner buffet is a toss-up between The Langham’s Melba and its arch-rival, Crown’s Conservatory. First touching down in Melbourne in December 2019, Panda Hot Pot is quickly becoming the go-to destination for this traditional Chinese cuisine. What stands out about this place is the truly spectacular meats they use, which are some of the highest-grade, tender stuff you can't get on the market.
King Hotpot offers a different approach to your hotpot experience! The concept behind King Hotpot is a mix of traditional hotpot and “sushi train” giving you instant access to the freshest ingredients for your dish. Then try Sofia Levin's top picks for a Thai food feast in Melbourne. It's as close as you’ll get to the bustle of Bangkok’s night markets and northeast Thailand’s fermented flavours without leaving the city.
Regardless, the food was good, service was fast, and it was located very close to Parliament station . Base flavours include seafood, mushroom and spicy (and they're not kidding when they say spicy!). You can add a range of meats and seafood ingredients from tendon and tripe to pork and wagyu beef. One of the great modern innovations of Chinese fast casual dining, malatang, or ‘hot numbing soup’ has at last taken root in Melbourne’s increasingly detailed regional Chinese food scene. Malatang is an abridged take on classic Sichuan hot pot, streamlined into a single bowl for the solo diner. A favourable price point and a  high vegetable content also make it a good call for any night you don’t want to cook.

Classics like slice beef and pork are available, though hot potters are free to experiment with the likes of ox tripe and duck blood. Product Description Stone-coated hot pot and Large, non-stick Teppanyaki Grill cooks a variety of meats, fish, vegetables, and more to perfection The latest trend from Asia - a combination of BBQ and hot pot! Product Description Stone-coated hot pot and a large non-stick Teppanyaki Grill that can cook a variety of meats, fish, vegetables, and more to perfection. The latest trend from Asia - a combination of BBQ and hot pot! Product Description Stone coated hot pot and Large, non-stick Teppanyaki Grill cooks a variety of meats, fish, vegetables and more to perfection The latest trend from Asia - a combination of BBQ and hot pot!
Perhaps Sichuan hot and sour broth tempts with beef; while the more adventurous opt for chicken feet, or offal to add to silky collagen bone broth. You’ve probably walked past Panda Hot Pot’s huge wooden doors and couldn’t resist snapping a pic or two. After taking over the old Dracula’s site in 2019, Panda has made its mark on Melbourne with its authentic Sichuan menu and free nightly entertainment.

Round out your feast with some classic snacks — maybe some fried rice cakes or prawn dumplings — and a few crisp Tsingtao brews ($8.80) or local wines to calm any lingering spice. Red plastic stools and steel tables imported from Thailand are scattered around the space to emulate the country’s street-food scene. Or just keep your eyes peeled on the restaurant’s Instagram – Mint usually lets followers know when there are no queues. There’s something singularly satisfying about huddling over a piping hot bowl of noodle soup, slurping spicy stock from a plastic ladle as the endlessly rising steam opens up your airways and pores. Dragon Hot Pot on Russell Street offers that experience, plus the chance to shape your own culinary adventure. We're talking fine bone china and 24-karat gold-rimmed teapots, plus a massive selection of scones, jams, cream, preserves, finger sandwiches and just-one-more desserts.