Best Dumplings in Melbourne For a Steamy Food Fix

We're a long way from the street stalls of Shanghai and tea halls of Hong Kong, yet dumplings have become as much a part of Melbourne’s food DNA as pasta, flat whites and smashed avocado-on-toast. What we love about them is their infinite variety – they’re equally delicious steamed, fried, boiled or swimming in a cold-busting soup. 

Whether you prefer formal and fancy or BYO at a simple but bustling hole-in-the-wall diner, we’ve handpicked the very best dumpling restaurants in Melbourne for your next Friday night dinner date.

Eat Pierogi Make Love

Infamous Melbourne food truck Pierogi Pierogi now has a permanent spot in Brunswick East, Eat Pierogi Make Love. This spicy joint is serving up delish Polish dumplings, pierogi, and they're extremely delicious. Get a plate of their traditional pierogi ruskie (potato and cheese), or try out their vegan options. Come here with your significant other and laugh over Polish dumplings and sip on wine, it's the perfect dinner date!

161 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Oriental Teahouse 

An authentic Chinese teahouse reimagined for modern times, Oriental Teahouse has two locations serving up some of the best dumplings in Melbourne, balancing authenticity and creativity. On the menu? Classics such as siu mai dumplings are ready to be devoured, alongside more unique parcels stuffed with chilli wagyu beef, or even white chocolate!

378 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

455 Chapel Street, South Yarra 

RuYi Modern Chinese

Combining award-winning interior design with authentic, artfully-plated cuisine, RuYi is relaxed fine dining at its best - and one of Melbourne's most popular modern Chinese restaurants since its conception in 2013. Tucked away in a quintessential Melbourne laneway, the menu here aims to transport you beyond these city streets, to a modern China.

Each menu item has been chosen from a unique regional or provincial recipe and adapted to meet the tastes and desires of Melburnians' palates - and some of their most popular dishes are the bounty of juicy dumplings on offer. Whether you like them vegetarian and steamed, as soup bursting xiao long baos, or pork and chive and pan-fried, these are some of the most carefully considered and best tasting dumplings in Melbourne, every time. 

Ground Floor, 16 Liverpool Street, Melbourne 

New Shanghai

If you’re looking for the most authentic Chinese restaurant in Melbourne look no further than New Shanghai. It offers a variety of Chinese cuisine from the Shanghai region, with over 200 delicious dishes to try, including 10 different dumplings! From the quintessential pork and cabbage, through to prawn and fish varieties, and a unique lamb and leek combination, you simply can't go wrong - and you'll need to visit countless times to try them all. These dumplings in Melbourne Central are the perfect pre-or-post shopping fuel. 

Melbourne Central, Level 3, Latrobe and Swanston Streets, Melbourne

Lu Yang Dumpling House

You know you've found some of the best dumplings in Melbourne when you rock up to the restaurant and they have minimal signage and haven't put tremendous amounts of effort into the interior design. That's exactly the case with Lu Yang Dumpling House, but don't let their minimalistic appearance fool you - their dumplings taste incredible. Here, they focus on no BS, truly authentic food. Get a couple of bowls piled with different dumpling fillings to share with friends for a cheap and delicious dinner out.

617 Station Street, Box Hill

Yulongfu

While Yulongfu is famous for its delicious steamed buns, you also need to allow space on the table for one more dish; their truffle xiao long bao. Specialising in Cantonese and Sichuan dishes, you're guaranteed a good feed from the moment you step inside of their restaurant. Run don't walk - these are some of the most indulgent soup dumplings in Melbourne. 

136 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Juicy Bao

Juicy Bao is one of Chinatown's most popular haunts; and for good reason. They're dishing up some of the best dumplings in Melbourne, not just in flavour but in variety and price point. It's the perfect location for a friendly mid-week dinner, where you can tuck into pork wontons in chilli oil, pan-fried pork, wombok and chive dumplings, and their signature authentic Shanghainese xiao long bao. The only question you need to ask yourself is 'how many dumplings is too many?' Our answer: there's no so thing! 

178 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Golden Dragon Palace

Relax and enjoy a wide selection of dim sum and delectable homemade dumplings at this need-to-know stalwart in Templestowe. A truly traditional yum cha trolley experience awaits at Golden Dragon Palace,  as do the abundance of traditional Shanghainese dumplings you can greedily leap at from the table. Bring your appetite and a big group of friends or family. 

363 Manningham Road, Templestowe 

Bowl Bowl Dumpling

Inspired by the tastes of Sichuan cuisine, Bowl Bowl Dumpling offerings are as legit as they come (even if their dining room is far sleeker than your average dumpling joint). Plump, juicy and handmade, there are multiple varieties to dig into, from classic pork and chive to soup-filled xiao long bao and spicy wontons. The menu stretches well beyond dumplings with plenty of noodles, stir-fries and rice dishes to suit every craving. 

88 Smith Street, Collingwood

Chotto Motto

In true Collingwood style, Chotto Motto’s presence is felt long before your food hits the table. Rocking some serious curb appeal, its standout building on Wellington Street oozes retro charm. Specialising in Japanese gyoza, these parcels of pan-fried perfection are made daily. Supercharge your plate and pick your dipping sauce – the Yuzu Ponzu is a must!

287 Wellington Street, Collingwood

Supernormal

While you've probably heard about this CBD foodie hotspot's infamous New England Lobster roll, what you may not know is that Supernormal's dumplings are equally as epic. Asian fusion at finest, you can expect the perfect dough to filling ratio here. For a classic combo, their prawn and chicken dumplings served with a punchy chilli & vinegar sauce will tantalise every tastebud.

180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Gong De Lin

Vegetarians, these are some of the best dumplings in Melbourne - and they're all for you! Gong De Lin is veggie heaven, where every dish served is plant-based and the dumplings are top notch flavour bundles. All served up in a minimalist space with booths and wooden décor, a plant-based dumpling date here is a must. All you need to do is choose steamed or pan-fried, or grab a serving of each. Their signature chilli wontons are also magically delicious. 

3/264 Swanston Street, Melbourne 

Din Tai Fung

This Taiwanese chain is famed for their xiao long bao – delicate dumplings in a paper-thin case, with a hot burst of steaming, flavourful soup within. They’re made by mixing the pork filling with gelatinised stock, so that when steamed, the inside releases a wonderfully fragrant broth. Approach with caution though, as these pockets of gold have burnt many unsuspecting tongues. To be honest, it's totally worth it though.

Emporium, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

ShanDong Mama

Is there anyone you’d trust to make delicious dumplings more than mama? This cheerful diner’s namesake hails from a fishing village in China, so it’s fitting that their fragrant mackerel, ginger and chive dumplings are the stuff of legend. ShanDong Mama is known for veering from stock-standard fillings, offering lamb, calamari and even a vegan number with zucchini, tofu and wood ear mushrooms. The mackerel filled one's are a must try.

Mid City, 7/200 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Dumpling King

Head to Box Hill for yum cha, noodles and Chinese classics in this bustling restaurant with a side modern, cheerful décor. Dumpling King does what it says on the tin; they've gone ahead and mastered the art of dumplings. Settle in for a serving or three of pan-fried Beijing pork dumplings and Shanghai pork wontons in chilli oil, steamed prawn and even chicken too. Nom nom. These are some of the best dumplings in Melbourne's East. 

572 Station Street, Box Hill

Shanghai Street

There seems to be a Shanghai Street on every second block in the CBD these days, but here’s a secret: the pint-sized branch on Little Bourke (number 342) is still the best. Every item on the menu’s a winner, but you can’t go wrong with classic pan-fried pork and chive dumplings. Golden and crispy on the bottom but perilously juicy inside, they’re a prime target for those snaking lunch hour queues.

342 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

146/148 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

303-305 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

HuTong

When you’re not just after a quick plate to smash and go, head to HuTong in the heart of Chinatown. The best seats in the house are in front of the glass-walled kitchen, where you can watch on as chefs skillfully fold pork wontons, prawn crystal dumplings and fluffy buns filled with veg. With so much variety on offer, you’ll want to settle in for the long haul – good thing they do BYO. Plus, they've opened up a second location in Prahan, so if you prefer to stick to the eastern suburbs, you can enjoy HuTong there, too!

14-16 Market Lane, Melbourne

1/162 Commercial Rd, Prahran

David’s

Here you’ll find what’s a rare commodity at most dumpling joints – a light, airy dining space and elbow room, to be specific. These luxuries don’t mean the food isn’t legit though. Roll up with a crowd to David's for their all-you-can-eat yum cha sessions, where bottomless crispy prawn wontons, soupy xiao long bao and even Peking duck dumplings call your name. Their evening menu is inspired by the cuisine from Zhouzhuang, a rural town in Shanghai. Usually reserved for Shanghai locals, David's brings an authentic taste of the Chinese city to Melbourne.

4 Cecil Place, Prahran

One Noodle Friendship

Noodles are in the name but dumplings are the game at this tiny, no-frills diner. If you’re not fussed about comfy chairs or chirpy service, head to this neighbourhood darling, One Noodle Frienship, for fast and flavourful comfort food. The eye-catching veggie dumplings deserve special mention, their wrappers dyed green with a shock of spinach juice, encasing tofu, spring onion and vermicelli.

417-419 High Street, Preston

Borsch, Vodka & Tears

You’ve been to Borsch, Vodka & Tears for the collection of 100 vodkas, now come back for the pierogi, which are pan-fried Polish dumplings filled with ingredients like porcini mushroom and sauerkraut or cheese and potato, fried with sour cream, beetroot and caramelised onion. Knock back a plate or two with a glass of Piasecki quince and you’re in Eastern European heaven.

173 Chapel Street, Windsor

Momo Shop

A must-try Nepalese dumpling in Melbourne, Momo Shop offers classic homestyle Nepalese momo, handmade from scratch using the freshest local ingredients. Nepal's favourite snack food, settle in for a combination of unique flavours particular to the Eastern Himalayan region from where these bundles of joy originate. There are five varieties to choose from, including vegie (with fresh tofu, cabbage, carrot, red onion, ginger, coriander and house spices), mushroom, chicken, pork and even free-range brisket. Freshly made, juicy and bursting with flavour, they're best served with Momo Shop's homemade tomato achar sauce poured all over the top of them. Trust us, you'll devour them all in seconds. 

68 Poath Road, Hughesdale 

Eaten your way through the best dumplings in Melbourne and keen to continue the foodie adventures? Work your way through our roundup of Melbourne's best Thai and Japanese restaurants for more flavourful feasts or take a trip to the Mediterranean and check out our favourite Italian and Greek joints around the city.