Is There A Yum Cha Restaurant In Melbourne?

Yum Cha is as varied as the items found in those bamboo baskets that are carried by trolleys, and it can be customised to fit any situation the diner deems appropriate. If you're looking for Yum Cha, Melbourne has you covered.

Pork buns that are fluffy. Wrapped in fried tofu skin, pork. Tenderloin of beef Dumplings with prawns These are the classic dishes of any decent yum cha. Stalk our favourite Melbourne trolley spots, assemble your pals, and feast on countless steamed, fried, and roasted meals while sipping your favourite tea (or wine).

A quick, grab-and-go meal during the workday? a sophisticated event with first-rate ingredients and impeccable service? An unpleasant hangover and a Sunday stroll that begs for tea and dim sum? No matter what your plans are, this list of the best Yum Cha in Melbourne will help you stay on course because it offers enough variety to satisfy everyone when the trollies roll.

Yum cha is a special type of cuisine where an entire meal is made up of at least a few different appetisers. It's frequently dumpling-heavy, but you can order anything from your prefered special rice to spicy barramundi, depending on the menu.

Melbourne offers a number of excellent yum cha establishments. As a result, we've compiled a list of the finest yum cha in Melbourne for 2021:

The Best Yum Cha Restaurants In Melbourne

All the steamed pastries can eat, including egg tarts, dumplings, and buns! Bring your ravenous pals and eat at one of Melbourne's best Yum Cha restaurants.

Oriental Teahouse

As evidence of how well-liked this yum cha restaurant is among Melburnians, Oriental Teahouse has expanded from its original Chapel Street, South Yarra, location.

Modern and traditional cuisine are combined at Oriental Teahouse, and kids will feel right at home in their hip restaurants and enjoy the extensive menu of dumplings.

The group dinners offered by Oriental Teahouse are a fantastic alternative. For $120, a family of four can enjoy lunch and try nine different dishes. Lunch is delivered on trolleys and Yum Cha is open all day.

After finishing renovations in 2020, Oriental Tea House is open once more serving its tea-powered yum cha. This restaurant serves traditional Chinese food with a modern Melbourne flair. You can find all of your favourite dim sum between Tuesday and Saturday, along with speciality teas ranging from oolong to gunpowder.

If you'd rather, replenish your pot with raspberry mojitos. Don't be put off by the unusual flavours of the dumplings, like white chocolate, wagyu beef with a chilli glaze, and roast duck dyed with beetroot. They're going to blow you away.

The Yum Cha experience is reduced to its essentials at Oriental Teahouse: bite-sized portions of delectable food served with a pot of expertly brewed Chinese tea.

Oriental Teahouse has grown to two separate locations, each with a slightly different aesthetic, but both continue to be the go-to Yum Cha spots in Melbourne.

These guys aren't afraid to experiment with white chocolate dumplings; they include all of the fundamental flavours you've come to love in the ideal dumpling.

Location: 378 Little Collins St, Melbourne and 455 Chapel St, South Yarra

Tim Ho Wan

A must-visit yum cha restaurant in Melbourne is Tim Ho Wan, which has a Michelin star and is incredibly well-liked. Chinese dim sum experts Mak Kwai Pui and Leung Fai Keung are well known, which may help to explain why they won the Best Restaurant in Asia award in 2015.

They serve exceptional yum cha to Melbourne's discerning patrons using only the best ingredients, and they are masters at making Chinese pork buns.

Due to its excellent Yum Cha service, Tim Ho Wan, which is located on Bourke Street in Melbourne's central business district (next to Chinatown), is very well-liked by families, particularly on weekends.

All day long, delicious cha is offered from the menu. The kids will enjoy choosing their own since there are no mobile carts at this establishment, but you do get a print menu with photographs to cross off what you want.

Location: 206 Bourke St, Melbourne

Dragon Boat Chinatown

This well-known Chinese restaurant in Melbourne's Chinatown provides delicious yum cha every day of the week and is a favourite family destination. Dim Sims is produced fresh on-site daily at Dragon Boat, and yum cha is served on trolleys from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It's a lot of fun for the kids since they get to choose what they want. There is also plenty of space for prams.

Location: 203 Lt. Bourke Street, Chinatown

Westlake Restaurant

Another prominent Chinese place that is quite well-liked by families is West Lake. It is a sizable restaurant that serves food from two levels, and it is frequently quite busy, which makes the atmosphere lively.

Large and well-known in Melbourne, this Chinese restaurant serves outstanding yum cha off the cart until five o'clock (order off the menu during other hours).

An authentic yum cha experience can be had in West Lake. It stays open until very late every day of the week.

Location: 189 Little Bourke St, Melbourne

New Shanghai

An exciting and modern Chinese eatery with a great atmosphere is called New Shanghai. This Yum Cha substitute is especially well-liked by families because of its convenient location in Melbourne's main shopping areas.

One of New Shanghai's most well-known attractions is the Dumpling Theatre. Families can unwind while watching the skilled chefs make and cook authentic Shanghai dumplings, which is great fun for the little foodies. Another yum cha establishment without trolleys is this one; customers make purchases from a paper menu.

Location: Emporium, Lonsdale St, Melbourne and Chadstone Shopping Centre

Red Emperor

When it comes to location, it's challenging to beat this. Red Emperor is an excellent stop for families travelling to Melbourne for the day because of its convenient location on the lovely Southbank with views of the Yarra River and its close proximity to other attractions.

Excellent food is served at Red Emperor, which also has a beautiful backdrop and white tablecloths. The finest ingredients are used to make the MSG-free, MSG-free dumplings that are prepared here.

Yum cha is offered every day of the week, and during lunchtime, you can place your order from a trolley.

Location: Level 2, Southgate Restaurant & Shopping Precinct, Southbank

David’s

Under David's paper lights and white walls walls, some of Melbourne's best Yum Cha is served every weekend. Forget the anxious time delay for such starters; as soon as your buttocks touch the stool, the baskets are brought directly from the kitchen to the table.

Every dish is a tribute to decades of simple, fresh cooking that was developed in riverside cottages in agrarian Shanghai and served to you, steaming basket until all you have left is a smile and a faint "I'm full already."

Location: 4 Cecil Place, Prahran, VIC 3181

Spice Temple

The sincere make the journey from the periphery of the empire to meet under this serene temple to the adoration of flavour. The renowned restaurateur Neil Perry's Spice Temple draws cuisine ideas from China's less well-known provincial provinces and serves them to you one delectable mouthful at a time.

Since there are no trolleys, this version of Yum Cha is more upscale; everything is bought à la carte, and the service is top-notch.

Located in: Crown Melbourne

Location: 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006

Secret Kitchen Chinatown

The Secret Kitchen's rolling carts are seen in action on a daily basis during lunchtime. The city's Chinatown is home to the premier diner, one among four, but the massive fish tank that welcomes potential customers greatly muffles the noise of the busy streets.

If you intend to savour the variety of fish, Secret Kitchen's claim that it has Melbourne's biggest fresh fish aquarium will probably hold your lunch.

You can count on the boys in the kitchen to launch an authentic, direct attack on your taste buds with their combined fifty years of Chinese food experience.

Location: 222 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Flower Drum Restaurant Melbourne

Your taste buds will be lit up like it should be Chinese New Year thanks to the Flower Drum, which is a graceful and traditional dance in China.

With a flexible menu that adjusts with the months of the season and an ideology that requires the highest quality ingredients and a fine balance of flavours, The Flower Drum's diverse banquet offerings have rightfully staked their assertion as one of Melbourne's best Yum Cha.

The chef's 5-course special dinner with paired wines, which is the pinnacle, will cost you a pretty penny, but it's guaranteed to be a food and drinks encounter you are unlikely to forget.

Location: 17 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Silks

Every weekday lunchtime, Silks, The Crown's on-site fine-dining Chinese restaurant, provides a few of Melbourne's best Yum Cha. This isn't your pretty standard gorge yourself to the point of exhaustion feeding frenzy. Silks offer a classier viewpoint on the Yum Cha encounter.

A $50 meal includes congee or noodles, a drink, and three premium dishes (a popular choice is the magnificent lobster, ginger, and green onion dumpling). You will be satisfied despite the fact that it isn't the least expensive in town.

Location: Crown Melbourne, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006

Din Tai Fung

Before moving south just next to Melbourne Central Station in 2015 to demonstrate curious Melburnians what the entire fuss was about, DTF developed a cult-like following in Sydney. The wait turned out to be worthwhile.

You can leave the waiting room and receive a buzzer notification when it's your turn to take one of the 235 seats in the dining room, so don't worry; these people have more than just the art of making dumplings down to a science.

The most opulent yum cha in the Melbourne CBD may be Din Tai Fung.

You might not anticipate finding excellent yum cha in a mall. However, the dumplings at the Emporium are among the best in the entire world. Leave those large shopping bags at home and refuel with a satisfying meal.

Yum cha at Din Tai Fung is quite the spectacle. In the open kitchen, you can watch the chefs folding dumplings at breakneck speed. Give the xiao long bao a shot. These soup-filled packages are tasty.

Location: Emporium Shopping Centre, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Lucky Chan Restaurant

Another Crown resident, Lucky Chan, is among the more opulent places. They mix some of the greatest Yum Cha in Melbourne with a fantastic à la carte menu of Cantonese cuisine that specialises in live fishes.

At dinner and lunch, carts laden with Lucky Chan's delectable Dim Sum delights meander past the tables, one basket at a time, supplementing or replacing one of the restaurant's renowned main courses.

Location: Crown Melbourne, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006

HuTong

While there isn't a single HuTong locations in Melbourne is a traditional Yum Cha, your worries will disappear as soon as a bowl of Xiao-Long-Bao slides under your nose.

Whatever method you choose to enjoy these translucent packages of bliss, remember that they (along with other HuTong specialities like pan-fried pork dumplings and chilli wontons) are largely responsible for spreading the dumpling bug throughout Melbourne.

HuTong sets the bar high, even though there are many other Yum Cha restaurants in Melbourne that serve comparable dishes well.

Location: 14-16 Market Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000

Gold Leaf Chinese Restaurant

The Golf Leaf's carts move quickly and offer a variety of options, from traditional dumpling favourites to XO-sauce-drenched experiments that will keep you on your toes.

The Gold Leaf is a dependable representation of the traditional Yum Cha experience, which is characterised by rapid and raucous activity. Drop a few baskets, down some tea, and then get back on track.

Location: 10-11 Star Cres, Docklands VIC 3008

The Potsticker

The Potsticker's daily Yum Cha menu, which combines Malaysian and Chinese cuisine, features an astounding variety of dim sum (with a bit of Japanese influence thrown in for great measure).

Dietary restrictions are moot in the vicinity of the automated cherry blossom tree that prevails, well, the entire restaurant; the vast selection offers something for everyone, vegan and food allergies alike.

Location: 58 Hawthorn Rd, Caulfield North VIC 3161

Golden Dragon Palace

The cuisine at Golden Dragon Palace is consistently rated as some of Melbourne's best Yum Cha. Under the chandeliers and elaborate made of wood dragon sculptures that influence the ornately decorated restaurant, well-dressed and efficient staff members are in charge of trolleys filled with bamboo baskets.

Despite its enormous size, it's a smart idea to make a reservation for the daily midday meal because it might fill up quickly. Make room for the mango pancakes and be on the look out for scallop dumplings.

Location: 363 Manningham Rd, Templestowe VIC 3107

Tao Tao House

Small details frequently make an otherwise ordinary dining experience extraordinary. If the comfortable purple chairs, the helpful staff, and the lavish Chinese decor don't entice you, the surprises tucked away under the bamboo lids will.

The variety may not be as extensive as at some other Melbourne Yum Cha spots, but you can be sure that whatever comes out of the kitchen of owner and seasoned chef Jason Au is in a league of its own.

Location: 815 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122

East Imperial

Cha waited beneath the stony glare of the numerous life-sized terracotta army posted between the exquisitely decorated settings of the East Imperial.

You can anticipate a high-end experience when the trolleys arrive for daily Yum Cha. In this instance, The East Imperial has successfully combined efficient trolley service with a leisurely lunch in a calming and genuine setting.

Location: 323 Rathdowne St, Carlton VIC 3053

Shark Fin Inn

Since the 1980s, the Shark Fin Inn, which is close to Parliament House, has been a mainstay among Melbourne restaurants offering the best Yum Cha. It serves Cantonese cuisine of the finest quality. For a good reason—their food is excellent—its long-standing reputation as a barrio top pick has withstood fierce competition.

You should be able to tell that you're in for a treat by looking at the building's rich red exterior, octogonal windows, and alluring phosphorescent mark over the main entrance.

Location: 50 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Crystal Jade Restaurant

Yum Cha is served during lunchtime at Crystal Jade, a restaurant in Melbourne's Chinatown with three seats per day, as shown below.

The Wok Fried Snow Crab in French Foie Gras Pate, a refreshing change from the usual Dim Sum options, continues to set this Melbourne Yum Cha joint apart from the competition.

Anyone interested in trying some of the more unusual combinations on the menu—a real local favourite—will find the staff happy to assist and encourage them.

Available Seatings: 11:15am -12:15pm, 12:30pm – 1:30pm, and 1:30pm – 2:30pm

Location: 154 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000