Even during the sweltering summer months, we Hong Kongers crave hotpot. It’s the ideal leisurely meal for sharing with family and friends, chatting and bonding as the soup simmers in the centre of the table. There are plenty of broth options, from fiery Sichuan and Taiwanese to more sedate Cantonese, and we love them all. We also adore all the creative meat, seafood, and vegetable dippers and sauces that complete the hotpot experience.
Hong Kong’s diverse hotpot scene has something to suit every palate, so dive into Foodie’s guide to the ultimate hotpot restaurants in the city.
The best hotpot restaurants in Hong Kong
Megan’s Kitchen
Well known for almost two decades for its innovative soup bases made with fresh, top-notch ingredients, Megan’s Kitchen is a long-time Bib Gourmand recipient. More off-piste signatures include the tomato and crab soup in soufflé finish, which includes a whole fresh flower crab, and the Thai-Italian fusion tom yum koong cappuccino. Each year, the Cantonese restaurant unleashes a brand-new hotpot series, and now it’s South Korea’s turn. New broths include the galbitang soup with Korean short rib and radish and Korean kimchi rice cake tofu soup, complemented by dippers including handmade Korean meatballs and dumplings and Hanwoo beef.
Megan’s Kitchen, 5/F, Lucky Centre, 165–171 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai, 2866 8305, WhatsApp 6424 5786, book here
Haidilao
This is mainland China’s largest hotpot chain, opened in Sichuan province in 1994 and now operating over 1,000 locations in China and around 100 outposts around the world. Haidilao offers many soup base varieties, from the classic pork tripe and chicken soup to a chilli-laden pepper-flavoured soup, as well as dozens of dipping sauces at their self-service condiment bar. On top of the high-quality food, the hotpot chain is equally famed for its service. To make customers feel pampered whilst waiting in the long queues, Haidilao provides complimentary manicures, free snacks and drinks, and small toy gifts for kids. Once seated, we’re always entertained by the dramatic noodle-pulling demos, mask-changing performances, and robot servers. If you’re celebrating a birthday at Haidilao, you’ll get the rock-star treatment (though keep the news to yourself if you’re easily embarrassed).
Haidilao, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Market Hotpot
If you’re looking for a down-to-earth hotpot option, Market Hotpot is the place for you. The wet-market interior design features meat and seafood stalls, and the fit-out of the restaurant is minimal, with big, round tables covered by sheets of plastic and red-capped bulbs dangling from the ceiling. The fragrant chicken and fish maw soup is the go-to order here, adored by locals for its thick, collagen-rich texture. Market Hotpot is consistent with its quality control, hand-selecting its fresh ingredients every day.
Market Hotpot, 8/F, H8, 8 Hau Fook Street, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 2782 2003, book here
Coucou Hotpot • Tea Break
A hip brand from Taiwan, Coucou has shaken things up by combining hotpot with bubble tea. The chain is beloved for its comfortable, stylish surrounds and attentive service. We recommend ordering one of Coucou’s great-value set menus, which include a double broth – perhaps twinning the signature Taiwanese-style spicy broth with the coconut with chicken broth – choice of meat, seafood platter, vegetables, meatballs (the penguin-shaped cuttlefish balls are too cute), and staple items (the fried dough sticks are a guilty pleasure). You can ask for unlimited refills of the spicy tofu and duck blood added to the soup, if that’s your thing,
Coucou Hotpot • Tea Break, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Lau Haa Hot Pot Restaurant
With its nostalgic 1970s vibe, retro Lau Haa has gained notoriety for its vibrant neon sign on Lockhart Road, reading 樓下火鍋飯店 (underground hotpot restaurant). The basement eatery, decked out like a vintage dai pai dong, is very spacious. Showcasing over 20 soup bases, the seafood is particularly recommended. Lau Haa has lots of dipping options for the adventurous eaters amongst us, be that drunken pig brain, ox throat, chicken heart, or beef stomach. On the more traditional side, we rate the comforting fried dough sticks with shrimp paste and cuttlefish balls with cheese.
Lau Haa Hot Pot Restaurant, Shop A, B/F & G/F, Block A, Lockhart House, 441 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, 2214 9388, book here
Wulao
Wulao is another acclaimed Taiwanese hotpot brand that’s made a splash in Hong Kong, opening branches on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon. Chinese medicinal herbs are used to craft Wulao’s two signature soup bases – creamy white soup made with chicken and pork bones and spicy soup – which imparts a unique sweetness; order a twin pot to savour the pair. The chain’s moreish “breaded” tofu is added to each pot, and you can top up on this and the duck blood as many times as you fancy.
Wulao, 5/F, V POINT, 18 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 2633 3586, book here
Wulao, Shop 703, 7/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2699 3168, book here
Big JJ Seafood Hotpot
Known as one of Hong Kong’s hardest-to-snag bookings, Big JJ serves up hotpot in the evenings (lunchtime is reserved for local rice and noodle plates) to raucous groups. This cult-fave eatery, opened at the beginning of the pandemic, has an unbeatably friendly vibe, styled after a dai pai dong. Go for the signature pot with pork bone, knuckle, and clam or black chicken, coconut, and goji and be sure to pre-order (one day in advance) the freshly slaughtered castrated local yellow beef, sublime in texture and flavour.
Big JJ Seafood Hotpot, G/F, Wo On Building, 9 Wo On Lane, Central, 2388 6982, WhatsApp 9725 9926, book here
Big Boil’s Club (North Point)
This hotpot restaurant themed after the Qing Dynasty allows patrons to dine in a palace-like atmosphere in North Point, mimicking royal meals from more than 200 years ago. Big Boil’s Club’s ingredients are as luxurious as the decor and tableware. For the soup base, the chicken and fish maw soup and clam soup are the standouts. Also recommended are the handmade meatballs and salted egg yolk fish skin. Big Boil’s Club is a spot for wowing with hotpot.
Big Boil’s Club, Shop 116–125, 1/F, Marble Garden, 33 Marble Road, North Point, 2331 3838, WhatsApp 6557 6704, book here
Panyin Shabu
A hotpot top list can’t be complete without a mention of shabu-shabu, the Japanese version of hotpot. Our shabu-shabu gold-medal winner is Panyin Shabu in Causeway Bay. Set in a relaxed, modern space, we always enjoy the quality, good-value shabu-shabu here. Our go-to order is the classic Kanto-style sukiyaki soup for clean, pure flavours or the yuzu pepper soup for a bit of a kick. The Japanese A4 Black Wagyu is a must for dunking.
Panyin Shabu, Shop 6–7, G/F, Dandenong Mansion, 379–389 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, 9882 3061, book here
Victorian Era
Home-grown Victorian Era is a sleek 1950s-style hotpot restaurant with branches in Causeway Bay, Jordan, and Tsuen Wan that’s been an Instagram darling from the get-go. The pots and accompanying dishes are garnished with fresh flowers, setting Victorian Era apart with its beautiful presentation. The eatery’s soup bases are seriously inventive, from the seafood in sake broth with gold foil to the squab and Yunnan mushroom soup. In terms of dippers, the seasonal fresh fish sashimi, Japanese A5 Wagyu chuck, and colourful rainbow dumplings are highlights.
Victorian Era, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Chaotianmen Hot Pot
Established Chongqing hotpot restaurant Chaotianmen – one of China’s top 10 hotpot brands – has recently landed in Hong Kong, opening a grand restaurant smack dab in the heart of Lan Kwai Fong. As elsewhere, we like to order a double pot here for variety, opting for the tomato umami broth and spicy Sichuan broth. The meat showcased at Chaotianmen is utterly supreme in quality, especially the beef neck and A4 Wagyu loin. Each meat, seafood, and vegetable order is presented on ice, to preserve freshness, inside castle-shaped chests.
Chaotianmen, UG/F, California Tower, 30–32 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 9833 0177, book here
Beauty in The Pot
Hailing from Singapore, Beauty in The Pot debuted in Hong Kong as a member of Paradise Group, which also operates Paradise Classic and Paradise Dynasty. This decidedly feminine brand opened their princess-pink shop in Mong Kok in 2019. Before ordering, check out Beauty in The Pot’s fully stocked sauce station and health-conscious drink, salad, hotpot dipper, and dessert buffet selections. Signature bases include the skin-rejuvenating collagen broth and spicy nourishing soup. For hotpot fans with kids in tow, the indoor playground with CCTV should keep the little ones entertained whilst you chow down.
Beauty in The Pot, Shop 803, 8/F, Gala Place, 56 Dundas Street, Mong Kok, 3162 8238, book here
Fall in Thai
If you’re craving something a bit different from the hotpot norm, check out Thai-style hotpot brand Fall in Thai, a stylish Mainland China import that launched in Hong Kong last autumn. Upon first taste, we fell head over heels for the chain’s signature tom yum goong shrimp broth and coconut milk chicken broth, which are tangy, spicy, sweet, aromatic perfection. The service and attention to detail at Fall in Thai are also worthy of mention – all at a reasonable price point.
Fall in Thai, Shop 708, 7/F, Phase I, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin, 2618 0992
Fall in Thai, Shop L514, 5/F, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, 2381 0266
