🧭 GTA Eats: Hot Pot, Cool Vibes – Why Chinese-Style Hot Pot Is Taking Over the GTA

From Markham to downtown Toronto, Chinese-style hot pot is taking over the GTA — blending bold flavour, community dining, and cultural tradition in every swirl.

May 24, 2025 Tiana Editorial, Restaurants & Bars 0

Hot Pot, Cool Vibes - Why Chinese-Style Hot Pot Is Taking Over the GTA — A vibrant Chinese-style hot pot setup featuring spicy Sichuan broth, fresh vegetables, shrimp, noodles, tofu, and dipping sauces — the perfect GTA night out.

🥢 Dip, Swirl, Savour: The Magic of Hot Pot

In Toronto, Scarborough, Mississauga, and Richmond Hill, diners are gathering around bubbling broths, dipping thin-sliced meats, tofu, seafood, and veggies into communal pots. Hot pot, a centuries-old Chinese dining tradition, has become one of the GTA’s favourite food rituals — and it’s more than a meal, it’s a full-on flavour experience.

With customizable soup bases, à la carte ingredient menus, and build-your-own dipping sauces, hot pot is interactive, delicious, and made for sharing.

📍 Where to Get Your Hot Pot Fix

Here are the top verified spots turning up the heat in the GTA:

🔥 Liuyishou Hotpot

📍 254 Spadina Ave, Toronto
📍 4188 Finch Ave E, Scarborough
📍 650 Hwy 7 #102, Richmond Hill
An internationally recognized brand serving spicy Sichuan-style broth with everything from wagyu beef to lotus root, Liuyishou is a go-to for both traditionalists and adventurous foodies.

🐑 Happy Lamb Hot Pot

📍 421 Dundas St W, Toronto
📍 2543 Warden Ave, Scarborough
📍 1100 Burnhamthorpe Rd W #17, Mississauga
Known for its rich bone broths, tender lamb slices, and family-friendly atmosphere, Happy Lamb is perfect for both first-timers and hot pot lovers.

🥢 Morals Village Hot Pot

📍 436 Dundas St W, 2nd Floor, Toronto
📍 1177 Central Pkwy W #2, Mississauga
A buffet-style hotspot offering dozens of meat, seafood, and veggie options — all to be dunked in your choice of spicy, herbal, or mushroom broth.

🔥 Where Food Meets Culture

Hot pot’s rising popularity is driven by a generation of diners seeking not just a meal, but an experience. It’s ideal for group celebrations, first dates, or weekend hangouts — and it’s proudly rooted in Chinese culinary culture.

With East and Southeast Asian communities thriving across the GTA, the rise of hot pot reflects more than a trend — it reflects pride, heritage, and a growing appetite for authenticity.

📍GTA Eats: Food, Flavour and Culture is your weekly guide to the rich culinary tapestry of the Greater Toronto Area. Published every Saturday in GTA Weekly.

About Tiana 30 Articles

Tiana Squire is a multi-talented contributor to GTA Weekly, where she leads coverage of leisure, tourism, and food culture across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. She is the author of several weekly series including Jet Set Weekly, GTA Eats, and Weekend Vibes, offering readers curated guides to festivals, local dining, global destinations, and family-friendly fun. With a passion for storytelling and a flair for finding the best experiences near and far, Tiana brings a fresh, vibrant voice to the pages of GTA Weekly. She can be reached at tiana.squire@gtaweekly.ca.