Hot pot is cook-it-yourself dining at its most fun. A steaming pot of broth (sometimes with chilli oil) sits in the centre of your table. Then it’s up to you: drop in sliced meats, seafood, noodles and vegetables, and watch the magic happen over a lazy couple of hours. It’s a communal meal best enjoyed with four or more people, and definitely not one to rush.
1. Bull Hot Pot – Rivonia
Set on a rooftop in Rivonia Village Shopping Centre, Bull Hot Pot is a family-run spot specialising in Chaoshan-style Chinese hot pot. It’s known for premium ingredients – especially the beef – and for helping newcomers get into the rhythm of this interactive way of eating.
DIY dining: Pick your broth, then dive in with thinly sliced meats, seafood, handmade noodles and fresh vegetables. You can order a set menu for structure or mix and match to your stomach’s content. Lunch specials are perfect for first-timers.
What to try: Wagyu slices and marinated beef are stars, but don’t skip crab roe buns, cuttlefish balls, shrimp paste, mushrooms and leafy greens. The DIY sauce station is part of the fun – follow the house suggestions, ask for guidance, or mix your own.
Ambience: Deep red interiors, circular booths and suspended ring lights make this space feel lively and theatrical. VIP rooms are available for special occasions.
Explore the neighbourhood: Rivonia, Sandton’s “unofficial Chinatown,” has Oriental City and a cluster of Asian grocers and restaurants nearby.
Open: Mon – Sun from 11:00 – 21:00
Where: Rivonia Village Shopping Centre, Rivonia Blvd and Mutual Rd, Sandton
Contact: +27 10 101 1309
2. Surasang – Parkhurst
On Parkhurst’s bustling 4th Avenue, Surasang is a go-to for Korean comfort food – including Korean BBQ – and well-executed hot pot. It comes highly recommended by Nick Hamman of Hammy Eats.
What to try: The Korean Fried Chicken is a must – “crispy, sticky, sweet-spicy umami heaven,” as Hamman puts it. The hot pot is a gently simmering broth filled with sliced meats, tofu, noodles and vegetables. Cook at the table and adjust flavours as you go. And if you’re in the mood for grill action, the Korean BBQ menu delivers.
Ambience: Clean, contemporary interiors give a relaxed, casual feel – great for a leisurely meal or a quick bite.
Explore the neighbourhood: 4th Avenue in Parkhurst is one of Joburg's most walkable high streets, lined with cafés, ice-cream spots and boutiques. It’s an easy place to spend an afternoon before settling in for dinner.
Open: Tue – Sun from 12:00 – 22:00
Where: 38 4th Ave, Parkhurst
Contact: +27 65 737 4266
3. Chong Qing Hotpot – Cyrildene
One of Joburg’s most talked-about hot pot spots, Chong Qing Hotpot in Cyrildene brings the fiery, generous style of Chongqing dining to the city.
The deal: A pot of bubbling broth sits over a gas burner at your table. Pick from sliced meats, vegetables, noodles and more traditional options like ox liver or duck blood, and cook them as you go. Half-and-half broth (beef broth and chilli oil) is the most popular choice, and the picture menu makes ordering simple.
Tips for first-timers: Go slowly, order in rounds and keep a cold drink – or a Tsingtao beer – close at hand. Things can get spicy.
Ambience: Busy, unfussy, full of energy, with an outdoor terrace and a festive Chinatown atmosphere during special occasions. Staff are on hand to guide newcomers.
Explore the neighbourhood: Cyrildene is home to Joburg’s largest Chinatown, full of bakeries, bubble tea spots, supermarkets and family-run restaurants. It’s one of the city’s most distinctive food precincts.
Open: Mon, Wed – Fri from 11:00 – 14:00 and 15:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun from 11:00 – 15:00 and 16:00 – 21:00
Where: 28, 22 Janelea St, Cyrildene
Contact: +27 83 554 3054
Watch an interview with Nick Hamman and Chong Qing Hotpot manager, Michael Wang:
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