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Hands shaping a fresh dumpling wrapper on a floured bench

Our Story

Northern Chinese Cooking,
Made by Hand

Houhai Dumpling House brings Beijing-style dumplings and home-style northern Chinese dishes to Queens Parade, Clifton Hill. Every wrapper is rolled by hand. Every filling is made fresh.

What We Are

A Neighbourhood Spot with Northern Chinese Roots

Houhai Dumpling House specialises in the food of northern China: dumplings with thick, hand-rolled skins, cold appetisers seasoned the old way, and noodle dishes built on fermented depth.

Houhai Dumpling House sits at 470 Queens Parade in Clifton Hill, a short walk from the tram and easy to reach from Fitzroy, Northcote, and the inner north. The restaurant is casual and comfortable. Houhai Dumpling House serves the kind of meal you return to regularly, not just for a special occasion.

The menu at Houhai Dumpling House stays focused. Fewer dishes, done properly. Beijing cooking does not rely on heavy sauces or flashy presentation. It relies on good technique, quality ingredients, and a respect for the original recipe.

A plate of freshly cooked Chinese dumplings ready to serve
A cook rolling dumpling dough by hand in a Chinese kitchen

The Craft

Why Handmade Wrappers Matter

Houhai Dumpling House rolls every dumpling wrapper by hand. A machine-pressed wrapper is thinner and more uniform, but it lacks the slight variation in thickness that gives a hand-rolled skin its texture. The edges are thinner so they seal cleanly. The centre is thicker so it holds the filling without splitting.

That difference matters most when the dumpling hits the pan or the steamer. A hand-rolled skin absorbs seasoning from the filling as it cooks. It stays intact through the fold, the heat, and the bite. Houhai Dumpling House uses this method because the result is genuinely better, not just traditional.

See the Dumplings on the Menu

How Houhai Dumpling House Cooks

Three Things That Drive the Kitchen

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Made Fresh, Every Day

Houhai Dumpling House prepares fillings and rolls wrappers daily. Nothing is made in bulk and frozen ahead. The texture and flavour of a fresh dumpling is different from a pre-made one, and Houhai Dumpling House keeps it that way.

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Beijing-Style Flavour

Houhai Dumpling House draws on the cooking traditions of northern China. That means soy bean paste in the noodles, proper marinating in the cold dishes, and seasoning that does not rely on sugar or heavy oil. The food tastes like Beijing.

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Options for Everyone

Houhai Dumpling House offers a genuine range of vegetarian dishes. The fried vegetarian spring roll and the marinated black fungus with onion are two of the most ordered items on the menu, by vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Crispy golden fried vegetarian spring rolls on a white plate
Marinated black fungus with onion, a northern Chinese cold dish

The Menu at a Glance

What Houhai Dumpling House Is Known For

Regulars come back for the same dishes, again and again. These four have become the calling cards of Houhai Dumpling House.

  • Fried Vegetarian Spring Roll Crisp shell, generous vegetable filling. A perennial favourite.
  • Marinated Black Fungus with Onion A northern Chinese cold dish. Earthy, bright, and properly seasoned.
  • Noodle with Pork and Soy Bean Paste Beijing's most loved noodle dish, made the way it should be.
  • Fried Rice with Egg and Spring Onion Simple, well-seasoned, and always satisfying.
View the Full Menu

Plan Your Visit

Where to Find Houhai Dumpling House

Address

470 Queens Parade
Clifton Hill VIC 3068
Australia

Opening Hours

MondayClosed
Tuesday5:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Wednesday – Sunday11:30 am – 9:30 pm

Phone

+61 3 9482 6555
Get Directions
A tree-lined Melbourne neighbourhood street near Clifton Hill

Come in and eat.

Houhai Dumpling House is open Tuesday through Sunday. Call ahead or just walk in.

+61 3 9482 6555 View Menu