Best Bao in Melbourne
The best bao in Melbourne right now is Hanbaobao (score 65 from 758 reviews), based on 15 venues re-ranked weekly.
Where locals actually go for bao in Melbourne — not just what tops a Google search.
● Updated September 2026 · re-verified 15 venues this month
🔄 Re-ranked 2026-09-08: no moves since 2026-09-02 — the current order held steady.
The verdict: the best bao in Melbourne right now is Hanbaobao in CBD (4.5 stars across 758 Google reviews), ahead of Rice Paper Scissors, Supernormal. That call comes from Google review strength across 15 ranked venues — no pay-to-rank, updated September 2026.
The numbers: 15 venues ranked · 28,510 Google reviews analysed · median rating 4.5★ · #1 leads the field by 40 ranking points. Updated September 2026.
| 🏆 Top pick | Hanbaobao (CBD) |
| 💸 Best cheap eat | ShanDong MaMa Mini |
| 📊 Most reviewed | Supernormal (5,271 reviews) |
| 📍 Venues ranked | 15 across 1 suburbs |
| Venue | Suburb | Price | Rating | Known for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Hanbaobao | CBD | — | 4.5★ | — |
| #2 | Rice Paper Scissors | CBD | $$ | 4.5★ | — |
| #3 | Supernormal | CBD | $$$ | 4.5★ | — |
| #4 | ShanDong MaMa Mini | CBD | $ | 4.6★ | — |
| #5 | Kiss & Tell | CBD | — | 4.6★ | — |
You've tried 0/15
#1 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 234B Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the Original Crispy Chicken Thigh; the popcorn chicken is the sleeper hit.
★ 4.5 (758 reviews) on Google Maps · website
#2 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 15 Hardware Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.5 (3,558 reviews) on Google Maps · website
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · dish praised in 1 of 5 recent Google reviews
#3 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 180 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the lobster roll; the Korean rice cakes are delicious.
★ 4.5 (5,271 reviews) on Google Maps · website
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best · confirmed on the menu
#4 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 5 Centre Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the Spanish mackerel dumplings; they are the signature pot stickers.
★ 4.6 (980 reviews) on Google Maps
Why it ranks: 1 community mention · 1× called the best
#5 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 Level 1/37-41 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.6 (750 reviews) on Google Maps · website
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#6 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 473 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the salted egg pork bun and prawn sweet corn dumplings.
★ 4.5 (149 reviews) on Google Maps
#7 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 Ground Floor, 16 Liverpool St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.5 (696 reviews) on Google Maps
#8 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 162-168 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Order dumplings and curries; pad thai and pork belly finish strong.
★ 4.7 (4,712 reviews) on Google Maps · website
#9 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 319 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.4 (925 reviews) on Google Maps
#10 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 348 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.7 (2,535 reviews) on Google Maps · website
#11 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 23 Oliver Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.6 (2,670 reviews) on Google Maps · website
#12 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 22 Sutherland St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.7 (774 reviews) on Google Maps · website
#13 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 35 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.5 (3,327 reviews) on Google Maps · website
#14 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 136 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
★ 4.5 (832 reviews) on Google Maps · website
#15 of 15 bao spots in Melbourne
📍 198 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
🍴 What to order: Get the dumplings; they're fresh, tasty, and the best you'll ever eat.
★ 4.5 (573 reviews) on Google Maps
Common bao questions in Melbourne
What's the best budget bao in Melbourne?
ShanDong MaMa Mini is the top-ranked budget ($) option in CBD — #4 overall for bao.
Where's the best bao in Melbourne for a special occasion?
Rice Paper Scissors ($$ price tier) is the highest-ranked venue worth the splurge, in CBD.
What's the best vegetarian-friendly bao in Melbourne?
Kiss & Tell is the highest-ranked venue with confirmed vegan options, in CBD.
Where can I get gluten-free bao in Melbourne?
Yum Sing House Restaurant is the highest-ranked venue with confirmed gluten-free options, in CBD.
Keep exploring: Related: 🍣 best sushi in Melbourne · 🥟 best dumplings in Melbourne · 🍗 best fried chicken in Melbourne · 🥖 best bánh mì in Melbourne. Bao elsewhere: Sydney · Brisbane · Perth · Adelaide. By suburb: best in CBD. Q&A: your bao questions answered. Nationally: best bao in Australia, 14 cities compared. Also: head-to-head: the top two compared. See the data report.
How we rank
We machine-scan the community discussions (Reddit threads and food guides in the search index) for each venue's name, then blend: community mentions 70% (mentions ×10, 'the best' superlatives ×6, normalised) + Google review strength 30% (rating above a 3.8 baseline, weighted by review volume). Global fast-food and dessert franchises are excluded. This page is auto-mined; flagship pages get hand curation on top.
Frequently asked
What is the best bao in Melbourne?
Hanbaobao currently ranks #1 for bao in Melbourne with 4.5 stars across 758 Google reviews.
What is the best cheap bao in Melbourne?
ShanDong MaMa Mini is the highest-ranked budget option in CBD.
Where is the best bao in the Melbourne CBD?
Hanbaobao is the top-ranked bao spot in the CBD (234B Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia).
How does BestDish rank bao in Melbourne?
Venues are scored by blending community mentions from local discussions with Google review strength (rating above a 3.8 baseline, weighted by review volume). Global chains are excluded.