One of the most fun ways to enjoy a group meal is with a hot pot (actually, it's fun for just a couple, or even a solo diner). You get to cook meats, vegetables, noodles, and more in a simmering bowl of broth right at your table. This Chinese-inspired favorite is available at several top New York spots. Read on for our top five picks for the best hot pots in New York City.
Best of NYC Hot Pot: Ding Szechuan and Hot Pot Restaurant (Midtown West)
Everything on Ding’s menu is worth your while, especially the specialty Szechuan selection. The Ding gourmet offerings are perfect for anyone looking for a little bit of a spicy kick, as is the spicy dried pot. If you're craving something a little more classic, beef, chicken, seafood, combo… they’ve got it all. The final kicker? Ding is right in the heart of Times Square, so you can slurp down your dinner right near the middle of everything. 234 W. 48th St., 212-265-0828, dingtimesquare.com
Best of NYC Hot Pot: Hou Yi Hot Pot (Lower East Side)
Hou Yi offers all-you-can-eat hot pot, and you can split the broth to satisfy your party’s needs. The broths at this establishment tend to be on the spicier side, so it’s not just the vegetarians who might want a split pot if you’ve got both the adventurous and the faint-of-heart at your table. The broth at Hou Yi Hot Pot is anything but bland, making it a local favorite. Best of all? Drinks and ice cream desserts are included in the price! Additional location in East Village. 92 Hester St., 212-966-3420
Best of NYC Hot Pot: Shabu-Tatsu East Village (East Village)
If Japanese is the name of the game for you, then make sure you don’t miss out on Shabu-Tatsu in the East Village. This establishment is open every night of the week, as well as for lunches on the weekends. This is excellent news because it’s never a bad time for some shabu-shabu. Try the melt-in-your-mouth rib-eye beef, some authentic mocha wrapped bean curd, or the free-range chicken hot pot. The combinations are limitless, and you’ll wish your appetite were too. 216 E. 10th St., 212-477-2972, shabutatsu.com
Best of NYC Hot Pot: Hometown Hotpot & BBQ (Little Italy)
You can’t go wrong at Hometown Hot Pot. You have the option of large communal hot pot or individual hot pots to suit everyone’s flavor preferences. All-you-can-eat is what you’re looking at here, and the options include Chinese herbal or Kimchi broths, meats ranging from beef to pork to dried squid, a huge array of vegetable choices, and staple foods like vegetable dumplings, udon noodles, and white rice. Order some sides if you’re still feeling hungry—spring rolls, dumplings, and mussels are all on the menu too. 194 Grand St., 212-219-8833, hometownhotpot.com
Best of NYC Hot Pot: 99 Favor Taste (Lower East Side)
At 99 Favor Taste, quality is not compromised for price. Open from 11am until 2am seven days a week, there’s no way you can’t fit this restaurant into your packed schedule. Better yet, if you come on your birthday, you eat for free—including dessert. 99 Favor Taste wants you to have the best meal possible, and that means you don’t have to limit yourself to hot pot or barbeque. You can get both, and you can get it limitlessly. Still not sold? There’s also a sauce bar, so you can mix and match until you’ve discovered the perfect taste. Additional locations in Brooklyn and Queens. 285 Grand St., 646-682-9162, 99favortaste.com
