Restaurant
Flower Drum Restaurant Melbourne
17 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Find Flower Drum Restaurant Melbourne
17 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Directions ↗*Opening hours may differ during holidays.
Book NowAbout Flower Drum Restaurant Melbourne
Tucked off Market Lane, this red-carpeted room remains Melbourne’s benchmark for classical Cantonese dining. The floor runs on old-school craft—servers navigating a book-length menu carve crisp Peking duck right at the table. Regulars return for marine rarities rarely tracked down elsewhere, from stir-fried pearl meat to live-tank sea scallops tossed with XO sauce. Midday service shifts to yum cha, turning out dumplings and braised noodles ordered individually by the piece alongside pours from a deep cellar.
- Tableside Peking Duck: Waitstaff carve crisp roast duck and fold warm pancakes right at the table.
- Rare Marine Delicacies: The kitchen sources hard-to-find delicacies, pairing stir-fried pearl meat and live-tank scallops with house XO sauce.
- Per-Piece Dim Sum: Midday dim sum skips fixed multi-item baskets so guests can select dumplings and rolls individually by the piece.
- Milestone Banquets: Attentive, seasoned service and an extensive cellar list anchor milestone family gatherings in an elegant red-carpeted setting.
What's On at Flower Drum Restaurant Melbourne
Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.
No events or specials listed right now.
Why Dine at Flower Drum
Melbourne’s gold standard for classical Cantonese dining, flawless hospitality, and unforgettable celebrations—reserve your table now.
Tableside Culinary Theater
Guests experience classical Cantonese dining rituals brought directly to the table, including signature Peking duck carved and wrapped before their eyes.
Peking duck skin so crispy and pancakes made table side.
Allyssa Judd Timeless Old-World Dining Room
The iconic dining space immerses guests in classic luxury, framed by plush red carpets, warm illumination, and traditional artwork that elevate every course.
The atmosphere is elegant and timeless, featuring plush red carpeting, warm lighting, and traditional Chinese artwork lining the walls, creating a dining room that feels both luxurious and inviting.
Peter Lac Rare Delicacies and Live-Tank Seafood
The kitchen sets a premier benchmark by sourcing uncommon marine delicacies, preparing live-tank sea scallops in punchy XO sauce alongside delicate pearl meat.
For the main I had the sea scallops from the live tank with XO sauce, and wow wow wow, truly I’ve never had scallops like that before, they were so good and I felt like I was eating them straight from the sea.
Niki Vasiliadis Tailored Per-Piece Dim Sum Service
Lunchtime dining is uniquely flexible, allowing guests to sample elite dim sum ordered individually by the piece rather than standard multi-piece baskets.
What makes Flower Drum particularly good and unique for yum cha is many dim sum dishes can be ordered by piece, instead of by serving each comprising three to four pieces.
Paul Ng Effortless Milestone Hosting
Milestone birthdays and family gatherings receive thoughtful, attentive coordination from veteran staff who ensure every celebration feels seamless.
Had the most beautiful lunch at Flower Drum celebrating Mum’s birthday, and it truly exceeded all expectations.
Natalie Melbourne's Benchmark to Impress
When hosting visiting guests, clients, or family, Flower Drum delivers the uncompromising culinary standard and reputation needed to leave an enduring impression.
This is not your everyday restaurant, but a special occasion spot to impress the family or out-of-town guests or simply treat yourself.
Allan Smith
Most popular items
Signature Cantonese specialties and rare marine delicacies prepared with classic technique.
Peking Duck
my Peking duck was prepared at the table with a few quick manoeuvres by the expert waiter. It’s practically performance art as you dine - not bad.
Allan Smith Signature Pearl Meat
I started with the pearl meat which is one of their signature dishes. It’s the first time I’ve had pearl meat and it was so good. It’s a mix of a scallop and a lobster in texture and taste. Really good.
Niki Vasiliadis Live Tank Sea Scallops with XO Sauce
For the main I had the sea scallops from the live tank with XO sauce, and wow wow wow, truly I’ve never had scallops like that before, they were so good and I felt like I was eating them straight from the sea.
Niki Vasiliadis Braised E-Fu Noodles
The Braised E-Fu Noodles was a wonderful surprise - it is so difficult to find restaurants offering genuine E-Fu Noodles like what we had here today.
Paul Ng
Other favorites
Desserts, curated pours, and traditional accompaniments that complete the banquet experience.
Fried Ice-Cream
shared the fried ice-cream.
Loo Herschberg Hand-Made Almond Cookies
The hand-made almond cookies were a lovely finish to the meal, particularly alongside the fragrant Chinese tea.
Peter Lac Wines by the Glass
What I found very, very good were the wines by the glass selection including a Gewurztraminer white, a classic with light Chinese dishes.
Christopher Robinson Seafood Fried Rice
Don’t skip on the seafood fried rice, it’s bloody excellent and can be ordered without the black truffle
Niki Vasiliadis
Beyond the menu
From tableside carving rituals to custom dish tailoring, discover the attentive hospitality that elevates every milestone. Reserve your table to experience it firsthand.
Tableside Duck Carving
Dishes are wheeled out on trolleys and Peking duck is expertly carved and wrapped into pancakes directly at the table, turning dinner into a refined tableside ritual.
Per-Piece Dim Sum Selection
During daytime yum cha, guests can order dim sum selections individually by the piece rather than being bound to standard multi-piece baskets.
Anniversary Recognition
Important milestones receive personal touches from the staff, including thoughtful complimentary anniversary desserts to mark celebrations.
Bespoke Dietary Customization
Waitstaff attentively tailor dishes to personal taste and dietary requirements, readily making specific adjustments such as omitting black truffle from fried rice.
Before you head over
Practical guidance to navigate ordering, access, and dietary preferences—book your table in advance for Melbourne's quintessential Cantonese celebration.
Order Lunch Dim Sum by the Piece
During lunchtime yum cha service, Flower Drum allows many dim sum dishes to be ordered individually by the piece rather than in standard three- or four-piece baskets, making it effortless to sample across a wider variety of dumplings and pastries.
Step-Free Access via Internal Lift
While the dining room is situated one level above the ground-floor Chinatown entrance on Market Lane, both stairs and an elevator are available, ensuring smooth step-free access for guests with mobility requirements.
Lean on Staff for Menu and Dietary Tailoring
The restaurant's multi-page menu can feel extensive, but the seasoned waitstaff excel at tailoring courses to individual preferences—including omitting specific ingredients and accommodating food allergies or vegetarian diets with precision.
Explore more places in Melbourne
Find familiar flavours, neighbourhood favourites and somewhere new in Melbourne.
Similar places
More places for the flavours and food you enjoy.
- Mahjong RestaurantSt Kilda · Cantonese, Chinese, Dim Sum, Restaurant
- Tasty HouseForest Hill · Chinese, Cantonese, Hong Kong, Restaurant, Takeaway
- Suzie QPrahran · Chinese, Cantonese, Asian Fusion, Restaurant, Karaoke Bar, Bar
- Pacific Seafood BBQ House South YarraSouth Yarra · Cantonese, Chinese, Restaurant
- Ginseng Modern Asian CuisineFrankston · Chinese, Cantonese, Restaurant, Takeaway
- Shunde Cuisine 寻味顺德Melbourne · Chinese, Cantonese, Restaurant
Discover more in Melbourne
Explore another side of the city's food and drink.
- Sambal KampungMaribyrnong · Malaysian, Restaurant
- G'DAY TIGERCowes · Coffee, Cafe
- Manow ThaiMordialloc · Thai, Restaurant, Takeaway
- The Standard HotelFitzroy
- Papelon MelbourneFootscray · Latin American, Restaurant
- Old Boundary HotelBendigo · Restaurant, Bar, Pub
- Lanterns Viet KitchenClyde North · Takeaway
- Garden Gallery CafeWodonga · Coffee, Cafe, Restaurant
- Shanghai Red ChadstoneChadstone · Chinese, Restaurant
- Pizza LunaMcCrae · Pizza, Restaurant
- Brunetti Oro SwanstonMelbourne · Italian, Cafe
- Thai Eat Restaurant (Doncaster East)Doncaster East · Thai, Restaurant
