Nan Hot Pot (Albany, North Shore City, New Zealand)

Nan Hot Pot in Albany is a viral sensation with authentic Sichuan broths and massive, Instagram-worthy shaved ice desserts. Is it worth the hype? Spicy hotpot? ✅ Giant shaved ice desserts? ✅ Nan Hot Pot in Albany has both! We went for dessert but ended up having a full feast. The broths were packed with flavour, the ingredients fresh, and those desserts? Absolutely massive and totally worth the hype! ✨ #HotpotHeaven #FoodieFinds

Nan Hot Pot might be known for its Sichuan-style hotpot, but let’s be real—the real social media star here is their gigantic, egg-shaped shaved ice desserts. This place took Auckland’s food scene by storm, popping up all over Instagram and TikTok with its over-the-top sweet creations. That alone was enough to convince us to give it a try, but what started as a quick dessert stop turned into a full-blown feast.

First Impressions & Ordering Process

Nan Hot Pot is located in Albany’s newer restaurant block on Oracle Drive. It’s a bit tucked away—if you don’t know where you’re going, you might miss it. Just head up the stairs, walk towards the back, and you’ll find it buzzing with activity.

We didn’t have a booking, but luck was on our side—we managed to get a table despite it being packed. Ordering is done online via QR code, and you settle the bill at the cashier near the kitchen. The self-serve condiment bar offers plenty of options to customise your dipping sauces, which is always a plus at any hotpot spot.

The Hotpot Experience

We went with two soup bases (NZ$20.00):

• Mushroom Soup – Savoury, earthy, and full of umami.
• Spicy Beef Tallow Base – Rich, fiery, and properly numbing—exactly what you’d expect from an authentic Sichuan hotpot.

For ingredients, we picked a good variety:

• Flesh Sliced Snowflake Beef (NZ$18.00) – Beautifully marbled, tender when cooked.
• Raked Tendon (NZ$16.00) – Nice and melt in your mouth.
• Squid (NZ$10.00) – Fresh and bouncy.
• Marinated Quail Eggs (NZ$8.00) – Great for texture.
• Tofu & Dried Bean Skin (NZ$8.00 each) – Soaked up the broth well.
• Enoki Mushrooms (NZ$15.00) – Perfect for hotpot.
• Chinese Cabbage (NZ$6.00) – A must-have veggie.
• Noodles (NZ$8.00) – Always a good addition.

The broths were full of flavour, the ingredients fresh, and the ability to mix and match our own sauces made the meal even better.

The Viral Desserts – Do They Live Up to the Hype?

Absolutely! These are no ordinary shaved ice desserts—they’re beautifully presented, massive, and packed with texture and flavour.

• Mango & Pomelo Snow Mountain Ice (NZ$19.80) – A fruity explosion with silky shaved ice, sweet mango, tangy pomelo, and chewy jellies. Not just visually stunning, but also refreshing and delicious.
• Chinese Bayberry Coconut Ice (NZ$7.90) – A smaller, but equally enjoyable option with a creamy coconut base and fruity bayberry flavour.

These desserts aren’t just about size—they’re also surprisingly rich and creamy, it’s like an ice cream with texture. The portion sizes are huge, so sharing is recommended.

Final Thoughts

Nan Hot Pot isn’t just a hotpot restaurant—it’s a whole experience. The hotpot itself is solid, with a great range of soup bases, fresh ingredients, and an impressive condiment bar. But the real showstopper? Those massive, IG-worthy desserts. Honestly, they could rename the place to “Nan Desserts” and it would still make sense!

A few minor downsides:

• The portion sizes for the hotpot ingredients were decent but not overly generous.
• Staff communication in English was a bit difficult, but they made an effort to get everything right.
• Parking in the area can be a nightmare.

That said, the restaurant itself is well-ventilated (a rarity for hotpot spots), the presentation of both the food and desserts is top-notch, and overall, it was a fun and tasty experience. Would I go back? Definitely—especially for the desserts!

Nan Hotpot Albany 楠火鍋北岸店
Address: NZ, 7-8/8 Oracle Drive, Albany, Auckland 0632, New Zealand
Phone: +649 414 4511