Just as Melbourne starts showing off its spring colours, something delicious takes over bakeries, hotels and Chinatown shopfronts: mooncakes.
These pastries are the centrepiece of the Mid Autumn Festival, which in 2025 will be celebrated on 6 October. The festival is all about family, reunion and sharing under the full moon. Their round shape represents wholeness and togetherness, which is why they are gifted and shared with loved ones.
The traditional version is packed with lotus seed or red bean paste, often with a golden salted duck yolk inside to represent the moon. Over time bakers have played with the formula and now you can find snow skin mooncakes with mochi like chew, flaky Teochew yam mooncakes, and modern flavours such as matcha, tiramisu, ice cream or plant based alternatives.
There is even a legendary tale that mooncakes once carried secret messages during the Yuan dynasty to help rebels plan an uprising. Historians treat this as folklore rather than fact, but it adds a little mystery to the tradition.
Whether you are here for the heritage, the glossy salted yolk moment or just to try something adventurous, mooncakes in Melbourne are a seasonal ritual worth sinking your teeth into.
Types of Mooncakes You’ll Find in Melbourne
Mooncakes have evolved over centuries, and Melbourne’s bakeries bring that tradition to local streets with both classic and creative versions. Here are the key types you should know:
1. Traditional baked (Cantonese style)
This is the version most people think of first. A baked shell encloses smooth lotus seed or red bean paste, often with one or two salted duck egg yolks in the centre to mimic the full moon (a signature moment when you slice it open). These are widely available in Melbourne’s Chinese bakeries and hotels.
Where to try
- Breadtop has a wide range including classic lotus paste and yolk sets. Their festival page also lists mixed nuts and low sugar options.
- Amour Desserts offers handmade traditional flavours and sells out quickly around the festival.
2. Snow skin / ice skin
Originating in Hong Kong, this is a non-baked mooncake made with a glutinous rice crust (soft and chewy, like mochi) and eaten chilled. Fillings can range from fruit pastes and custards to matcha and chocolate. Because Melbourne is warm in spring, these are especially appealing.
Where to try
- Amour Desserts makes assorted snow skin boxes for Melbourne delivery and pickup.
- Breadtop lists assorted snow mochi gift sets and ice cream mooncakes.
3. Flaky / layered (Teochew style / Su style)
These mooncakes have a multi-layer crust akin to pastry, giving a crisp or flaky bite. Teochew style often uses yam or winter melon in the filling. Su style (from Suzhou) is similar in having a delicate, multi-layered shell. These are less common than the first two, but artisan bakeries sometimes offer them as specialty items.
Where to try
- Joy Jaune runs limited mooncake sets and collabs, with custard and tea inspired flavours that change by year. Preorders and pick up windows apply.
- Soon Guan Delicacies appears in seasonal round ups as a handmade option with flavours like taro and black sesame. Availability varies each year.
4. Modern / fusion / creative editions
Melbourne loves a twist. You’ll see limited edition or boutique mooncakes with fillings like durian, matcha lava, tiramisu or tropical fruit blends. Some are vegan or lower in sugar to suit local tastes. Local bakers in Melbourne are pushing boundaries here.
Where to try
- Raya Melbourne lists seasonal flavours such as yuzu and lychee, hojicha and pistachio, and pandan and coconut when preorders open.
- Koko Black sells chocolate mooncakes and limited gift boxes during the season.
🏮 Melbourne’s Moon Festival
Melbourne’s Moon Festival a.k.a. The Mid Autumn Festival is one of the biggest celebrations in the Chinese calendar. It takes place on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, which in 2025 lands on 6th October. Traditionally families gather to admire the full moon, light colourful lanterns and of course share mooncakes.
Melbourne embraces the festival with plenty of local flavour. In Chinatown, Little Bourke Street is lit up with lantern displays, lion dances and food stalls. Box Hill hosts one of the largest Mid Autumn Festivals in Victoria, with cultural performances, market stalls and mooncake tastings. Even the Queen Victoria Market runs seasonal events where you can try mooncakes alongside other festival treats.
The celebrations are not just for those with Chinese heritage. They have become a part of Melbourne’s multicultural calendar, attracting families, students and food lovers from all backgrounds. It is a chance to experience community, tradition and a few sweet surprises under the spring moon.
Melbourne’s Must-Try Mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival
1. Amour Desserts (Burwood & Online)
One of Melbourne’s most talked-about mooncake specialists. Everything here is handmade in small batches, from rich lotus paste mooncakes with double yolks to playful snow skin creations in flavours like durian, matcha and mango. Their boxes are beautifully packaged and often sell out weeks before the festival, so preorders are a must. Locals rave about the authenticity and freshness, and they’ve built a loyal following on Instagram for their seasonal drops.
2. Joy Jaune (Preston)
This boutique patisserie blends French technique with Hong Kong heritage, producing mooncakes that are as elegant as they are indulgent. In 2025 they’ve partnered with the Chinese Museum on a limited Tie Guan Yin tea and Belgian chocolate mooncake, reinforcing their reputation for innovation. Media features often highlight their Hong Kong–style custard mooncakes, which regularly generate long waitlists. Joy Jaune is the place for foodies who want something refined and unique.
3. Breadtop (Multiple Locations)
Australia’s most recognisable Asian bakery chain goes all out for Mid Autumn. Their mooncake range spans classics like lotus paste to modern favourites such as lava custard minis, snow mochi sets and even ice cream mooncakes. With outlets across Melbourne, they’re one of the most accessible spots for anyone who wants to grab mooncakes last minute, whether for family gatherings or gifting.
4. Kori Ice Cream (Online & Select Stockists)
For something truly different, Kori Ice Cream has reinvented the mooncake as a frozen treat. Their 2025 Ice Cream Mooncakes come in flavours like black sesame, matcha, mango and taro, each moulded in the traditional round shape but with a creamy ice-cream heart. They’ve quickly become a hit among younger Melbourne foodies and are a perfect modern take on celebrating the festival in spring.
5. The Langham Melbourne (Southbank)
Luxury hotels have long been part of the Mid Autumn tradition, and The Langham leads the way in Melbourne. Their 2025 release draws on recipes from Tang Court, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, and features refined flavours such as white lotus paste with salted yolk. Presented in elegant pastel-pink boxes, these are as much a status gift as they are a delicacy. Perfect for corporate clients or anyone wanting to impress.
6. Raya Melbourne (Online & Pop-ups)
Raya is a boutique dessert brand that leans into bold and creative flavours. Think yuzu with lychee, hojicha with pistachio, or pandan with coconut. They specialise in small seasonal drops, usually announced on Instagram, and have become a go-to for adventurous eaters who want mooncakes that look as striking as they taste.
7. Koko Black (CBD & Suburbs)
Best known for their premium chocolates, Koko Black brings a distinct twist to the season with mooncakes made entirely from chocolate. Smooth ganache replaces lotus paste, while delicate shells are moulded with Mid Autumn designs. They’ve become a popular choice for those who love the symbolism of mooncakes but prefer chocolate to beans or yolk.
8. iCake Melbourne (Multiple Locations)
A bakery chain with a cult following for its decorated cakes, iCake also offers an extensive mooncake range during the festival. Their 2025 Deluxe Gift Box is packed with trendy lava flavours – custard, durian, peach oolong alongside more traditional choices. With multiple suburban outlets, iCake is one of the few bakeries catering to both the nostalgic and the novelty-seeking crowd.
9. Queen Victoria Market Moon Festival (27–28 September 2025)
For a lively experience, head to QVM’s Mid Autumn Festival weekend. Beyond lanterns and cultural performances, you’ll find a variety of mooncake stalls offering everything from flaky yam to snow skin and chocolate styles. It’s a chance to try different makers side by side while soaking up the festive atmosphere.
10. Box Hill Moon Festival (13 September 2025)
One of Victoria’s largest Mid Autumn celebrations, drawing thousands each year. The main street fills with food stalls, lion dances and plenty of mooncakes. Expect a mix of traditional Cantonese pastries and modern fusion offerings from both established bakeries and smaller family businesses. It’s not just about buying mooncakes, it’s about experiencing the cultural heartbeat of Melbourne’s Chinese community.
Mooncakes Made for Gifting
Mooncakes are as much about gifting as they are about eating. Many of the bakeries above offer elegant boxed sets, but if you’re looking for something specific:
- Luxury bundles: The Langham Melbourne, Amour Desserts and Joy Jaune package their mooncakes into beautifully designed boxes that feel like premium gifts.
- Modern twists: Kori Ice Cream and Red Jade Foods are making a splash with ice-cream mooncakes and long-shelf-life durian or pandan sets.
- Imports and quick pickups: Maxims (via UMall and Asian grocers), Duria Musang King snowskin mooncakes (via Thorny Fruit), and bundles from Asian Pantry are widely available closer to the festival. Costco and major Asian supermarkets in Springvale and Box Hill also stock last-minute gift boxes.
