The Rise of Hotpot Culture in Metro Manila

Why a Bubbling Pot Became the Ultimate Barkada Bonding Ritual

By: Supreme Simmer, November 11, 2025

If you’ve walked around Metro Manila lately, you’ve probably noticed it too: every other corner has a hotpot place, and inside, there’s always a barkada gathered around a steaming pot like it’s the center of the universe.

And honestly? For a lot of people, it is.

Let’s talk about why hotpot suddenly became the go-to group hangout in the metro.

Hotpot and the “Sulit” Mindset

Manileños love value. If something is unli, customizable, and filling—it wins. Hotpot checks all those boxes. You get trays of meat, veggies, and noodles, and you get as many refills as your stomach can handle. No complicated rules, no weird limitations. Just eat, cook, repeat.

It Forces You to Actually Socialize

Here’s the funny part: hotpot is one of the few meals where you cannot just sit quietly. Someone always has to check the beef, someone asks if the shrimp is done, someone mixes the sauce, someone panics over overcooked fish balls. The process forces you to talk and help each other out. It’s social interaction disguised as dinner.

Everyone Gets What They Want

The friend who wants spicy food? Check.

The friend who only eats tofu? Check.

The friend who makes a dipping sauce that looks like a chemistry experiment? Absolutely check.

Hotpot gives everyone freedom without ruining the group meal. No compromises needed.

It’s Incredibly Photogenic

Let’s admit it—hotpot is an aesthetic. The colorful ingredients, the steam, the sauces, the meat swirls… it’s content gold. If a barkada doesn’t post at least one hotpot Story, were they even there?

It’s Comfort in a Bowl

In a fast, loud, stressful city, sitting around something warm and flavorful feels grounding. Hotpot gives you that pause—a moment to slow down with people you like.

So yes, hotpot became a cultural staple because it’s fun, customizable, sulit, social, and comforting. It didn’t just rise—it simmered its way into Metro Manila’s heart.

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