Slurp up the best ramen Sydney has to offer!
Although a quick Google search will provide you with endless recipes for ‘cheats’ ramen to make at home, nothing will come close to the real deal – authentic ramen at a Japanese Ramen restaurant, or ramen-ya.
The rich, full-bodied broth takes hours (sometimes even days) to develop, and the Chinese style wheat or egg noodles are best when fresh; so this is a dish you probably want to leave to the pros. Especially if you consider the essential toppings such as chashu, the fatty slices of pork, that are showstoppers in their own right. Some say the toppings are the best part, but we’ll leave that to you to decide!
From traditional to truly unique, ramen can be found in all corners of Sydney. Read on to discover where to get your hands on the best ramen in Sydney.
Butter, Surry Hills & Parramatta
For fried chicken aficionados looking for the best ramen in Surry Hills, cult favourite Butter have you sorted. From April to October 2022, you can get your hands on a bowl of their famous fried chicken ramen at their Surry Hills and Parramatta venues as part of the Butter Ramen Club. Their fried chicken ramen is tonkotsu style, consisting of one of Butter’s crispy fried chicken tenders, fresh thick cut ramen noodles, ajitsuke tamago (marinated soft boiled half egg) and enoki mushrooms in a chicken and dashi based broth. Sound like a club you want to be a part of? Get in quick, because there is only a limited number of bowls available each day at Butter’s venues in Surry Hills, Parramatta and Chatswood. Find out more here.
Chaco Ramen, Darlingurst
Chaco Bar is Darlinghurst’s favourite small Japanese restaurant, and with only 25 seats, this energetic spot fills up fast. Offering four types of ramen and a small selection of sides, you’ll feel like you’re stepping into the back streets of Tokyo. Their signature ramen is made true to traditional Japanese techniques, but each has its own modern twist. The Yuzu Scallop is our pick, with Hokkaidō Scallop, John Dory and Prawn wonton, black fungus, leek and mizuna.
Plus, be sure to check out the healthy selection of sakes on offer. Whilst you can’t get this ramen 24/7, they offer a selection of yakitori when the ramen isn’t available. Find out more here.
Gogyo, Surry Hills
This Surry Hills eatery is an offshoot of the company that bought us Ippudo, so naturally, the ramen is pretty exceptional. Gogyo was originally founded by Shigemi Kawahara, who is internationally renowned as the ‘ramen king’; enough said. This ‘casual-chic’ ramen bar in Surry Hills invites guests to sit and enjoy Japanese style appetisers with a drink, before diving into steaming bowls of delicious ramen. Find out more here.
Gumshara, Haymarket
Located in the Eating World Food Court in Chinatown, Gumshara has become a cult classic for Sydneysiders, who have been going crazy for it since 2009. They are famous for their thicker style pork broth, however, they do offer the more common styles like shoyu ramen and miso ramen. Made in the traditional Japanese way, the stock is made by simmering fresh pork bones, and the result is lip-smackingly delicious. Find out more here.
Hakatamon Ramen, Chatswood
Hakatamon Ramen (previously Hakata-Maru) is another global chain to have graced Aussie shores, and it has certainly proved itself over the years as one of the go-to places for the best ramen in Chatswood. With over 800 outlets in Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, America and Russia, you can be sure they have found a winning formula in their delicious bowls. Their signature is the tonkotsu ramen, cooked over 10 hours to get the most outstanding umami flavour from the pork bones, and balanced with the addition of chicken bones. Hakatamon sets itself apart by using noodles that are slightly thinner compared to other ramen noodles. Find out more about Hakatamon Ramen in Chatswood and Haymarket here.
Ichiban Boshi, Various Locations
Undoubtedly serving some of the best ramen in Sydney’s CBD, Ichiban Boshi has been feeding Sydneysiders with their ramen for over 20 years. With a menu catering to all palettes, there is a vast range of ramen dishes available, from Gyokai Tonkotsu Ramen to Chilli Beef Ramen. Ichiban Boshi has two CBD locations and one in the Eastern suburbs, however, the menus do differ slightly between locations. Find your nearest spot here.
Ippudo, Various Locations
Ippudo is an award winning global chain that arrived on Australian shores a few years ago and has grown to become one of Sydney’s most loved ramen restaurants. This ramen institution now includes four outlets, with eateries in Chatswood, Central Park, Macquarie and Westfield. Ippudo is a reliable choice for ramen and is famously good value. Unlike most ramen venues in Sydney, they offer a popular vegetarian option, the Veggie Soba, with whole wheat noodles in a clear vegetable broth topped with sauteed tomato, fried mushrooms, rocket and sliced red onions; veggie lovers delight! Find out more here.
Manpuku, Chatswood & Kingsford
With over 1,500 glowing Google reviews, we can almost guarantee that the ramen at Manpuku in Chatswood will bring a smile to your face. That is the meaning behind the name after all; Manpuku means ‘millions of happiness/luck’. Their Signature is an absolute must try, with a soy based pork and chicken broth that is authentically made and not too salty. The Kingsford location is famous among UNSW students who live close by, but their bowls of ramen are worth travelling for. We love the cute touch of printing the ‘Manpuku’ name on the seaweed. Find out more here.
Menya Japanese Noodle Bar, CBD
For the no-frills ramen experience that we so often crave in Winter, Menya Noodle Bar in the CBD is our go-to. This modern ramen restaurant has 19 variations of hot ramen and a cold option, because why not? This CBD nook also has an a la carte menu with other Japanese favourites, meaning there’s something to suit all tastes. An obvious choice for a cheap and delicious lunch, and a contender for the best ramen in Sydney’s CBD without a doubt. Find out more here.
Ramen Zundo, World Square
Owner Hiroki began the Ramen Zundo story by carefully selecting the most popular ramen styles from around Japan and bringing them to life in the World Square location. The speciality dish at this ramen joint is Tsukumen, a style of ramen where the noodles come separately from the broth. Head to Ramen Zundo, in World Square, and cue your messy attempts at dipping the noodles into the broth pre-slurping them up. Find out more here.
RaRa Ramen, Randick & Redfern
People are going gaga for RaRa Ramen, a relatively new addition to Sydney’s ramen scene. Located in Redfern and with a second location now open in Randwick, it is not uncommon to see those eager to dive into a bowl of this ramen queued outside the small restaurant. Ramen ‘you’d slurp on the streets of Japan’, the stocks and noodles are made fresh in-store daily.
If you are struggling to find vegan ramen in Sydney, get in an Uber and head straight to RaRa Ramen; they have two vegan options available that will blow your mind. The vegan soy shio is served with juicy grilled tomato, bamboo, black fungus and chilli jam, while the vegan soy miso is a soy based broth with a complex nutty and sweet miso Tare, served with grilled tofu, charred sweet corn, purple cabbage, shallots and black fungus. Find out more here.
Rising Sun Workshop, Newtown
This totally unique bike workshop-come-Japanese restaurant is located in Newtown and boasts a whole lot of character. With a massive focus on sourcing their ingredients locally, you can feel good while you down some downright delicious ramen. This is probably the only place you will find breakfast ramen in Sydney, with buttered toast and bone broth, bacon, egg and tomato. From 10am they even sling a couple of breakfast cocktails to round off the experience. Find out more here.
Ryo’s Noodles, Crows Nest
Ryo’s has been a hidden gem of the Lower North Shore for a long time, and more recently they have ventured to the Eastern suburbs and opened a Bondi restaurant. Neither eatery is anything elaborate when you step inside, but the long lines outside are a testament to the quality of ramen they serve. One taste of the rich, deeply flavoured broth and you will understand why Ryo’s is considered one of the absolute best spots for ramen in Sydney. Find out more here.
Yasaka, CBD
Located on Liverpool Street on the outskirts of Chinatown is Yasaka. Along with the usual suspects, classic Japanese side dishes and an impressive selection of sake, Yasaka offers a massive $39 bowl of ramen. Called the ‘Mashi Mashi King’, it is topped with grilled pork rib, Kakuni (braised pork belly), chashu (some more pork), an egg, spring onions, bamboo shoots, seaweed, cabbage and bean sprouts. Whilst they recommend you share this monster bowl, we personally like the challenge of eating it solo. Find out more here.
Ramen Goku, Glebe
Founded by the owner of cult favourite Menya Noodle Bar, Ramen Goku serves traditional ramen in the funky village of Glebe. With a nicer fitout than its sister restaurant, Ramen Goku is a neighbourhood gem that both locals and visitors adore. Choose from soy, miso, shio, tonkotsu or seafood tonkotsu broths, and why not branch out and try one their signatures? Our pick is the black garlic ramen. Find out more here.
Senpai Ramen, Chatswood
The newest and most exciting addition to Sydney’s ramen scene is Senpai Ramen in Chatswood. Wanting to stray from the idea that eating ramen is a cheap and quick experience, owner and head chef Chase Kojima has created a seven-course degustation menu that celebrates the beloved noodle dish. Showcasing Australian produce, the menu features ingredients such as 12 hour pork broth, chilli miso butter and rare smoked duck. This dining experience is an absolute must-do for ramen lovers in Sydney. Find out more here.
Frequently asked questions:
Where can I get vegan ramen in Sydney?
For vegan ramen, head to RaRa Ramen in Redfern or Randwick, Ramen Zundo in World Square, or Ippudo (multiple locations).
Where can I get vegetarian ramen in Sydney?
For the best vegetarian ramen, try Ramen Zundo in World Square, Yasaka Ramen in the CBD or Menya Noodle Bar.
Where can I get gluten free ramen in Sydney?
Newtown favourite Rising Sun Workshop offers gluten free ramen, using konniyak instead of wheat noodles. Also try Chaco Ramen who have a gluten free noodle option.