Demand for ramen, Japan’s most famous noodle soup, is stronger than ever in Sydney —and it’s not just about pork-based tonkotsu ramen any more.
Kevin Cheng
Demand for ramen, Japan’s most famous noodle soup, is stronger than ever in Sydney —and it’s not just about pork-based tonkotsu ramen any more. While the city farewelled its oldest ramen restaurant Ramen Genki after a 28-year run, in January, more speciality ramen masters from Japan have moved to Sydney following the Michelin-recommended Mensho in 2024, including Crafted Ramen Misolado and Towzen in 2025. There are now restaurants, stretching from the CBD to the suburbs, with ramen styles traversing all parts of Japan, going beyond the traditional pork-based tonkotsu broth, with duck, chicken and fish-based noodle soups.
Here are some of the essential ramen spots to nurture you through the final days of winter.
NEW RAMEN TO TRY
Crafted Ramen Misolado
This recent arrival from Japan’s Tochigi prefecture (just north of Tokyo) specialises in miso. Its signature tonkotsu miso ramen features a creamy, pork-laden broth with subtle flavours of smooth Japanese miso. The classic size comes with slices of tender, fatty pork belly chashu, but it’s worth upgrading to deluxe for the additional cube of soy-braised pork belly. The spicy tantanmen could be the spiciest (and most numbing) in Sydney, made with a blend of 10 spices that’s heavy on Sichuan peppercorn. Misolado’s thick bouncy noodles ensure the hearty broth clings onto every strand.
Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.
G08/14 Walker Street, Rhodes, misolado-sydney.com
Second location at North Sydney
Towzen
This vegan ramen brand is famed for its soy-milk ramen and Good Food contributor Lee Tran Lam described Towzen’s famed soy-milk ramen as “even better than the one I sipped in Kyoto”. It’s high praise for a city that pines for porky tonkotsu. Co-owner Daryl Chan says it’s part of his plan to encourage more plant-based options in the CBD. Try the Thai green curry ramen or best-selling tantanmen, with an oyster mushroom, fanned out like a butterfly.
346-348 Kent Street, Sydney, towzenramen.com/sydney
Sapporo Miso Ramen Factory Sora
Owner Toshimi Yoshida swapped Potts Point for Newtown in January, bringing his signature Sapporo-style miso and tonkotsu soy ramen, featuring short thick noodles and house made miso, tare and oil. The Hokkaido miso ramen is built on a matured miso paste that is full-bodied and balanced. There’s also a focus on vegetables here, with thinly sliced spring onion (including the white stem), Chinese cabbage and bamboo. There’s sake, of course, and a short Australian wine list.
381 King Street, Newtown, instagram.com/b_blue_cola
Watabeya Japan
This newcomer in Kirribilli serves three bowls of ramen, but the tonkotsu soy ramen is the most popular. It’s made with pork and chicken broth, cooked down for eight hours, then finished with dried sardines and topped with chicken oil. They use pork scotch fillet for their chashu, which is marinated overnight in house made tare. Owner-chef Kenji Watabaya’s second bowl is close to his heart: a spicy miso ramen that he grew up with in Sapporo, with rich miso broth and medium-thick curly noodles. There is also a “dry ramen”, or a play on Japan’s popular maze soba — thick flat noodles topped with thin Wagyu beef slices, spices, chicken oil and a poached egg. Mix it together and you’re good to go.
1 Broughton Street, Kirribilli, instagram.com/watabeyajapan2026
Bones
So it’s not exactly “new”, but Bones’ contemporary ramen relocated from Potts Point to Darlinghurst in September last year. The chicken shiro shoyu almost tastes like a Sunday roast with an intense chicken broth, pork and chicken chashu and a roast wing tare, accentuated with notes of tarragon. The Tokyo-men is powered by fiery smoked chili, and both bowls have perfectly cooked runny, marinated eggs and bouncy, medium-thin noodles.
83 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst, bonesizakaya.com.au
RAMEN TO REVISIT
Central
Hakata Gensuke
A ramen shop from Fukuoka, Japan, the home of tonkotsu. Hakata Gensuke makes its thin noodles in house, ensuring an al dente chew. The pork broth arrives with bubbles on the surface (shihou), giving the soup a creamy flavour and texture.
105 Bathurst Street, Sydney, gensuke.com.au
Nichi Getsu Do
It’s all about the special miso ramen — a deep, rich broth with bean sprouts, kissed by heat on the wok. The “rayu” chilli oil is the clincher —made with a blend of walnuts, sesame, chilli and spices that accentuate the miso flavour.
355 Kent Street, Sydney, nichigetsudo.com.au
Gumshara
It might be the undisputed thickest ramen broth in Sydney (don’t worry, you can adjust the thickness of the soup when you order), but Gumshara isn’t a one-trick pony. They also run seasonal specials year-round like clam-based tsukemen (dipping ramen).
9 Kimber Lane, Haymarket, gumshara.com
Kombu Co
After a viral run near Circular Quay, this tsukemen specialist has relocated to Darling Square. Its crystal wave bowl is packed with toppings: pork, egg, scallop, chicken and wontons in a subtle yuzu broth.
7 Little Hay Street, Sydney, instagram.com/kombu.co_ramen
Umami Dojo
It might look like more of a science lab than a ramen shop, but Umami Dojo uses a glass siphon to combine its bonito fish stock with sardine and chicken stock.
48 Harris Street, Pyrmont, instagram.com/umamidojoramen
North
Ryo’s Noodles
One of the originals of Sydney’s ramen scene, Ryo’s recently celebrated 23 years in business. It’s accredited as the first restaurant to bring tonkotsu ramen to Sydney.
125 Falcon Street, Crows Nest, ryosramen.com.au
Sekka
This contemporary ramen shop has three signature options: hojicha smoked duck, classic tonkotsu and kombu tomato, each available in half-sizes.
472-488 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, sekka-dining.com.au
Ramen Auru
The only restaurant in Sydney with a Japanese ramen ticket vending machine. It recreates Tokyo’s vibrant, late night vibe by opening until midnight from Monday to Saturday. Tonkotsu is porky, salty and thick — perfect.
Level 1, 6-8 Falcon Street, Crows Nest, ramenauru.com.au
New Yamanishi
Creative ramen by day, izakaya by night. Wagyu oxtail ramen is the signature, with the oxtail cooked low and slow for six hours.
98 Falcon Street, Crows Nest, newyamanishi.com
South
Manpuku
Order the “Long Name” signature ramen, featuring seared pork belly with bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, shallots and marinated egg in a soy-based pork broth.
61 Mentomore Avenue, Rosebery (also at Chatswood, Kingsford, Neutral Bay and Mascot)
Wai Wai Japanese Dining
Umami is dialled up with fish-infused chicken broth. Prices remain in pre-COVID times — you’ll pay less than $20 for the lunchtime special.
Unit 1/11 Mashman Avenue, Kingsgrove
East
Chaco Bar
Keita Abe’s yuzu scallop ramen is one of the great ramen bowls in Sydney — umami with refreshing hits of citrus, topped with Hokkaido scallop.
238 Crown Street, Darlinghurst, chacoramen.com.au
Second location at Bondi
Gaku Robata Grill
There’s usually a line at Gaku before the doors open for lunch. Owner-chefs Harunobu Inukai and Shimon Hanakura are serious about their ramen, from a light tonktosu broth to the duck yuzu consomme. Also find them at their sister store Izakaya Gaku in Five Dock.
2/132 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, gakurobatagrill.com.au
My Zakaya
Owner Nobu Maruyama’s special “ocean ramen” is a cracker this winter: a vegetable and sake broth topped with salmon and kingfish sashimi, oysters, marinated egg and kikurage (wild Japanese mushroom).
316 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, myzakaya.com.au
Tomo Ramen
One of the tastiest tori paitan (creamy chicken-based) ramen bowls around. The broth is foamy, with a strong chicken flavour, infused with garlic.
106 Ebley Street, Bondi Junction, instagram.com/tomoramen_bondi
West & Inner West
Ken-Chan Curry
The only place where you can find the cult-favourite Jiro-style ramen from Tokyo — a cloudy, heavy broth with massive amounts of thick-cut pork, bean sprouts and cabbage.
155 King Street, Newtown, kenchan-curry.com
Multiple locations across Sydney
Kosuke
A Tokyo-style shop specialising in tsukemen (dipping ramen). Noodles are made in-house and served with a pork broth that has been simmered for more than 20 hours.
159 Concord Road, North Strathfield, kosukeramen.square.site
Second location at Melrose Park
Ishiyama
Ramen, in Campsie? Ishiyama launched its ramen menu last year and, in addition to chashu, offers thinly sliced, slow-cooked “rare” pork neck in soy or tonkotsu broth with house made noodles
172 Beamish Street, Campsie, ishiyama.net.au
Makanai Donkatsu
The spicy tonkotsu ramen ranges from level one to 15. Level two is as spicy as Shin Ramyun instant noodles, which is enough for me. Oh, and it’s open until 4am daily.
39B Church Street, Lidcombe, instagram.com/pctorang_sydney
Yuzu
Yuzu is one of the few ramen restaurants with an entirely halal menu in Sydney. Each bowl contains chicken broth, topped with sous vide chicken or Wagyu.
4 Main Lane, Merrylands, instagram.com/yuzu.merrylands
From our partners
Discover more from PressNewsAgency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.