Best Ramen in Sydney
Sydneysiders love ramen. So much so there is a ramen joint on pretty much every street corner!
I remember the first time I had ramen in the early 2000s, my tastebuds were transported to levels they had never experienced before. And from that first mouthful I was well and truly hooked.
Whether your preference is tonkotsu, miso, shoyu, shio or tsukemen, the choice of dishes available to you within the city is very varied.
I have had ramen in many parts of Australia, but in my opinion no one does it as well as the restaurants in Sydney. Here is a selection of some of my favourites.
Chaco Ramen
I feel very fortunate to live near Chaco Ramen because it is undoubtedly one of the best ramen joints in the whole of Sydney, if not Australia.
Situated on Crown Street in my hometown of Darlinghurst, it is a pretty trendy restaurant with an interesting décor that features Japanese characters on the walls.
The restaurant is always busy here, but the service is fast and efficient, and the ambiance is very pleasant too.
Known for its Fat Soy ramen, which can be customised to your particular tastes, they also offer a very good yakitori, as well as a particularly nice sake too.
- 238 Crown Street, Darlinghurst, 2010
- http://chacoramen.com.au
Gaku Robata Grill
Another excellent venue in my hometown, Gaku dabbles in ramen, more than actually offering it as a highlight of the menu. But what they do serve up is absolutely delicious.
Its also very exclusive too.
Just 40 portions are made each day at this hole-in-the-wall restaurant, which gets served on a first come first served basis, to those who are lucky enough to be at the head of the queue.
If you are able to procure one, however, you will be treated to such taste sensations as lobster ramen and the duck ‘yuzu'.
If you are unsuccessful then you can always order the beef tongue or lamb rib instead.
- 2/132 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, 2010
- https://www.gakurobatagrill.com.au
Ryo's Noodles
The O.G. of ramen restaurants, Ryo's Noodles was the first such establishment to open in Sydney, way back in 2003.
When it opened its doors, I remember how no one in the city, outside of the Japanese community, knew what it was. But Ryo's quickly established a reputation for serving excellent food.
Head chef Ryosuki was born in Fukuoka, which is where tonkotsu ramen originated, so as you would expect that is a specialty here.
This place doesn't take bookings, so you may well have to wait a bit before you eat. It also is a bit light on veggie options. So bear that in mind if you plan on going there.
- 125 Falcon St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
- https://ryosramen.com.au
Gumshara
The home of thick pork ramens in Sydney, Gumshara's owner, and head chef Mori Hogashida, famously boils an unbelievable 200kg of fresh pork bone for 14 hours, every single day!
Their signature tonkotsu ramen is of course very good, but my personal favourite is the twice-cooked pork sparerib ramen which is out of this world.
Located in Chinatown, at the Eating World Food Court, Gumshara manages to stand out amongst a number of other fantastic eateries.
Every time I come here the food is consistently good, with a perfect balance of flavours, that act like a warm hug to my soul.
- Shop 211/1/11 Goulburn St, Haymarket NSW 2000
- https://www.gumshara.com
Gogyo
If Gumshara offers good food in a casual setting, then Gogyo should be your go to for an upscale ramen experience.
Bringing the fantastic flavours of Tokyo to Surry Hills, this restaurant specialises in burnt miso ramen.
The feature dish here is also my favourite, the kogashi or ‘black' ramen. Which takes the delicious form of medium-thin noodles with a charred miso base, chicken broth, a half umami egg, bean sprouts and a pork belly chashu, which for me is the star of the dish.
Boasting a modern and spacious setting, the atmosphere is always good here, while the cocktail menu is also first rate.
- 52-54 Albion St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
- http://ippudo.com.au/gogyo/
Other Yamen Restaurants of Note
Still looking for more places to get a tasty fix of ramen in Sydney' Check out some other notable ramen contenders below:
Hakatu-Maru
- Address: 6/8 Nicolle Walk, Haymarket NSW 2000
- https://www.darlingharbour.com/eat-drink/hakatamon-ramen
Matsusaka Backstreet
- Address: Level1/90 Hay St, Haymarket NSW 2000
- https://www.matsusaka.com.au/
Tenkomori
- Address: Regent Place, 29/501 George St, Sydney NSW 2000
- https://tenkomori.com.au/
Yasaka
- Address: 126 Liverpool St, Sydney NSW 2000
- https://www.yasakaramen.com.au/
Ramen Goku
- Address: 30 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 2037
- https://ramengoku.com.au/