Winter Warmer: The Best Ramen in Melbourne

Hot, soupy and soul-reviving – there’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of ramen to cure all those ghastly winter ailments. And although we're thousands of kilometres from Japan, there are plenty of dedicated ramen bars in Melbourne serving authentic bowls of the hot, creamy and comforting stuff. When the cravings hit, head down to one of these spots that happen to be serving the best renditions in the city. 

Hakata Gensuke's 10th Birthday Celebrations Continue

Hakata Gensuke, Melbourne’s ramen royalty, is turning up the heat on their 10th birthday celebrations with Chapter Two of the TanRei series—a fresh take on their famed rich, creamy broths. Known for their indulgent, flavour-packed bowls, Hakata Gensuke now offers a lighter, more refined ramen experience with two exclusive dumpling ramen: Wantan Men (雲呑麺) and Umakara Men (旨辛麺). We especially loved the Wantan Men—its nourishing, comforting flavours are perfect for the current windy weather!

These elegant creations are a must-try for any ramen enthusiast. Visit one of their locations—Healey's Lane, Carlton, Hawthorn, or Carnegie—before these limited-edition bowls vanish from the menu!

Limited time only

Multiple locations around the city

Musashi

A variety of ramen and Japanese sides, plus sake, wine & beer can be found in this casual and cosy setting. Musashi sets the bar high with their ramen, made by the expertise of Rikisai Miyajima, who has 25 years of experience creating this delicious Japanese favourite, that stems from an old family recipe. Their noodles are crafted with diligence and heart, offering a springy texture and distinct flavours. They also offer the perfect balance and accompaniment to the robust and aromatic broth. Carefully selected ingredients coupled with creativity ensure that this is some of the best ramen in Melbourne. 

Level 1/181 Russell Street, Melbourne 

Shujinko

Here for your post-work dinners, weekend lunches and late-night escapades is Shujinko, a 24-hour ramen bar that’s straight out of the back alleys of Tokyo. At any hour of the day, you can sink into a bowl of their soul-reviving miso or tonkotsu ramen. Your interest will be piqued even further by their speciality black ramen, which sprinkles the broth with a umami-laden shellfish powder to give it an intriguingly dark hue. 

225 Russell Street, Melbourne

427 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne 

Unabara Lobster & Oyster Bar

Two words: lobster ramen. Decadent, creamy, oh-so-comforting lobster ramen at that. Unabara is one of the most well-loved and reviewed Japanese restaurants in the CBD. Bringing a new level of gastronomical delight to the shopping crowd, Unabara sources the freshest ingredients and cooks them to perfection.

This is clear than with their Deluxe Unabara Lobster Sapporo Miso Ramen, their Melbourne Central branch's signature dish. It features Western Lobster, and a luxurious broth infused with lobster bisque. It's simmered for 16 hours with lobster stock, then combined with akamiso (a red soybean paste), to create a thick, creamy & unique broth. It's a need-to-know spot for some of the most luxurious ramen in Melbourne. 

L01/211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne Central

Sara Craft Ramen

One of the newer ramen spots to pocket the streets of Melbourne's CBD, Sara Craft Ramen is an intimate, 21-seater affair not playing by the rules (in the best way). 

Expect delicate broths that are clear and light rather than rich and creamy. There are two noodles to choose from: straight, or two week aged wavy noodles. The spicy pork tonkotsu shoyu ramen has stolen our hearts, but unique you should also pay attention to unique flavour combinations like the pork, tomato caprese ramen. Seafood fan? Try the beautiful Asari Shoyu; meaty clams swimming in a burnt butter and Aosa wakame broth. 

The sides don't mess about either; add on the likes of Hiramasa kingfish with yuzu ponzu, Negi oil and shisho, or the moist and ever so crispy karaage chicken. It'll dial things up to 11 on the flavour front. 

Shop 3/391-393 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Little Ramen Bar

This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it ramen bar may be little, but it punches well above its weight with robust soups you’ll return for again and again. Little Ramen Bar serves a variety of styles including classic tonkotsu, spicy miso and shio chicken. By far, their most addictive bowl is the fiery tantanmen, which infuses the soup with brow-mopping chilli and spicy ground pork.

5/346 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Mensousai Mugen

Mensousai Mugen specialise in tsukemen, a dipping ramen where your noodles and soup are served separately. Bouncy, wholegrain wheat noodles arrive alongside a bowl of thick dipping broth – an umami-full base made by cooking pork, chicken and dried fish for a marathon 48 hours, before seasoning with your choice of dashi and soy, sesame or curry. It’s a fun and even more flavourful way to enjoy your ramen, and when you’re done, you can top up the rest with a light dashi broth and drink it as a soup.

11 Bligh Place, Melbourne 

Mr Ramen San

Slurp up hearty bowls of original style ramen from Japan's Kyushu region at Mr Ramen San, which has a steady stream of dedicated fans bustling for a table. Homemade noodles made daily, a packed full of flavour broth that's cooked for over 10 hours, and 30 different styles of ramen are three very good reasons to book in your next ramen slurp fest here, with their Charsu (pork) and teriyaki Charsu ramen being some of the most popular options on the menu. They even provide a vegetarian 'Charsu' ramen. Did we mention you can get extra noodles added in for free? Yum! 

Shop 12A, 200 Bourke Street

344 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Mensho 

Head into the city for the innovative flavours of Melbourne's first Michelin-starred ramen restaurant. Mensho is where traditional Japanese cuisine meets modern creativity. Their signature Matcha Ramen is a standout, featuring a rich and savoury broth infused with the earthy notes of premium matcha. This unique blend is complemented by tender, slow-cooked chashu pork, perfectly cooked noodles, and a delicate sprinkle of matcha powder, creating a harmonious balance of flavours. Topped with fresh green onions and a soft-boiled egg, this dish offers a refreshing twist on classic ramen.

If you can snag it, the elusive A5 Wagyu Ramen is a must-try, limited to just 20 bowls daily. Or soothe the soul with their creamy Toripaitan Ramen, with its rich chicken broth simmered for six hours topped with duck char siu. 

Located in the heart of city, Mensho Ramen is an essential stop on your road to finding the best ramen in Melbourne. 

166 Russell Street, Melbourne 

Shop Ramen

A perennial favourite with the inner north hipster crowd, Shop Ramen started out as a 10-day pop-up but quickly cemented itself in the hearts of Melbourne’s ramen lovers with their unconventional bowls. You can spike your ramen with additions like yuzu oil, melted American cheese and jalapenos, but their vegetarian ramen is a standout. A creamy sesame broth topped with a cornucopia of tofu, kale, pickles, pea shoots, edamame and marinated egg. You can also order a boozy umeshu and whisky milkshake, or finish your meal with an ice cream pie.

329 Smith Street, Fitzroy

143 Plenty Road, Preston 

167 Sydney Road, Brunswick

Neko Neko

This homey diner at the end of busy Smith Street has won a loyal following for its wholesome pescatarian and vegan fare. Neko Neko's ramen soups are entirely plant-based, yet offer a superb depth of flavour. They do three varieties including a soy sauce-based broth, a spicy tofu number and our favourite, the creamy tan tan ramen enriched with sesame and soy milk. Every bowl comes topped with an assortment of mashed tofu, pickles and wood ear mushrooms, while gluten-free diners are looked after with the option of swapping wheat for rice noodles. 

83A Smith Street, Fitzroy

Gogyo

Legendary ramen shop Gogyo is famed for its burnt miso ramen, which features a smoky yet smooth broth that’s made using theatrical techniques – they literally set miso and fat on fire. It’s an intensely rich bowl not for the faint of heart. Other options include tonkotsu, chilli shoyu and a veggie soba made with a shoyu porcini base. Don't let this unique ramen in Melbourne experience pass you by. Happy slurping!

413 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Temporarily closed

Dojo Ramen Bar

At most noodle joints you’d be lucky to find one vegetarian option, but at this rambunctious Northcote spot, you’ll find four flavourful choices. From a deep miso broth sporting a touch of garlic to a creamy veggie soup fortified with nut extracts and soy milk, Dojo Ramen Bar holds strong as some of the best ramen in Melbourne. Have a crack at the vintage Nintendo console as you wait for your bowl, while the courtyard out back makes for balmy summer slurping.

333 High Street, Northcote 

Misoya Sake Bar

Bucking the trend towards more substantial tonkotsu broths is Misoya in Brunswick, where they use a miso-based chicken stock that’s rich in flavour but much lighter on the palate. Springy noodles topped with a wobbly soft boiled egg and slices of slow-cooked pork belly - a perfect winter warmer that you can polish without feeling weighed down afterwards.

165A Sydney Road, Brunswick 

Snow Monkey Ramen

One of the city's most loved ramen spots lies conveniently in the heart of South Yarra. Snow Monkey Ramen stands out as a unique ramen shop born from the serendipitous encounter of two snow sport enthusiasts amidst the picturesque slopes of Hakuba in Japan. United by their love for skiing and admiration for the genuine flavours of Japanese cuisine, they embarked on a culinary journey to craft a truly exceptional ramen experience.

At Snow Monkey, the culinary traditions of France and Japan are fused to offer a novel interpretation of this soulful dish, showcasing a harmonious blend of techniques and flavours that promise to tantalise your taste buds. Their house made shoyu ramen and spicy miso option are both absolute standouts. 

shop 2/180 Toorak Road, South Yarra 

RamenRamen

This unassuming ramen shop has just hit The Glen Shopping Centre, and it's captured locals' hearts. RamenRamen often sells out of their incredibly popular bowls close (8.30pm Thursdays, 4pm other days), and once you find out how much love and care they put into them - despite being a fast-casual establishment - it's not hard to see why. The chefs here simmer the  Kyushu and tonkotsu broths for 24 hours, and to go with them is three-day-aged wavy wheat noodles and delicious toppings like chicken katsu or their signature tonkotsu.

235 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley

Yoku Ono Ramen + Sake

While we’re ramen devotees all-year-round, Melbourne’s hot summer days often call for something lighter than a steamy bowl of tonkotsu. That’s where cosy Prahran bar Yoku Ono’s chilled ramens come in. Noodles are soaked in broth to imbue them with flavour, then left to cool before being served with fresh tuna sashimi, wasabi dressing or miso scorched tofu and carrot ginger dressing. Light, wholesome and delicious, they’re one of our top picks during the warmer months.

6A Anchor Place, Prahran

Hakata Gensuke

Ask any Melburnian where to find the city’s best ramen, and they will direct you straight to Hakata Gensuke. Hungry diners eagerly await bowls of their signature tonkotsu, a thick, collagen-rich pork bone soup served with springy thin noodles, tender pork chashu, wood ear mushrooms and spring onions. It’s super hearty ramen that’ll leave you fortified for the day. For the seasoned slurpers, there’s a black garlic spiked-number and super spicy ‘God Fire’ version that lives up to its name.

4/860 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

168 Russell Street, Melbourne

200 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Shyun Ramen Bar

Trust us when we say Shyun Ramen Bar is worth the drive to Carnegie. 'Shyun' means 'season' in Japanese, and the creators of this delicious ramen bar decided to name their venue just that due to their commitment to using the freshest seasonal ingredients. Their homemade stock is crafted using a combination of pork and chicken, resulting in a comforting, flavourful umami taste that you'll love.

73 Koornang Road, Carnegie

No 18 Ramen

No 18 Ramen is St Kilda locals' go-to ramen restaurant for when the weather isn't fitting for a walk along the beach, but they still want to go on a date night or catch up with a friend. They have all the classic ramen flavours you know and love, plus they even have gluten free ramen available, so no one misses out - including people with coeliac disease!

151B Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

Had your fill of the best ramen in Melbourne and eager to try more of the best spots in the city? We've got you covered with our guide to Melbourne CBD's essential restaurants, as well as our favourite cocktail haunts to keep the cosy vibes going post that big bowl of soulful ramen.