Cold Rolls & Hot Bowls: The Best Sushi Trains in Melbourne
All aboard the best sushi trains in Melbourne, where plates of delicious Japanese delicacies glide into sight for a grab-and-dine experience.
When the craving for sushi and sashimi hits, sushi trains are the most exciting way to enjoy the much-loved Japanese cuisine, mixing fun and flavour in a unique dining experience. Whether you're popping in for nigiri, fresh sashimi, a plate of tempura prawns or salty edamame, the novelty of grabbing your favourite dish as it glides past on the conveyor belt never gets old.
We've tried and tested enough cold rolls to know where to find the best sushi trains in Melbourne, ideal for a casual meal out, a quick lunchtime bite or a fuss-free date night. From Melbourne CBD and beyond, grab your sushi-loving gang and let's dig in!
Chocolate Buddha
Chocolate Buddha is a family-friendly, lunch-break-friendly and quick-catch-up-friendly restaurant, thanks largely in part to being home to Melbourne's first high-speed shinkansen (sushi train). The restaurant is bustling and communal and boasts a menu filled with the good stuff including ramen noodles, dumplings, bento boxes, and maki and hand rolls. And it wouldn’t be called Chocolate Buddha without something sweet - the chocolate mousse is the perfect sweet note to end the delicious feed on!
Federation Square, 23 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Ganbare Kaz
Authentic sushi and Japanese Izakaya are the order of the day at Windsor's Ganbare Kaz, where the buzz of Chapel Street can be felt within the casual eatery every night of the week.
It's always sushi time here, where chefs prepare some of the best cold rolls, nigiri and small bites in town at an affordable price. Take a seat by the belt and choose your feast as the dishes roll by, from steamed buns, shrimp spring rolls and Yellowtail Nigiri to special sushi rolls that reflect the best in season.
151 Chapel Street, Windsor
Sakura Kaiten
If you prefer to have your sushi surrounded by Insta-worthy interiors, book a spot at the Sakura Kaiten sushi train on Lonsdale Street. The stunning venue, the second from Sakura, has been shortlisted for restaurant design awards for its modern and minimalist interiors that reflect the authentic style of restaurants in Japan.
The highly skilled chefs create beautiful plates before placing them on the sushi train to make their way to hungry customers, who can choose grilled and raw nigiri, maki rolls, raw salmon plates and flavourful cold rolls.
282 Lonsdale Street & 61 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Sushi Jiro Melbourne
Passionate about serving the real deal, the sushi at Sushi Juro is creative, authentic, delicious and fresh. Modern and clean, this is as inviting as it gets for a fuss-free date night, where the hard work is done in the kitchen, and all you have to do is choose a favourite as it glides past (on Australia's longest sushi trains, no less).
You're spoilt for choice from seaweed salad and salmon sashimi to premium nigiri and Udon noodle bowls, and, with multiple locations spanning from Melbourne Central and Chadstone to Doncaster, it's never been easier to get your sushi fix!
Find your nearest location here.
Yoyogi
This is where modern dining meets Japanese tradition, perfectly complimented by the all-ages fun of a sushi train! Yoyogi is a Melbourne hotspot for reliable sushi, with plates making their way to your table along the 36-meter-long conveyor belt, constantly topped up with fresh bites from the kitchen. The menu is filled with sushi and nigiri favourites plus fun additions to the train like Temaki rolls, katsu, oysters and skewers. Don't forget to order a drink - the Japanese beverages and signature teas are seriously refreshing.
Sitchu tip: for a more intimate experience, head upstairs to level one for a front-row seat as the skilled sushi chefs expertly prepare hand rolls with finesse.
269 Swanson Street, Melbourne
Tetsujin
A great sushi train restaurant for the whole family, co-workers or friends, Tetsujin is conveniently located in the Emporium, serving a wide range of fresh and tasty sushi within their sleek, contemporary fit-out for city workers and visitors.
The restaurant is open lunch through dinner 7 days a week, and the inherent charm and fun of a sushi train will keep you entertained as you tuck into nigiri, premium wagyu beef, and perhaps even a cheeky sake. The gyozas, edamame and Japanese fried chicken are worth grabbing off the belt!
Emporium Melbourne, 295 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Sushi Hotaru
Standing out for its great sushi and exceptional value, Sushi Hotaru is a top choice among sushi enthusiasts. With its stylish interiors that exude a funky Tokyo vibe and a tech-savvy touchscreen ordering system, this popular restaurant offers diners handmade sushi and other Japanese classics like Udon soup, chicken teriyaki rolls and Edamame, all served fresh on the belt.
118/200 Midcity Arcade, Melbourne
Now that you know where to find the best sushi trains in Melbourne, make the most of your time in the CBD with a pre-dinner treat at the best bars in town, then end the night on a sweet note at the best dessert bars in Melbourne!
