Sydney's Best Ramen

Opened in 2014 in Darlinghurst, Chaco Ramen was born out of Keita Abe’s – of Sydney’s beloved Toko restaurant – passion for yakitori and ramen. Walk into either of two outposts, Bondi or Darlinghurst, and you’ll feel like you’re in Tokyo. Be sure to order a bowl of the Fat Soy, complete with Chashu pork, half egg, black fungus, nori, and shallots.

Housed in a community motorcycle workshop, Rising Sun Workshop serves three signature ramen. There’s The Monk, a vegetarian masterpiece made from a shiitake mushroom and sea kelp dashi with miso; The Light, which sees free-range chicken in a three-fish dashi spiced with smoked salt; and The Darkness, made from a traditional free-range chicken, pork, and smoked hock broth topped with roasted free-range pork belly. Take your pick!

The paper lanterns signal that you have arrived at Ramen Zundo, which has been turning out Tokyo-style ramen, including their signature tonkotsu broth – made over two days on high heat for eight hours – since 2012. Serving a mix of tonkotsu, soy and miso-based ramen at pace, you’ll never wait long for your soup to arrive.

With 80 seats, all usually taken, Gogyo has made a name for itself due to its intensely flavoured Kogashi-style charred ramen which sees the miso and shoyu base burnt to add depth and increase that all-important umami. Our faves? The signature Kogashi Miso; a chicken broth with a charred miso base, and the Tonkotsu Modern; a silky pork broth with pork belly chashu.

Serving up soba noodles made fresh twice daily on the premises by chef and founder Masahika Tojo, while not ramen, this place is hard to go past for noodle soup lovers. The Kamo-nan soba is a must-have and the Duck Kamo-nan is a favourite with slices of juicy roasted duck.