A Japanese chain setting the gold standard for tonkotsu ramen in Melbourne. What separates Carlton from the Hawthorn and CBD flagship branches is its “yatai” ramens, served with rounds of pork belly chashu like you’d find in Fukuoka, Japan, the birthplace of tonkotsu.

The first Australian location for the revered global ramen chain brings its signature tori paitan soup to Melbourne's CBD. Expect lines around the block for one of its 28 seats, and be rewarded inside with six different ramen options, snacks and sake pairings.

A bastion of exemplary Hakata-style ramen in the city centre. Visit for house-made noodles, consistently excellent broths and a creation known simply as the “cocktail draft beer”. If you drink too many, do as the shop prescribes: keep calm, eat ramen. Also on Little Bourke Street.

A food court ramen shop delivering classic tonkotsu, matcha with sous-vide duck and broth-less versions of the Japanese staple. But be quick, these bowls often sell out.

Japan's most famous ramen chain has multiple locations in Australia, including this one in the CBD. The Akamaru Shinaji, Ippudo’s signature “modern” tonkotsu ramen, hinges on a 25-year-old recipe topped with blended miso paste, garlic oil, pork belly chashu, black fungus and bean sprouts.

The upmarket cousin of Ippudo is famous for its kogashi-style ramen. Meaning “charred” in Japanese, the method involves overheating lard in a wok, then adding a special miso or soy base, followed by chicken broth. The results are intensely fragrant and umami-packed – but if you’re craving the classics, you can get them here, too.

An unconventional lobster ramen is the key to this tiny shop’s success. The 35-seater combines Japanese and French techniques to create some of the city’s most interesting soups – but we also love the benchmark tonkotsu here.

Delicate broths and two-week-aged noodles are the specialty here, with styles ranging from asari clam shoyu ramen to A5 Wagyu ramen.

What started as a lockdown pop-up by two Italian chefs at Shujinko is now a fully-fledged ramen restaurant. Squeeze into the neon-lit space for decadent lobster or truffle-infused soups, comforting rice bowls, gyoza and truffle fries.

Whether you visit the Fitzroy OG or the larger Preston spinoff, each of Shop's four ramens (pork belly, beef brisket, barbeque chicken and vegan tofu) is markedly different and super tasty. This crew also bucks the tonkotsu trend – instead favouring a lighter, Tokyo-influenced chicken broth. There isn’t one go-to soup, and all are worth a try.

Watch the magic happen inside the open kitchen at this south-side spot. For the signature, order the chicken torigara ramen. Made with a chicken broth that simmers for over 10 hours, this opaque soup is rich with collagen. Vitamins, too.

This jazzy 30-seater is a Japanese izakaya, craft sake bar and record store rolled into one – but it also adds quality ramen to the equation. You’ll always find two options (signature chicken-based or vegetarian), plus the occasional special. Best of all, these bowls stick around on the late-night menu. You’ll need one after all that sake.

Little Ramen Bar ain’t so little these days. Previously a hole-in-the-wall on Little Bourke street, it moved to this spacious digs in 2021 – bringing with it some solid renditions of ramen’s greatest hits: tonkotsu, miso, shoyu and tantanmen. Still a great spot to escape the bustle of the city and warm up with some noodles.

Vegan ramen has come a long way in the last decade, and you can get an excellent version of it at this cute, takeaway-centric canteen. Featuring vegetable stock with over 20 ingredients (and liberal amounts of miso), your bowl is loaded with egg-less “egg noodles” and various roasted veg toppings.

There's an extensive ramen menu at this bar and diner from the man behind Wabi Sabi Salon and Neko Neko, alongside a range of other classic Japanese dishes. Plus, there are plenty of sake-based cocktails and a tight line-up of rare whiskies.