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I’m old enough to remember a time when sushi wasn’t available on seemingly every street corner and the closest thing we had to ramen was microwaved bowls of two-minute noodles. Thankfully, those dark days are behind us, and we’re smack in the middle of a golden age of Japanese food in Sydney. Today, group chats debate the best tonkotsu broth in town, everyone has their favourite lunchtime sushi spot, and small omakase restaurants dominate all the annual “best of” food lists. Sydneysiders are now blessed with ample options for donburi, ramen, curry, yakitori, tempura, bento, and other Japanese culinary treasures — and these local spots are the best of the best.
RaRa Ramen
Even in a city with plenty of great ramen, RaRa in Redfern and Randwick stands out. Tonkotsu is the main event here — the slick, pork broth amplified with garlic and salty shio tare. Though the chicken-based tori paitan, soy-kicked vegan shio, and miso tonkatsu broths each have plenty of their own fans. Hakata noodles bring the perfect amount of chew to the party and the charcoal-licked free range chashu pork gives whichever bowl it’s added to a smoky richness. For those not in a soupy mood, the dry ramen mazesoba bowls don’t skimp on flavour thanks to the mix of chilli oil, chilli jam, bonito seasoning, and Japanese mayo. And whatever you do, don’t skip the snacks: the light-as-air gyoza and shio tare-marinated karaage are both top-tier at this Sydney Japanese restaurant.
Dopa Donburi and Milkbar
Few things rejuvenate the soul like a good donburi bowl, which is why the creators of Dopa chose to name their restaurant after dopamine, the chemical the brain releases when it experiences joy. Dopa lets you freestyle: top your rice bowl with grilled salmon, pork katsu, chicken curry, a brilliant wagyu cheeseburger situation, or any of the other dozen-plus add-ins. Kids are looked after here with mini don bowls that arrive with a drink and a toy, and a couple of mochi options make for a great finale. Order from the Darling Square, George Street, and North Ryde locations.
Tokyo Taco
This Newtown spot marries Japanese and Mexican hits. Sushi rice, Kewpie mayo, and Japanese pickles are stuffed into a nori taco shell, then crammed with a selection of fillings, like miso baked salmon, BBQ pulled pork, adobo jackfruit, and more. The same ingredients can also be transformed into Japanese-style nachos by scattering them over blue corn tortilla chips with edamame and black bean salsa.
Jugemu & Shimbashi
The best way to think of this Neutral Bay restaurant is as if it were, in fact, two restaurants. The Jugemu side plays like an Osaka-style okonomiyaki joint, flipping Japanese pancakes chock full of vegetables and topped with prawns, scallops, and an optional sunny side-up egg. On the Shimbashi side, a Kyoto-esque soba noodle house offers fresh noodles made daily with hot or cold dipping sauces and accoutrements like chicken curry, duck, and, my personal pick, the mixed tempura.
Ichi-Ban Boshi
One of the first ramen joints in Sydney remains one of the most beloved. This CBD hotspot still slings perfectly bitey noodles enrobed in a thick pork bone soup and topped with fall-apart chashu pork, sweet corn, bamboo, and a perfect ajitsuke tamago (soy- and mirin-cured egg). For the full experience, add a plate of takoyaki — fried dough balls stuffed with minced octopus — a plate of gyoza, and a serve of pickles.
Motto Motto
The branding and packaging might be funky and modern, but the flavours at this Marrickville and Macquarie Park hotspot are about as classically Japanese as they get. Udon noodles swim in curry-spiced dashi, rich tonkotsu clings to slender ramen noodles, and bao buns are stuffed with miso tofu, karaage chicken, or sweet-salty pork belly. For a Motto Motto favourite, try the Loaded Popcorn Scallop Donburi with deep-fried seafood, onsen egg, shallots, seaweed, red pickles, Japanese mayo, and tonkatsu sauce over rice.
Yasaka Ramen
The tonkotsu at this city joint is so punchy and thick you could stand your chopsticks up in it. It’s all thanks to the signature two-step simmering process, where extra smoked pork bones are added after the first few hours of bubbling, giving the whole thing an amped up meatiness and depth. The homemade noodles are a marvel too, somehow both chewy and tender — and the lineup of toppings, like tender ribs and chashu pork slabs grilled over Japanese charcoal, are exemplary. Don’t miss sides like prawn-stuffed gyoza, thick and juicy katsu chicken and pork, and tender octopus karaage.
Robata Jones
Grabbing a seat in a busy izakaya is one of the great ways to spend an evening; cocktails and Japanese beers flow fast and meat-loaded skewers vanish from plates as quickly as they appear. Thankfully, on those nights when the call of the couch is just too loud to ignore, this buzzy Artarmon joint delivers. The offering includes skewers loaded with marinated chicken bits, wagyu beef, and pork belly, plus a lineup of snacks like crispy gyoza and a brilliant Japanese octopus ceviche. The bento is unparalleled in variety and value: your chosen protein (grilled eel, yakitori chicken, salted ox tongue, and more) arrives with rice, miso soup, crisp lotus chips, sesame spinach, and a surprise daily treat.
Koi Bento
Sure, it’s easy to get distracted by the array of vibrant Japanese salads, tempura udon soups, Japanese curries, ramen bowls, and jewel-toned sushi rolls at this Leichhardt joint, but the bento boxes are where it’s at. Choose your favourite Japanese meal — I’m a sucker for tonkatsu and unagi, and the teriyaki chicken has hordes of admirers — and your generous portion is packaged up with warm rice, crisp-fried gyoza, a few pieces of nigiri, a couple of sushi rolls, salad, sauces, and a nourishing serve of miso soup.
KumaDon
Don’t be fooled by its diminutive hole-in-the-wall presence, KumaDon slings some of the best beef rice bowls in the city. Paper-thin slices of Angus wagyu and beef tongue are given a quick, tempering swim in a rich soy sauce broth, then draped over glistening short grain rice and paired with a soft-boiled egg and some salty Japanese pickles. There aren’t many things I enjoy more than cracking the yolk, mixing it into the rice, and diving in. It’s not flashy, but when it’s this tasty it doesn’t have to be. Find the rice bowl of your dreams in Haymarket, Chatswood, Burwood, and Liverpool.
Ajisen Ramen
There might be over 700 Ajisen Ramen outposts around the world, but that doesn’t make the tonkotsu ramen any less remarkable. The secret? A recipe created in 1968 that combines the porky bone broth with a mountain of garlic. There are dozens of toppings on offer, plus a few vegetarian ramen options, donburi bowls, and snacky bento boxes. Those with a big appetite shouldn’t miss the Special Tonkotsu Ramen, cramming chashu pork, pork ribs, and karaage chicken into the soupy noodles.
Bao Bar
Bao Bar puts the fun in bun with its eclectic collection of Japanese snacks. On the bao front, things run from the expected (karaage chicken) to the unexpected (Philly cheesesteak and lamb gyros). This Horningsea Park joint is like a Japanese show: dagwood dogs, mozzarella sticks, and jalapeño bites bring a carnival atmosphere, while Peking duck spring rolls, dim sims, and the long list of extravagant, decadent milkshakes amp up the retro vibes.
Sushi Train
I love watching the endless parade of freshly-made rolls, nigiri, and sashimi plates whiz by me at Sushi Train. But a home-delivered order — your chosen bites arriving at your door as if by magic — is every bit as good. Sushi is still the main attraction, of course, though ordering delivery is the perfect opportunity to try one of the many rice bowls or ramen dishes too. Having a party? The sushi platters are an easy, fun, and delicious way to feed a crowd. Catch the Train in Newtown, Cronulla, Bondi Beach, Rose Bay, Rosebery, Surry Hills, Randwick, Sutherland, and Maroubra.
Momoto
Another popular train-powered sushi joint, Momoto in the CBD takes a more is more approach to sushi, with rolls, nigiri, gunkan boats, and hana all packed with colourful ingredients. The delivery menu doesn’t skimp on the hits, and while there mightn’t be a conveyor belt in your living room, having this quality of sushi delivered to your door is the next best thing. I’m a big fan of the mixed sushi donburi, where steamed rice is blanketed in cubes of raw fish, avocado, cucumber, and roe at this top Japanese restaurant.
Umaya
Umaya didn’t invent the term Japanese tapas, but it’s certainly a fitting descriptor. Just-seared beef tataki dressed in ponzu; juicy karaage; perfectly craggy tempura prawns; bite-sized pieces of technicolour sushi; and crisp, octopus-filled takoyaki balls are begging to be paired with a glass of something cold. Dining alone or after something a bit less bitsy? There are plenty of ramen, udon, and donburi options available at the Umaya outposts in the CBD, Kirrawee, and Macquarie Park.
Yappari Steak
Beef. That’s the main event at this city steakhouse chain born in Okinawa. While diners get to cook their preferred cut of beef (or plant-based meat) on hot rocks right at the table, it’s a slightly different — though no less delicious — game when played at home. Choose how much meat you’d like, decide between garlic soy or onion sauce (I’m team onion forever), and add some garlic bread or golden fries to sop it all up. If you’re looking for the best Japanese in Sydney, this is high on the list.
Ken-Chan Curry
Choice can be overwhelming; I love a restaurant that just does one thing very well. That’s the deal at this Neutral Bay and Haymarket curry house, where katsu pork or chicken come together with rich Japanese curry — a perfect marriage of deliciousness. The menu lists the fluffy, oozy omelette as optional, though I’m here to tell you it’s not. Add gyoza and miso soup and you’ve got a dreamy meal.
Omi
This Chatswood spot is about traditional Japanese cooking with the volume turned all the way up. I’m talking about the truffle salt-dusted edamame, panko-crumbed oysters, ox tongue udon, and the 36-hour tonkotsu broth laced with black truffle. Don’t look past the drink options, stacked with hot and cold matcha, barista-made coffees, black sesame lattes, and a collection of yuzu fizzes. And a personal tip: leave room for dessert. The sole Sydney outpost of this beloved chain dishes out some of the city’s best Japanese cakes.
IIKO Mazesoba
This dry ramen spot in Haymarket coats those signature thin wheat noodles with a punchy soy-based sauce, then it’s up to you to either go with the standard ramen toppings — like onsen egg, chashu pork, sautéed spinach, bamboo, and nori — or go wild with sear-edged wagyu, karaage chicken, or cheese. I’m a sucker for the dandan mazesoba, which replicates the flavours of the classic Sichuan noodle dish in ramen form. My next best: the Secret Dish, which brings together spicy karaage chicken, curry, egg, chilli oil, and cheese.
Hikaru Japanese Courtyard Restaurant
Translating to radiance or light, this sunny restaurant just off Newtown’s main drag lives up to the hikaru in its name, featuring a coveted courtyard. And while the delivery menu covers all the usual bases — sushi, noodles, rice bowls, and fried snacks — there’s one thing that consistently draws in the lunchtime crowds: bento boxes. Gathering together inari, sushi, a few bits of tempura, rice, miso, salad, and your chosen headliner, each box has its fans. Me? I’m a nanban man: deep-fried fish fillets are doused in sweetened rice wine vinegar and served up with a good whack of tartar sauce.
