Ramen has got to be one of the best family-friendly meals you can have out with the family. What kid doesn’t love slurpy noodles??
Also, ramen shops thrive on quick service and high turnover, which suits the short attention of kids. And when a restaurant offers you a bib, you know that mess isn’t going to be a problem!
However, not every restaurant serving the best ramen Melbourne has is family-friendly. Some are hole-in-the-wall locations where you can’t squeeze a pram in, never mind a high chair.
But don’t worry – if you’re a ramen-loving family like ours, here’s where to find the best ramen in Melbourne in a child-friendly environment.
A note about ramen:
- Good ramen combines a flavoursome broth, tare (seasoning), springy noodles and toppings.
- The most popular ramen broth is tonkotsu (pork bone), though you can also get other flavours at most ramen shops. My personal favourite is black sesame (though you will end up with a ring of black around your lips).
- Classic seasonings include shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt) and miso (fermented soybeans).
- Common toppings include chashu (barbequed pork), soft-boiled egg, black fungus, nori (seaweed), naruto fishcakes, spring onions and sesame.
Best ramen in Melbourne
1. Gogyo, Fitzroy
Push your pram a couple of steps up from the footpath and enter the spacious, light-filled Gogyo.
Gogyo is the sister restaurant to popular ramen chain Ippudo and their kogashi (burnt miso) ramen is the bowl to order.
The ramen Fitzroy restaurant features cosy booths on one side, perfect for hemming kids in, as well as high chairs and a disabled toilet.
Gogyo, 413 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 03 9417 7474
2. Shop Ramen, Preston
The second outpost of the popular Shop Ramen Collingwood is twice the size of the original restaurant, which means it’s much less squeezy for families.
Shop Ramen takes its inspiration from Tokyo style ramen places but is not a completely traditional ramen joint. The broths, handmade wheat noodles and untraditional toppings make it a hit with local families.
Shop Ramen, 143 Plenty Rd, Preston, 0423 678 367
3. Hakata Gensuke, Carlton
There are always lines for the original Hakata Gensuke ramen shop in Russell Street Melbourne, which is why we never go with kids.
Even in their QV store in Melbourne CBD ramen ordering can get a bit hectic (though it does have a bank of highchairs available).
Instead, we visit the Hakata Gensuke in Carlton to dine on their Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen Melbourne in a much more spacious and relaxed environment.
There is also a fourth Hakata Gensuke branch in Hawthorn.
Hakata Gensuke, 126 Lygon St, Carlton, 03 9078 4819
4. Ippudo, Melbourne
Could this be the best ramen Melbourne CBD has to offer? Ippudo is a famous ramen restaurant chain hailing from Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture. Their QV Melbourne store serves Hakata-style ramen in a huge space with wide, pram-friendly corridors and walls of light oak, concrete and dangling lanterns.
Ippudo, Shop 18 Artemis Lane, QV Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, 03 9654 9057
5. Musashi Ramen Bar, Melbourne
There’s no shortage of Melbourne ramen restaurants but if it’s peak dinner time in Melbourne CBD and the kids are with you, you don’t want to be waiting in line for a table at a tiny bench for your hit of Japanese ramen.
That’s why we go to Musashi Ramen Bar, which has easy access to seating and high chairs for babies.
Musashi Ramen Bar, Level 1/181 Russell St, Melbourne, 03 9972 9973
6. Shyun Ramen Bar, Carnegie
While Shyun Ramen Bar can be a bit squashy, it makes my list for a child-friendly ramen restaurant Melbourne families will love. Its simple setting, relaxed atmosphere (no feeling like you’re an on-the-clock salaryman and being hustled out asap) and open kitchen that engages kids with the theatre of ramen cooking.
The chef’s pick is the homemade creamy chicken broth soup, simmered for more than 10 hours to enhance the flavours.
Shyun Ramen Bar, 73 Koornang Rd, Carnegie, 03 8394 5971
7. Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen, Melbourne
It’s a bit hard to descend the stairs if you’re wielding a pram, but if you have kids able to walk the stairs on their own then this underground ramen restaurant is a go-to for a quieter, less frenetic experience for dining on ramen in Melbourne CBD.
The basement dining room has lots of space between the tables, though my kids prefer to sit at the bench watching the chefs at work. Highchairs are available.
Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen, basement of 27 Russell St, Melbourne, 03 9650 3708
8. Shizuku, Abbotsford
Looking for ramen near Melbourne but not in the centre of the city?
In amongst the Vietnamese pho of Victoria Street is Shizuku, serving a long list of ramen soup noodles for you to try. There’s space for prams and high chairs in this modern restaurant, with wooden light shades and cute terrariums and not a red lantern in sight.
If you’re visiting for the first time then the classic shoyu ramen is a good place to start.
Shizuku, 309 Victoria St, Abbotsford, 03 9995 8180
9. Chocolate Buddha
Chocolate Buddha at Federation Square has recently been renovated with beautiful design by Peter Maddison (Maddison Architects). Seating has been expanded to include outdoor tables so diners can watch the action at Fed Square.
There’s an extensive menu of delicious food including ramen in full size and kids serves. There is also a sushi train and plenty of other options to please everyone in the family.
The prices at Chocolate Buddha are higher than usual, but you can see why when the food arrives – the quality is high and the presentation striking.
Chocolate Buddha, Federation Square, Cnr Swanston & Flinders Street Melbourne, 03 9654 5688
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