Piping hot and packed full of flavour, ramen is as good for the soul as it is for the stomach. It's no wonder this drool-worthy dish, which features noodles swimming in a lush savoury broth, topped with goodies like braised or barbecued pork and jammy, soft-boiled eggs—is one of Japan's most popular dishes and an absolute fan favourite here in New Zealand.
But who does it best? After much slurping, we can confirm that these are the best places in Auckland to grab yourself a bowl of the good stuff, a.k.a ramen.
Takimi Mazesoba
4/40 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland
New Zealand has never had a solo dining cubicle ramen spot so you bet we almost fell off our chairs when we heard had opened. The cubicle concept is a favourite the world over. Wood panels separate you from the next ramen-slurper allowing you to give your steaming bowl of ramen your undivided attention which, of course, is exactly what the heaven-sent dish deserves. Head here to dine in peace with a bowl of near-brothless dry ramen complete with thick, chewy wheat noodles.
Chop Chop Noodle House
140 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby Central, Ponsonby, Auckland
Self-described as a 'noodle saloon', Chop Chop Noodle House is hands-down one of the city's best spots for a feed of ramen. Get amongst a solid assortment of flavours, from pork belly and beef brisket through to the tongue-in-cheek Cobra Kai Super Mega Ramen with three different types of meat (guaranteed to karate kick your taste buds into orbit). Plus, this has to be one of the only places in Auckland where you can get your ramen with a side of whisky. Yeehaw!
Show Wa Noodles
39 Bishop Dunn Place, Flat Bush
Another contender for the creamy pork tonkotsu is . The tonkotsu is Show Wa Noodles' best seller, closely followed by soba (buckwheat) noodles. While you’re there, don’t forget the deep fried cheese stick, takoyaki and matcha pudding (non-ramen items, but you won’t regret it). They also hold Japanese artisan craft markets at their store from time to time, so you can enjoy their ramen while you support creatives and makers. Win win!
Yawara Ramen Bar
10 Cammish Lane, Orewa, Auckland
It's official—ramen has crept into every conceivable corner of Auckland, including Orewa. That's right, Coasties can now get their ramen fix at , a cute li'l spot hidden down a quiet side street. These bowls of goodness are worth seeking out for the broth alone—delightfully cloudy and with depth for days, your soul will smile, guaranteed. However they also use high-quality noodles and sauces imported from Japan, and who can argue with that? Kat says Yawara serves some of the best ramen in Auckland—not bad for a tiny shop all the way up in Orewa.
Miso-Ra
Helensville, and various locations across the city
Image credit: Miso Ra | Facebook
The ultimate ramen food truck catering to all of Auckland is . They offer pork miso ramen (with spicy and curry options) and vegan options too. Based in Helensville, this truck pops up at various Beer Spot locations twice a month (they have a rotating schedule and are based in Huapai and Northcote Beer Spot this month). You can also find them at upcoming street food markets with the Food Truck Collective in the city.
Ramen Station
42 Totara Avenue, New Lynn
was born from a Japanese kaiseki chef who found his passion in perfecting the art of ramen. Their popular picks are the Tonkotsu shoyu ramen, where you can order anything from their classic tonkotsu shoyu to a seafood deluxe tonkotsu. We’re also a big fan of the dipping noodles (aka Tsukemen) and they’ve got vegetarian and vegan options too. You can customise your order further with a range of toppings, with chicken chashu and katsu, or kaedama noodles (an extra serving of 100g for $5). Slurp away.
Maruten Ramen
466 Dominion Road, Mount Eden
It would be remiss not to mention Maruten Ramen, which has been making ramen fans out of Aucklanders since its days at Mercury Plaza (you'll now find it on Dominion Road). The ramen menu here is so big it’s a book. is like ramen heaven for those who have tried everything, or for those who want everything (on their ramen, that is). There’s butter corn, an entire vegan ramen section and, for the more adventurous, a fusion ramen section (chicken and basil, but make it ramen). Don’t leave without trying their tsukemen, firm bouncy noodles with an umami-laced bonito dipping broth.
Go Ramen
10 Durham Street East, Auckland CBD
Opened in July last year, 's fat ramen noodles are the tonic to your rainy-day ramen fix. Other must-wrap-your-mouth-around items include their cheese'n spicy tonkotsu ramen (a fiery noodle dish topped with cheese) and curry on udon which, as the name suggests, is a pile of traditional-style udon noodles sauced to the max with homemade Japanese curry.
Ajisen Ramen Restaurant
5/7 Kingdon Street, Newmarket, Auckland | 3 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland | 451 Ti Rakau Drive, Botany, Auckland | 155 Lincoln Road, Henderson, Auckland
Image credit: Ajisen Ramen Restaurant | Facebook
With 800 branches worldwide, it’s no wonder is a popular choice for ramen lovers across the globe. All the Auckland sites offer the Ajisen classic Tonkotsu: a Kumamoto style pork based broth, complete with tamago (egg), chashu (marinated pork), mushroom and ramen. There’s even an exotic menu for those who want to upgrade to a black garlic Tonkotsu, or hit up a comforting Katsu Chicken on ramen. Their next level ramen includes the Grand Zen Nose, with chashu and slow braised ribs, and the Grand Tan Tan (sesame spiced broth with chashu and pork mince, only available at the Takapuna store). Don’t forget the necessary jammy egg addition.
Zool Zool
405 Mount Eden Road, Mount Eden
This cozy little noodle house and izakaya bar in Mt Eden village is serving up delicious creamy bowls of chicken paitan Zoolmen—a broth reduced ramen bowl for those who want all the flavour without filling up on too much of the liquid goodness. They even have flavoured oils in droppers at each table so you can customise your own bowl to your liking. While there’s shoyu and tonkotsu classics, they’ve also got spicy versions of Tan Tan (pork mince and noodles with sesame and pork broth) and their Soy Milk Seafood Champion (complete with prawns, squid and scallops). You can also indulge with all the vege trimmings with the “All Hands on Deck” topping selection, and there’s free extra noodles at lunch time too.
Ramen Do
167 Symonds Street, Eden Terrace
We're saying a big fat 'I do' to Ramen Do, which has been dishing up ramen goodness to the people of Auckland from its Symonds Street eatery for several years now. Authentic Japanese ramen is the name of the game here, and that means no shortcuts. Noodles are made fresh on the daily, while broths are brewed for 48 hours to give them an unrivalled depth of flavour. Their Hokkaido miso ramen is a particular fave—try it for yourself, if you know what's good. Do upgrade to a larger size and add extra noodles (you can thank us later).
Ramen Takara
272 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby | 4 Anzac Road, Browns Bay
Image credit: Ramen Takara | Facebook
If you want ramen that's the real deal, Ramen Takara is where you'll find it. Owner and executive chef, Yuki, grew up watching her father run a small but successful ramen shop at the foot of Mount Fuji, so it doesn't get much more legit than that. Now she's bought the art of authentic Japanese ramen to Auckland, and the result is every bit as incredible as you'd expect. Here you'll find unique fusion ramen flavors like Jade Ramen (spicy pork minice and tangy black vinegar), Tom Yum Ramen and Wonton Ramen. Their Browns Bay site has a range of changing specials, from Vegetarian “Tonkotsu” to (currently) Ban Ban Chicken Reimen (cold ramen with tantan dressing).
Someplace Somewhere
Pop-Ups Across Auckland
Having recently returned from Melbourne, Kiwi chef Kane Wilson is switching up the ramen scene. After falling in love with Japanese cuisine, he’s been incorporating the tastes and style of cooking into pop-up events (under the name ). His latest collaborative pop-up with Ragtag earlier this month showcased duck and chicken broth, with smoked duck roast, plum miso and homemade noodles. Keep an eye on to find out where they'll appear next.
Sneaky Snacky
184 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD
Known for their fried chicken and glazed donuts, has added three tantalizing ramen options to their offerings. Choose from Pork Paitan, Shoyu or Miso—with a Sneaky Snacky donut burger of course.
TANPOPO Ramen
13 Anzac Avenue, Auckland CBD | 6/407 Glenfield Road, Glenfield
Image credit: Tanpopo Ramen | Facebook
is an absolute stalwart of the ramen scene here in Auckland, serving up bowls of the good stuff under the watchful eye of Tokyo-born Michio Kurihara for more than 35 years. This one is most famous for its tonkotsu shoyu ramen, which pairs succulent slices of barbecue pork with a special, soy sauce-laced pork broth, and was even named one of 2020's Iconic Auckland Eats. However, what we really appreciate here is the option of extra toppings—including cheese—for just a few bucks extra. Yes, you read that correctly, cheesy ramen. We don't know about you, but to us, that seems kinda genius.
Ichiban Ramen
17 Albert Street, Auckland CBD
For an authentic ramen dining experience, you can't beat . Here you'll perch atop just one of 10 stools while slurping down piping hot bowls of noodles, just like you would at a real Japanese ramen bar. But it's not just the bonafide vibes that make this a must-visit—Ichiban is also famous for bringing the heat and by that we mean five different levels of spice for any ramen on the menu (warning: level five is expert territory only). We can't think of a better way to blow off the cobwebs (and clear out our sinuses).
Want more? Yeah you do. Have a peruse of the best Japanese restaurants in Auckland.
Main image credit: Chop Chop Noodle House