5 of the best ways to enjoy Japanese cuisine while travelling in Australia

There’s something about Japanese food that just gets it right. Maybe it’s the obsessive focus on freshness and those clean, simple flavours that let great ingredients shine. Maybe it’s the centuries-old mastery of craft where every detail matters. Or maybe it’s just how damn good you feel after a meal without that sluggish junk food hangover weighing you down for the rest of the day.

Whatever it is, Japanese cuisine has become a real crowd pleaser across Australia and it’s not hard to see why. We’ve become a nation obsessed with clean, healthy living, and the number of excellent Japanese restaurants and takeaways popping up week by week is a testament to our collective appetite for this refined style of cooking.

The best part? You don’t need to book a flight to Tokyo to experience world-class Japanese dining. Australia has developed its own thriving Japanese food scene with some genuinely exceptional spots dotted around the country, from intimate omakase counters to bustling ramen bars that transport you straight to the streets of Osaka.

If you’re obsessed with sushi, sashimi and sake like I am, then this guide is for you. Here are five of the best places to enjoy Japanese food on your travels around Australia.

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1. Ten Japanese Restaurant, Gold Coast

When you think Gold Coast dining, you might picture beachside fish and chips or boozy brunch spots overlooking the ocean. But tucked away in Broadbeach is something quite different. Ten Japanese Restaurant is arguably the most upmarket sushi experience in Queensland and it’s the kind of place that reminds you why fine dining exists.

The restaurant offers sumptuous sushi, teppanyaki and kaiseki in a decadent, architecturally designed setting that feels like stepping into a different world. The Gold Coast has built a fantastic reputation for dining over the years and Ten has helped push that reputation up another notch, drawing food lovers from Brisbane and beyond.

I’m not going to lie, this place isn’t cheap. But what you get for your money is an experience that stays with you long after the meal ends. The Japanese-style truffle omelette is a thing of beauty and the melt-in-your-mouth kurobuta pork belly will ruin you for lesser pork forever. These aren’t just dishes, they’re little moments of perfection on a plate.

It’s little surprise that Ten has won numerous awards over the years and continues to be a fixture in Broadbeach’s dining scene. If you’re planning a Gold Coast trip and want to treat yourself to something special, this is the spot.

2. Ramen Lab, Perth

Perth might be isolated on the west coast but that hasn’t stopped it from developing one of Australia’s most exciting food scenes. And if you’re chasing some of the very best, wholesome ramen in the country, you’ll want to make your way to Perth City or Mt Lawley for an experience at Ramen Lab.

For anyone who’s inexperienced with Japanese cuisine, ramen is so much more than instant noodles in a cup. It’s a broth-based masterpiece filled with fresh noodles, vegetables, meat and fish that’s been refined over generations. Done right, it’s basically a bowlful of pure comfort and satisfaction.

What sets Ramen Lab apart is their commitment to house-made noodles and building flavour from the ground up. You’ll love the delicate flakes of smoked fish and those octopus balls cooked in the warm, tingly broth that wraps around you like a hug. The kind of meal that makes Perth’s distance from the east coast feel totally worth it.

The space itself is unpretentious and focused, the kind of place where the food does all the talking. Grab a stool at the counter if you can and watch the chefs work their magic. It’s ramen done properly and Perth is all the better for it.

3. Minamishima, Melbourne

Melbourne’s Japanese dining scene is seriously competitive and standing out takes something special. Minamishima manages it with apparent ease. This is the brainchild of head chef Koichi Minamishima and his eponymous Japanese restaurant in Richmond really does capture the imagination in ways that most places simply can’t.

Here’s what makes Minamishima different. It’s not just another Japanese restaurant churning out the usual suspects. What’s great is that you can genuinely put your entire experience in the palm of Koichi’s hands by booking the omakase, which translates to ‘chef’s choice’. This gives you a taste of everything that’s good about Japanese seafood without having to make a single menu decision.

From scampi to scallops, eel to sea urchin, every piece of nigiri is a small lesson in how perfect sushi can be when someone truly knows what they’re doing. The rice is seasoned just right, the fish is impossibly fresh and the balance is something you can only achieve through years of dedicated practice.

Is it expensive? Absolutely. Is it worth every dollar? Without question. This is the kind of meal you remember for years and the kind of experience that raises your standards for Japanese dining forever. Book well ahead because tables at Minamishima are coveted for good reason.

4. Sokyo, Sydney

Sydney has no shortage of high-end Japanese restaurants but Sokyo at The Star has managed to maintain its position as one of the city’s ultimate Japanese dining destinations. What makes it special is the way it strikes a perfect balance between traditional Japanese flavours and innovative modern methods without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard.

Chef Chase Kojima has created something genuinely impressive here. The sashimi platter is as fresh as you’ll find anywhere in Sydney and the Toro with blended fiery wasabi is the kind of bite that makes you close your eyes and just appreciate the moment. The fish quality here is exceptional and they clearly have great relationships with their suppliers.

But Sokyo isn’t just about the food. There’s also a hefty cocktail and sake menu that’s been carefully curated to complement the dining experience. The sake sommelier knows their stuff and can guide you through pairings that’ll enhance every course. It’s the perfect setup for sharing a special night with someone you actually want to spend time with.

The setting helps too. Sokyo has a sophisticated atmosphere without being stuffy and the service strikes that ideal balance between attentive and invisible. You’re at The Star but you feel a world away from the casino floor, which is exactly what you want.

5. Ocha, Melbourne

Some restaurants are about making a splash with the latest trends and most talked-about techniques. Others are about consistency, craft and doing things properly over the long haul. Ocha is firmly in the second camp and Melbourne is better for it.

This place has been going strong for over three decades now and that kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident. From modest beginnings in a small 30-seater restaurant in Kew, Ocha has grown and moved to Hawthorn where it’s become one of the best artisanal Japanese restaurants in Victoria.

What I love about Ocha is the way it honours traditional Japanese flavours while nodding towards the new age of Japanese cuisine with imaginative touches. You’ll find authentic ingredients like miso, wasabi and kombu treated with respect but also with creativity, resulting in dishes that feel both familiar and excitingly new.

The dining room has an understated elegance that lets the food be the star. This isn’t about flashy presentations or Instagram moments, it’s about genuine flavour and technique refined over years of practice. The kind of place where regulars have been coming back for decades and new diners quickly understand why.

If you’re in Melbourne and want to experience Japanese cuisine that’s stood the test of time, Ocha deserves a spot on your list.

For a winning combination of freshness and bold flavours, Japanese food really has no competition at the moment. This refined cuisine has moved well beyond trend status in Australia and become an essential part of our dining culture. Whether you’re chasing an intimate omakase experience, a steaming bowl of perfect ramen or innovative modern Japanese cooking, Australia’s got you covered from coast to coast.

The beauty of Japanese cuisine is how it celebrates simplicity while demanding absolute mastery. There’s nowhere to hide when your menu revolves around raw fish and perfectly cooked rice. Everything has to be spot on, which makes finding these exceptional restaurants even more rewarding.

So next time you’re travelling around Australia and that Japanese food craving hits, you know exactly where to go.

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