Tucked into a heritage building on Kent Street in the CBD, Towzen Sydney is the third overseas outpost of a Kyoto institution that has been making vegan ramen since 2004. The original is one of Japan’s longest-running vegan ramen shops, working in the tradition of shōjin ryōri — a 13th-century Buddhist style of cooking that uses no animal products and no alliums (so no garlic, no onion).
On their official website, Towzen describes how seriously they take their ramen:
“Through the union of culinary art and Zen practice, ramen becomes more than a dish—it becomes a reflection of inner stillness and purity. To founder Minoru Yonekawa-san, soy milk ramen is not merely an exploration of health and flavor, but a pursuit of peace.”
Having eaten here, I can say they really do live up to these standards.
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The appetizers:
We ordered a chilled tofu and a mushroom karaage. The tofu was fantastic, and you can tell it’s made there. Perfect texture, Both refreshing and savory at the same time.
The mushroom karaage was savory and satisfying, with a nice vegan mayo dipping sauce on the side.
Mushroom Ramen
Great soup broth — and I mean genuinely great, not “great for vegan.” The mushroom-forward ramen I had was rich and deeply umami, with the kind of layered savoriness you normally only get from long-simmered animal stock. The quality is high. I drank the entire bowl and, at the very bottom, found what looked like hundreds of tiny, ultra-finely chopped mushroom pieces — evidence they make their own broth in-house with exacting standards. The bowl costs over $30 AUD, and it’s clear it costs that much because it actually takes more effort to produce, not because of (deserved) hype.
This is the sort of detail that’s easy to miss as a diner: at most ramen shops in Sydney, even the well-regarded ones, the broth is essentially the standardized output of an industrial process. Here, the broth is an integral, painstakingly made, part of the dish.
The Mala Tan Tan Men
The Mala Tan Tan Men was similarly excellent, though slightly too hot for my friend who ordered it. I’d say it’s just on the edge of too spicy, but that’s of course highly subjective. The noodles were of a similar quality to other nice ramen restaurants in Sydney — Gogyo or Ippudo, for example — but the broth here is honestly better and more unique. It blends nutty sesame and peanut paste with chili and a numbing mala spice in an oat milk base, and the depth of flavor is unusual. I actually mixed one or two spoons of this broth with my mushroom broth, just to give the mushroom a slight kick. I think the combination was perfect.
Word to the wise, mala means a numbing spice, while there is also another spice–but without the numbing. If you’ve ever had authentic Sichuan food with that sort of numbing spiciness, you know what I’m talking about. But compared to hardcore Sichuan food, this is not mala at all.
Strawberry Soda
I also ordered the strawberry soda, which cost $12 and was thankfully not too sweet. You can see and taste real strawberry pieces at the bottom. Once again, you get the sense it’s being made by hand. (Their matcha-strawberry-oat-milk drink is supposed to be the standout, so I’ll try that next time. I didn’t this time since it was too late for caffeine.)
Dessert:
To close we had a soy pudding with black sugar. It was great, and like the strawberry soda, wasn’t too sweet. Recommended. Really great texture. Everyone was impressed with this one.
The Straw:
Fun side note. The straw is made of rice and is edible. I literally ate half the straw once I heard this. Kinda cute.
The interior of the restaurant:
Everything is well done with tasteful accents and enough space to feel relaxed.
The entryway has a traditional Japanese feeling, and often features a small line of people waiting to get in. Reservations are recommended.
More about the restaurant:
I’m not Japanese, and I haven’t had the entire menu (yet — it’s so good I’ll likely come back to try everything), so I can’t comment on how “authentic” it is. But the pedigree is there. Founded in Kyoto, which in some ways is the spiritual home of Japanese culture, by Minoru Yonekawa, who reportedly invented the original recipe by experimenting with adding soy milk to his family restaurant’s hot-water tofu broth. The “World Peace Ramen” tagline is cute, and the food backs it up.
A small thing I appreciated: the room itself. It sits in a heritage building and the noise of the CBD genuinely falls away once you’re inside. It’s much closer to a small Kyoto restaurant in feel than to most of Sydney’s higher-end ramen bars, which tend to lean industrial-and-loud.
Verdict
Long story short: this is one of the best vegan restaurants in Sydney, and it might just be the best. My two dining companions are not vegan, and they loved it. So unless you’re a hardcore carnivore who actively resents vegetables, you’ll probably enjoy this place — at least for a change. And if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you’re in for a real treat.
Towzen Sydney 346–348 Kent Street, Sydney CBD
If you’re visiting Sydney, check out our reviews of Lavendra Indian Restaurant, Armorica French Brasserie, our review of the Sheraton Grand Hyde Park, and our guide to the best Marriott Hotels in Sydney.
