Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Japanese menus are easier to read once each dish gets a one-line decoder, so this page does that for six places in and around Abbotsford: one in Abbotsford, four in Collingwood and one in Fitzroy. The styles covered are ramen, izakaya, soba, home-style cooking and ochazuke.
Each place was checked against at least two sources, among them OpenStreetMap, the Australian Good Food Guide and the place’s own website. Where a menu names a style we repeat it, and where it does not we say nothing. We found printed prices for only one of the six, so the others point you to the menu instead.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramen with craft beer | Shizuku | see below | not printed here |
| Izakaya plates and gyoza | Chotto Motto | Crispy Chilli Oil Pork Gyoza (8pc) | $21 |
| Lunch and dinner sittings | Wabi Sabi Salon | see below | not printed here |
| Soba noodles, gluten-free angle | Shimbashi Soba and Sake Bar | see below | not printed here |
| Home-style Japanese meals | Obanzai Mama | see below | not printed here |
| Ochazuke, coffee and pastries | Chiaki | see below | not printed here |
Shizuku — 309 Victoria Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067
Shizuku is the Abbotsford entry on this page, on Victoria Street. Its own site describes a traditional ramen stock that takes a whole day to make, and its tagline pairs ramen with craft beer. The site also says solo diners can take advantage of ramen lunch deals, and AGFG tags the place with BYO, fully licensed, gluten free options and takeaway, so confirm which of those applies when you book.
Menu says: the site leads with a stock that takes a whole day to make, so start your reading at the broth line.
Chotto Motto — 287 Wellington Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Chotto Motto’s own site says it is open for dine in and take away, and that dogs are welcome in the outdoor dining areas. Izakaya food is built for sharing with drinks, and gyoza are Japanese dumplings; the menu prints Crispy Chilli Oil Pork Gyoza (8pc) at $21. It also prints Chicken Karaage, which is Japanese-style fried chicken, at $22, and tags its Edamame VGNGF at $8. Its booking page lists later Friday and Saturday hours than the rest of the week.
On the menu (copied from chottomotto.com.au on 4 October 2026):
- Crispy Chilli Oil Pork Gyoza (8pc): $21
- Edamame: $8
- Kyoto Saikyo Miso Mac & Cheese: $19
- Chicken Karaage: $22
Order this first: Crispy Chilli Oil Pork Gyoza (8pc), one of the dishes the menu itself marks Most Popular.
Wabi Sabi Salon — 94 Smith Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Wabi Sabi Salon’s own site lists lunch and dinner service on weekdays, longer weekend hours, and Wednesday as closed. The site carries no recent date that we could find, so treat those hours as something to confirm. AGFG tags it with alfresco dining, vegan options, raw food options and takeaway. OpenStreetMap carries a vegan diet tag for it, but that is a map contributor’s tag, not the venue’s own statement.
How to order: the site has Menu, Takeaway and Contact pages, and the pages we read printed no prices, so check the menu page before you go.
Shimbashi Soba and Sake Bar — 140 Smith Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Soba are Japanese buckwheat noodles, served hot in broth or cold with a dipping sauce. Shimbashi’s own site headlines a gluten-free soba experience, and AGFG tags the place with gluten free options and vegan options, so ask how each dish is made if you need to avoid gluten. The site lists pickup and delivery, and its hours name a last order before each lunch and dinner session closes.
Decoder: soba is the noodle and sake bar is the drinks side, so read the menu as noodles first and drinks second.
Obanzai Mama — 83 Smith Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Obanzai is a term for everyday Japanese home-style dishes, usually small plates that sit together on one table. Obanzai Mama’s own site says that if you are looking for healthy Japanese home-style meals, it offers a nourishing and satisfying experience. The site lists lunch and dinner sessions on most days, with Saturday and Sunday running straight through. Its contact page says Wednesday close while another part of the site lists Wednesday differently, so check Wednesdays before you head over.
Menu says: healthy Japanese home-style meals, in the site’s own words, with no prices in the text we read.
Chiaki — 49 Peel Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Ochazuke is a bowl of rice with tea or broth poured over it. Chiaki’s own site says it took that classic dish and added its own modern twist. The site shows morning, lunch and pastries sections, names Five Senses Coffee, and AGFG tags the place with takeaway. AGFG lists it closed on Monday and open Tuesday to Sunday, with the street address coming from that listing rather than the site.
Decoder: pour-over rice is the idea, so look for the ochazuke line on the menu first and the pastries and coffee second.
Quick answers
Where can I find ramen near Abbotsford?
Shizuku on Victoria Street in Abbotsford is the ramen pick on this page. Its own site describes a traditional ramen stock that takes a whole day to make, and says solo diners can take advantage of ramen lunch deals.
Is there gluten-free soba near Abbotsford?
Shimbashi Soba and Sake Bar on Smith Street, Collingwood, headlines a gluten-free soba experience on its own site, and AGFG tags it with gluten free options. Confirm with the venue how a particular dish is prepared before you order.
Which Japanese places near Abbotsford list vegan options?
Chotto Motto’s menu tags its edamame VGNGF and has a vegan and vegetarian Feed Me section. AGFG tags Wabi Sabi Salon and Shimbashi Soba and Sake Bar with vegan options. Ask each venue what is currently available.
Which Japanese places near Abbotsford close on Wednesday?
Wabi Sabi Salon’s own site lists Wednesday as closed. Obanzai Mama’s contact page says Wednesday close but another part of its site lists Wednesday differently, so check before you go.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, the Australian Good Food Guide and the places’ own websites. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 October 2026. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Shizuku: openstreetmap.org/1369168499, agfg.com.au/shizuku-38447, shizuku.com.au
- Chotto Motto: openstreetmap.org/986523547, agfg.com.au/chotto-motto-74485, chottomotto.com.au/book-now, chottomotto.com.au/menu
- Wabi Sabi Salon: openstreetmap.org/231561509, agfg.com.au/wabi-sabi-salon-22702, wabisabisalon.com.au
- Shimbashi Soba and Sake Bar: openstreetmap.org/13206051406, agfg.com.au/shimbashi-soba-sake-bar-collingwood, shimbashisobamelbourne.com.au/locations, shimbashisobamelbourne.com.au
- Obanzai Mama: openstreetmap.org/2210917009, obanzaimama.com.au, obanzaimama.com.au/contact
- Chiaki: openstreetmap.org/12580502443, agfg.com.au/chiaki-120145, chiaki.com.au, chiaki.com.au/about
