Ramen Station

Ramen Station is dressed as a Japanese train station. When NiT covered the opening in October 2024, it described grab handles hanging from the ceiling like those on a metro carriage, the menu on screens above the counter, and a glass wall into the kitchen where the noodles are made fresh every day. Reviewers on Tripadvisor say it feels like a metro station in Tokyo, and several mention watching the noodle machine at work.

The website carries the joke through. The menu is laid out as a departures board, each section is a “line” with a platform number, and the sign-off is a Japanese “mind the step”. A child who loves trains will find plenty to read.

The Benfica branch opened in September 2024, run by the team behind Ajitama, a Lisbon ramen restaurant. A second station opened at Campo Pequeno in November 2024. Both were listed with daily hours on the website when we checked in September 2026.

The useful news for families is the Kids Ramen: a smaller bowl with a mild broth and no chilli, at €7.45 when checked in September 2026. It is the cheapest bowl on the menu.

For older children and adults, the Amazing Shio (€9.95) is described as the gentle one, suggested for your first ride on the line. The Incredible Miso and Sublime Vegan cost €11.95, and the miso comes with homemade chilli at up to three levels, so steer a child away from that. There are two rice bowls: a Japanese curry that the menu calls mild and slightly sweet, and chashu pork on rice with tare sauce, both €11.95.

For a fussy eater, the street-food section is a good fallback: karaage fried chicken (€6.45), yakitori chicken skewers (€5.95), gyoza with chicken or vegetables (three for €2.90) and edamame (€2.80). Mochi, the soft Japanese rice-cake sweets, cost €1.95 and come in mango and passion fruit, chocolate or raspberry.

This is a quick, no-fuss place. NiT reported that you order and pay at the counter and the food arrives at the table in about eight minutes, and the menu page now also offers ordering by QR code. When it opened there were only 24 seats, at shared tables, so a big group or a big buggy may struggle at busy times.

There are no reservations. The website says it is first come, first served, “like in Japan”. Weekday lunch at 12:00 is the easiest time with children. Tripadvisor notes street parking nearby.

Benfica is close to Monsanto, so it pairs well with a morning at Hello Park Monsanto or in the Parque Florestal de Monsanto. For another train-themed meal, Railroad Caffe at Parque das Nações brings drinks on toy trains.

Is there a kids’ menu?

There is a Kids Ramen: a mini version of the ramen with a mild broth and no chilli, €7.45 when checked in September 2026.

Can we book a table?

No. Ramen Station does not take reservations, so arrive early, especially at weekends.

Is it really like a train?

It is styled on Japanese train and metro stations, with handles hanging from the ceiling and menu screens over the counter, rather than being inside an actual carriage. For a real carriage, try Trem Velho in Cascais.

Is there food without chilli?

Yes. The Kids Ramen, the Amazing Shio and the curry rice are all described as mild, and the fried chicken, skewers and gyoza are plain.