A widowed ramen shop owner named Tampopo struggles to keep her business afloat until she encounters two truck drivers, Gorō and Gun. After tasting her ramen, Gorō decides to help Tampopo improve her cooking and transform her modest shop into a thriving establishment. They embark on a quest to perfect the ultimate bowl of ramen, delving into various techniques and seeking advice from a series of quirky and knowledgeable mentors, including a restaurant critic, an old man in a park who teaches broth-making secrets, and a ramen master. Along their journey, they face both humorous and serious challenges, forging new friendships and learning invaluable lessons about resilience, tradition, and the art of ramen-making.

Parallel to Tampopo’s story, the film explores several other vignettes centered around food and human connections. These subplots range from a gangster’s erotic exploits with his lover involving food to a housewife's poignant efforts to cook for her family. Each short narrative offers its own unique take on how food impacts lives, desires, and relationships. By weaving these tales together, the film paints a rich tapestry of culinary culture and the profound emotional significance attached to food, making it more than just sustenance but a vital part of human experience.