Absolutely rounds up the best ramen in London
By Zoë Delmer-Best
Without a doubt ramen is one of the best comfort foods out there. Flavoursome and creamy, the hot elixir will put anyone who’s at odds with the day in a soothing bubble of self-love. In honour of this delicious, noodle-ridden Japanese soup we’ve rounded up a list of the best ramen restaurants in London.
Kananda-Ya
Prepare to be engulfed by a wave of sumptuous cooking smells and a warm friendly atmosphere as you enter Kananda-Ya. Like traditional Japanese ramen shops, you get to choose the firmness of your noodles (they recommend ordering the noodles hard). Developed by Kanada-San in the small city of Yukuhshi in Japan, Kanada-San tried and failed many times before he found the perfect balance of flavours consisting of an 18-hour pork bone broth, hand-pulled noodles and secret sauces that leaves you feeling wholly satisfied.
Shoryu Ramen
Shoryu is unmistakably the real deal if you are looking for an authentic ramen experience. Staff greet customers with a loud and friendly ‘‘Irasshaimase!” upon ducking through the noren curtains. Specialising in Tonkotsu, the Ramen at Shoryu prides its self on keeping tradition, even down to the delicious marinated eggs (kajitsuke tamago) which crown the sumptuous soup. As any seasoned ramen eater will know, slurping down the dish can prove a messy affair. At Shoryu, diners are offered bibs to prevent those pesky tell-tale spatters of broth.
Bone Daddies
This establishment is not for the traditionally minded. With an extensive menu that puts a creative flair on ramen as you know it, diners should be prepared to experience the dish like never before. Taking things the extra mile, Bone Daddies cook their famous pork-bone broth for a staggering 20-hours, making sure they get all the rich and fatty goodness from the bones. Snacks and side dishes are not to be overlooked as well – don’t leave without trying the chicken wings.
Yamagoya
Masatoshi Ogata was a lorry driver in Japan with a dream of opening his own ramen shop. Setting to work developing his own recipe, Ogata was finally satisfied after three years of trial and error. With its customer base comprising of mostly theatregoers in a rush, the shop is a bubbling hubbub of quick slurpers. This is ramen for when you are in a hurry, but that doesn’t mean that taste is compromised.
Ippudo
Ippudo’s restaurants are full of Japanese expats clamouring for a taste of home. Busy, noisy and hectic, you may wonder if it’s all worth it until you taste their delicious ramen broth with perfectly cooked noodles. First launched in 1985, Ippudo boasts world beating credentials and has restaurants all over the planet. Ramen is the main event and comes in six different varieties from a meaty pork bone broth to a delicate veggie ramen made using mushrooms and a special blended miso paste.
Super Ya RamenFollowing a series of knockout pop-ups, sell-out supper-clubs and dinners, 2020 will see Supa Ya Ramen finally establish their first restaurant, on Hackney Road.The intimate restaurant, with around 10 to 15 covers, will be serving up a completely unique menu of signature new-wave bowls. Expect three permanent ramens and a weekly rotating special, showcasing some unexpected ingredients and bold flavour combos, brought to life by head chef Luke Findlay. He developed the Supa Ya Ramen concept following his culinary career with some of London’s top restaurants, after spotting a gap in the market, the demand for damn decent ramen was heard and Supa Ya Ramen was born.
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