Where to find the best ramen in Hong Kong

Offering a mix of well-executed classics and fusion-inspired alternatives, Butao Ramen has seven outlets all across town. A savoury pork bone broth is the base for all the variations – the signature tonkotsu ramen, the Black Bomb, with black garlic, squid ink, and minced pork, and the fiery chilli-infused Red King. All are served with Hakata-style thin noodles. For the willful betrayers of all things sacred, The Green King is a fusion of the Western flavours of olive oil, fresh basil and Parmesan with a traditional tonkotsu broth.

Originally opened in 1969 in Japan, Baikohken Ramen was the first restaurant to ever receive Asahikawa's Best Ramen Award. Fast forward to 2020, the ramen joint now has four different locations in the city, offering Hongkongers its signature Tonkotsu ramen, which is made with chicken, sardines, and kelp to make it extra sweet. Like the restaurant in Japan, the soup base comes in your choice of soy sauce, miso, or salt. Also not to miss is their quality gyoza and fried chicken.

At Ebisoba Ichigen, they don’t skimp on the shrimp. The Sapporo export now has a third store in Central after opening its flagship Hong Kong venue at Harbour City, the first location in the world to serve ebi mazesoba – an incredibly rich broth flavoured with shrimp essence, shrimp oil, and shrimp soy sauce. The bowls come with your choice of thick or thin noodles and are topped with diced BBQ pork, a hot egg, sweet shrimp tempura bits, green onions, and seaweed.

Simple, authentic to tradition and delicious, Ichitora serves up warming bowls of pork fat-infused broth. Play it safe with the traditional Ichitora Ramen, or if you’re feeling more adventurous, try the black garlic-infused Kurotora Ramen. All the bowls are made with a dashi of pork bones, seafood, vegetables and bonito simmered for at least 12 hours and come with the obligatory bamboo shoots, black fungus, a wobbly egg and, of course, soft, smoky slices of rolled and roasted pork belly.

✓ Available for takeaways

Mong Kok’s Isaba Taifu offers a choice of styles, serving tsukumen for lunch and regular ramen of an evening. The pork bone broth used in both concoctions is rich and satisfying and toppings include all the usual suspects plus crunchy dried shrimp. The walls are covered in Japanese posters but that’s not the only quirky touch. They offer free hair ties so you can get stuck into a steaming bowl without worrying about messing up your do.

✓ Available for takeaways

This burgeoning chain from Tokyo is best known for its miso soup, featuring its so-called “three thickness” ramen noodles and a broth made from pork bone, chicken bone, and seafood, with accoutrement that includes pork belly braised with star anise. What makes this really special, though, is the spice. You can up the heat with the addition of sansho chilli oil, Trinidadian scorpion pepper oil and more. Ouch.

✓ Selected items are available for takeaway

Prepare to be greeted by a neon pair of monkey mascots at Mashi no Mashi. As the sister restaurant to Wagyumafia next door, you know quality beef is on the cards. The ramen is served tsukumen-style, separate from the broth, to be dipped in at your leisure. Along with the slab of top-notch beef are noodles, bamboo shoots, cabbage, nori, and half a soft-boiled egg. The broth itself is masterfully produced and delivers all the rich, savoury deliciousness you would expect. It comes with a price tag to match – at $160, the tokusei tsukumen is one of the most expensive bowls in town.

✓ Available for takeaways

Ramen Cubism specialises in handcrafted noodles served in broths prepared with meticulously sourced ingredients. There are several soup bases on offer, all with quirky names such as the Earth Bird – Clear Broth and the Sea Soy Soup. Also be sure to try the matsu hayashi dumplings, which are fried to a crisp golden-brown and served with chilli sauce.