London’s best ramen restaurants

What is it? Monohon is colloquial Japanese for ‘the real thing’. While replicating the noodles in the UK is often an uphill battle due to the hard water here producing a stiffer dough, this modestly sized counter-seat restaurant by Old Street has managed to perfect the balance.

Why we love it: They’ve got the classics, like tonkotsu year-round and ‘hiyashi chuka’ (chilled ramen) in the summer, but it’s the unique variations like the mentaiko cream ramen (spicy marinated cod roe topping) that Japanese food aficionados geek out over. And if you don’t fancy their pork bone broth, the mentaiko cream ‘mazemen’, a soupless ramen dish you mix together at the table, is worth ticking off your list at least once.

Time Out tip: Monohon charge extra for an egg on top of your ramen, but don’t forget the egg!

Address: 102 Old Street, London, EC1V 9AY.

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12-2.15pm & 5-9.30pm, Sat-Sun 5-9.30pm.

Expect to pay: Regular sized ramens range from £15 to £20.

What is it? Part of the Shoryu franchise (their founder is also behind the UK’s most famous Japanese food hall, Japan Centre), the Soho branch is a good place to start if you’re looking to familiarise yourself with ramen.

Why we love it: Creamy tonkotsu-style ramen originated in Hakata, Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. Boiling pork bones for a long period of time gives the ramen stock a thick, rich savouriness, differentiating it from other regional varieties by making it more opaque. A wide selection of cocktails, multiple locations and a really top-quality tonkotsu broth make it a reliable and comforting option for ramen in the capital.

Time Out tip: Shop around for deals - you can get extras if you time it right, like buns on Monday and wings on Wednesdays, as well as taking advantage of their frequent Happy Hour and Early Bird Special offers.

Address: 3 Denman Street, Soho, W1D 7HB.

Opening hours: Mon-Wed 11.30am-11pm, Thurs-Fri 11.30am-11.30pm, Sat 11.30am-12am, Sun 11.30pm-10pm.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes £14.90-18.

What is it? A unique Japanese-Filipino dining experience in the heart of Soho.

Why we love it: Ramo Ramen takes a classic Japanese staple and gives it a Filipino-fusion twist, resulting in dishes that incorporate ingredients like coconut milk, tamarind and oxtail in refreshing and innovative ways. It’s a fun option if you’re looking for something novel and on-trend, and is another great option for those who keep halal. The oxtail kare kare, with its peanut beef broth and the ramen sinigang are just some of novel reimaginings that can be found here. 

Time Out tip: The shrimp dumplings on the starter menu come with a seriously addictive miso bechamel sauce. Paired with the thick, pandesal garlic bread, it’s a delicious fusion fondue and a great opening act.

Address: 28 Brewer Street, Soho, W1F 0SR.

Opening hours: Mon 5-10pm, Tue-Thur 12pm-4pm & 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 12-10.30pm, Sun 12-8.30pm.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes are £17.50- 21.50. £29 for Wagyu beef ramen.

What is it? The St Giles street location was the first London outpost for Kanada-Ya, an award-winning ramen joint from Japan founded by an ex-professional athlete after his sporting career came to an end.

Why we love it: The success of the establishment is attributed to its ‘secret sauce’, and while the tonkotsu-style broth is undeniably fantastic, Kanada-Ya’s strong point is their toppings. Their deliciously succulent chashu pork and eggs in particular, both of which are marinated perfectly. They’re also one of the places that consistently gets the firmness of their noodles spot on, and you can choose to have yours served firm, regular or soft.

Time Out tip: Order the spicy yuzu paste on the side, so you can have some with your ramen if you so wish (or with your karaage fried chicken or gyoza sides, too).

Address: 64 St Giles High Street, WC2H 8DA.

Opening hours: Sun-Wed 11.30am-10pm, Thu-Sat 11.30am-10.30pm.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes are between £16.50 and £20.95.

What is it? The luxury surroundings of the Harrods Dining Hall are the first giveaway that Kinoya is not the most ‘authentic’ ramen experience. It’s a far cry from the casual cheap-and-cheerful ramen counters you might come across while travelling, but well worth a visit if you have the budget.

Why we love it: While not ‘traditional’, Kinoya celebrates and reimagines ramen in a way that does it justice, and most of the menu is halal, which opens it up to diners that might usually find it tricky to enjoy this cuisine. The rich and decadent duck ramen is a particular stand-out, served with confit meat, and the slow-cooked shio chicken paitan ramen is fantastic for those who like a lighter flavour. It’s the priciest option on this list, but masterfully done.

Time Out tip: Izakaya-style side dishes such as tsukune (chicken meatballs), miso aubergine and burnt butter scallops are worth a separate nod.

Address: Harrods Dining Hall, 87 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7XL.

Opening hours: Mon 11.30am-9pm, Tue-Sat 11.30am-10.30pm, Sun 11.30-6pm. Last seatings are an hour before closing.

Expect to pay: Between £29.90 and £36.60 (excluding the Wagyu) for a bowl of ramen.

What is it? Menya in Bloomsbury is decidedly bare bones and no-frills. But though simple and casual, it offers a really, really good bowl of ramen. 

Why we love it: If you’re looking for a long, overdue catch up with a big group of mates, then ramen probably isn’t the right dish for the job. It’s best eaten quickly, so the noodles don’t get soggy and the soup too cold. In fact, the optimal way is to go somewhere utilitarian. It’s a dish best enjoyed when you’re eating alone, so you’re not distracted from the task at hand. Here, the Korean influences are apparent – their kimchi and sundubu ramens are of particular note – and they claim to have the longest cooking time for the broth (48 hours) that I’ve found in London so far.

Time Out tip: If you can handle your spice, the chilli broth options at Menya are highly recommended. The sundubu (soft tofu) helps to mellow it out. Menya is also one of those places that still prefers cash payment.

Address: 29 Museum Street, Bloomsbury, WC1A 1LH.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12-8pm, Sunday 12-5pm.

Expect to pay: It’s on the more affordable end, with ramen priced between £9.50-14.50

What is it? Just around the corner of Finsbury Park station, Tenmaru is a fantastic choice for vegetarians and vegans, who have multiple noodle dishes to choose from. This often overlooked ramen bar also has a second, more central location by Oxford Circus.

Why we love it: Tenmaru has an informal, izakaya-style feel to it, but the menu features unusual and surprising dishes, including lemon ramen, basil ramen and a tori paitan (ramen with a creamy chicken base). A large selection of appetisers like yamitsuki cabbage (cabbage salad), and cheese mochi potato means it suits herbivores and carnivores alike.

Time Out tip The lemon ramen truly is one of London’s most unique and unusual takes on the dish.

Address: 8 Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP.

Opening hours: Mon closed, Tue-Fri 12-3pm & 5-10pm, Sat 12-10pm, Sun 12-9pm. Last orders half an hour before closing time.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes £16.90-18.90.

What is it? Bermondsey’s Hakata is reminiscent of a speakeasy-style bar, with the cocktails having almost equal billing to the food menu in terms of curation and choice.

Why we love it: This is the best ramen option in London for those on a gluten free diet, as they have a konjac noodle substitution available for most of the ramen bowls. The tebasaki wings, selection of sakes, craft beers and new non-alcoholic sparkling teas also make it a good choice for an informal date night – if you’re willing to brave communal and bar seating, and risk having to wait for a table, as they don’t take bookings.

Time Out tip Keep an eye out for seasonal happy hour offerings such as 2-for-1 on cocktails. The basement bar / izakaya is open Wed-Sat 5-10pm.

Address: 177 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3UW.

Opening hours: Mon-Tue 5-10pm, Wed-Fri 12-3pm & 5-10pm, Sat-Sun 12-10pm

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes priced at £14.50.

What is it? For every ramen and donburi rice bowl dish on the menu at Tokoton they have a vegan equivalent.

Why we love it: Tokoton in Elephant and Castle serve their specialist miso ramen and classic shoyu (soy sauce) ramen with cha sui pork and half an soy-marinated ajitama egg. But the vegan kuromayu black ramen with Japanese roasted garlic oil is undoubtedly the best thing on the menu, and a good selection of sakes make this Japanese-owned trendy bar a great addition to the neighbourhood.

Time Out tip: Deep fried cauliflower karaage and spicy kara uma cabbage salad are not to be overlooked when it comes to side dishes.

Address: 25 Bartholomew Street, Elephant and Castle, SE1 4AL.

Opening hours: Mon closed, Tue-Thu 12-10pm, Fri-Sat 12-11pm, Sun 12-5pm.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes £14-£15.

What is it? Hokkaido ramen is underrepresented in London, where tonkotsu-broth based establishments seem to reign supreme, so Soho’s Ichikokudo is a welcome addition.

Why we love it: Their broths are made with chicken instead of pork, which gives them a more delicate finish in comparison to the creamier and heavier options you might find elsewhere. While the Sapporo butter ramen offering hasn’t made it over here yet (as it has done at Ichikokudo’s other locations in Asia), the chicken chashu and beef ramen are worth sampling to get a taste of what ramen is like in northern Japan.

Time Out tip The onsen egg, poached at a low temperature, adds an almost custard-like texture to the topping, and is an ideal accompaniment to make the lighter chicken broth a little richer.

Address: 54-58 Wardour Street, Soho, W1D 4JG.

Opening hours: Mon-Thu & Sun 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-midnight.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes £12.90-15.90.

What is it? With its Tokyo glow style interior, Bone Daddies first opened its doors in Soho in 2012 with the aim of infusing a ‘rock n roll’ spirit into ramen, inspired by the Japanese rockabilly scene.

Why we love it: Bone Daddies’ approach to ramen – Japanese classics reimagined with a western twist – comes across in their ‘T22 ramen’ (ramen with pulled chicken and chicken scratchings), buffalo wings and katsu curry tater tots. Find their newest branch also in Soho, on Old Compton Street, with other outlets in Victoria, Bond Street, High Street Kensington, Old Street, Leicester Square and Bermondsey. 

Time Out tip Check out their monthly specials, which regularly include collaborations with other movers and shakers in the London food scene.

Address: 31 Peter Street, Soho, W1F 0AR.

Opening hours: Sun-Wed 9am-10pm, Thu-Sat 9am-11pm.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes £13.90-16.40.

What is it? One of four London outposts, with the other three in and around Soho. The Canary Wharf location is a convenient location for local office workers looking for a speedy lunch.

Why we love it: The original Hakata Ippudo opened in Fukuoka in the mid-1980s, and has since grown to become a global brand with a wide reaching international presence. As a result, they consistently deliver their distinctive ramen offerings around the world by using wheat varieties cultivated specifically for them.

Time Out tip Go for the ‘karaka-men’ spicy miso ramen, which nicely offsets the creaminess of the tonkotsu broth.

Address: Unit CR28 Level Minus One Crossrail Station and Retail Mall, 1 Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf, E14 5AR.

Opening hours: Mon-Wed 12-9.30pm, Thu-Sat 12-10pm, Sun 12-9pm.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes £15-24.50.

What is it? Since their first opening in Soho in 2012, the ever-popular Tonkotsu have opened sixteen locations throughout London, (the majority of which are dog-friendly).

Why we love it: In addition to their staple dishes, they have a frequently changing seasonal menu, and their set lunch is among one of the best value meals in town; a ramen and side for £10.50. They have a dedicated kids’ menu, too, making it ideal for a meal with little ones.

Time Out tip Tonkotsu sell their own range of fantastic chilli oils and ketchup, which you can pick up at any of their locations.

Address: 63 Dean Street, Soho, W1D 4QG.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11.30am-10.30pm, Sun 11.30am-10pm.

Expect to pay: £13.95-18.95, but available in a small size for 25% off the listed price.

What is it? Founded in Edinburgh in 2015 by Japan-trained chef Teddy Lee, Maki & Ramen franchise has since opened 21 branches across the UK, including this Soho branch, their second in London following a spot at The O2.

Why we love it: Maki + Ramen might not be the most traditional, but there’s an upside: brand new flavours. Come for Asian fusion broths such as Malaysian-inspired chicken laksa ramen or a Thai yuzu tom-yum seafood ramen. They still have signature Japanese broths, with plenty of vegan and halal equivalents, but the star of the show is the black barlic tonkotsu. It features their handmade noodles and an addictively rich broth that’s simmered for eight hours, and is topped with bamboo shoots, chashu and a perfectly jammy egg.

Time Out tip: If you can’t choose between tonkotsu or spicy broth, good news – you don’t have to. Top your classic broth with chilli oil or daringly named ‘Hell Sauce’.

Address: 9 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 5JF.

Opening hours: Daily 11.30am-midnight.

Expect to pay: Ramen dishes £14.50-17.50.