Tonkotsu arrived in London in 2012. It brought Kyushu-style ramen (characterised by pork bone broth) to Soho at a time when its founders Emma Reynolds and Ken Yamada were struggling to find a decent bowl of ramen in the city. More than 20 years later, Londoners are crazy for the creamy, umami noodle soup, and Tonkotsu now has restaurants all over the city. Now, it’s announced plans to open up two more restaurants outside of London.
Tonkotsu is opening a brand new ramen restaurant at Birmingham’s Grand Central Shopping Centre to replace the smaller site that has been in the Selfridges food hall at the Bullring since 2016. That site will close in November with the larger restaurant opening soon after.
Then, in early 2026, Cardiff will get its very first Tonkotsu, with a restaurant planned for the city centre. Founders Reynolds and Yamada said in a joint statement: ‘We are delighted to be joining such vibrant food scenes and deeply honoured to be opening in these iconic cities.’
Tonkotsu serves up eight different kinds of ramen, from chilli tofu to the extra spicy ‘Geki Kara’ with pork belly, as well as noodle salad, katsu curry and a frequently seasonal special (right now, it’s teriyaki pulled pork ramen). It’s also got its own range of chilli oil and ketchup and offers one of the best value set menus on the high street – a ramen and a side of gyoza for just £10.
The chain’s new sites will take the brand’s total number of UK restaurants up to 20.
Check it out: The best ramen restaurants in London.
Plus: Dishoom is opening its first ever restaurant in Liverpool.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.