Tokyo Ramen Street under Tokyo Station houses 8 wildly different ramen shops. Not sure which to visit? I’ve eaten at all of them many times over. From creamy dipping style ramen to spicy tantanmen, here are my top 3 on Tokyo Ramen Street.
1. Rainbow Ramen at Soranoiro NIPPON
This is probably my favorite on Tokyo Ramen Street. What I love about Soranoiro Nippon (ソラノイロNIPPON) is that their ramen has been bold and adventurous from the very beginning.
They’re also the perfect stop if you want variety. Take your pick – light shoyu (soy sauce) ramen, gluten free shio (salt) ramen, spicy vegan tantanmen, and more! But my personal favorite is their rainbow-colored “veggie soba” (below).
I believe this ramen is their most complex and compelling. It even got them nods from Michelin. The carrot-puree broth is creatively delicious, with clam extract, butter, and soy milk adding some punch.
In addition, they use fresh, seasonal vegetables as toppings and the unique noodles are made from smoked paprika. Bold, adventurous, and amazing.
#2 Creamy Niboshi Ramen at Gyoku
Gyoku (らーめん玉) combines the creaminess of tori paitan (rich chicken ramen) with the saltiness and bitterness of niboshi (dried fish). It’s a match made in heaven. The well-balanced soup is also a blend of various vegetables and pork bones.
Ultra thin noodles delicately pull in the assertively flavorful soup. These noodles are 100% Hokkaido wheat flour and are made in-house.
For toppings, well-seasoned chashu pork slices and superb flavored egg are among the highlights. But we can’t forgot the generous helping of katsuobushi (bonito fish flakes).
Gyoku has a few other branches in Japan, including at Haneda Airport (the domestic terminal).
3. High-Level Tsukemen at Rokurinsha
Rokurinsha (六厘舎) has the longest line on Tokyo Ramen Street. It’s mostly locals. But they do get a a lot of tourists too, since they’ve received press outside of Japan (Netflix shows included).
Rokurinsha’s specialty is 2nd wave tsukemen (dipping ramen). They were even responsible for helping popularize this ramen style. 2nd wave tsukemen features a thick soup that is part pork and/or chicken and part fish.
In a similar way to Gyoku, there’s a sharp saltiness from the fish elements and also a deep richness. But this time, the richness is more about pork than chicken. Furthermore, thicker noodles better match up with their thicker tsukemen broth.
After permanently moving to Tokyo Ramen Street, Rokurinsha is perhaps the most famous restaurant within Tokyo station.
Find the full list (all 8) Tokyo Ramen Street restaurants HERE.
Bear in mind that at each ramen restaurant you’ll need to purchase a ticket from the machine first. Hand this to the staff and you’re all set!
Want to try some of Tokyo's best ramen in mini bowls? Book our Ultimate Ramen Tasting Tour below!
