Great ramen houses to get your noodle fix in Vancouver
Foodies continue to pack the Vancouver’s countless ramen houses, and there’s no end in sight to the craze. Rich in Asian culture, Vancouver is a haven for the traditional Japanese noodle dish. And stiff competition means top-quality ramen shops are innovating to earn their place as the city’s best.
Gyoza Bar
622 Pender St W, Vancouver BC V6B 1V8Located in a heritage building on West Pender, Gyoza Bar + Ramen is a new and exciting Japanese-style ramen house. Featuring exposed brick walls and modern décor, it has a warm and inviting atmosphere. The menu is created by Chef Kazuya Matsuoka and features original MSG-free ramen dishes, including a dish made in a tomato-saffron-seafood broth. Ocean Wise ingredients are used to highlight the natural umami in each of Gyoza Bar + Ramen’s delicious ramen bowls.
Harvest Community Foods
243 Union St, Vancouver BC V6A 2B2Located on the edge of Chinatown on Union Street, Harvest Community Foods specializes in hot ramen bowls and udon. Owner Andrea Carlson made a name for herself among Vancouver foodies when running fine dining kitchens like Bishop’s and Raincity Grill, as well as her own Burdock & Co. on Main Street. Harvest’s menu features only a handful of items, including the amazing ramen with pork shoulder, candied bacon, egg and radish.
Hida Takayama Ramen
203-1610 Robson St, Vancouver BC V6G 1C7Hida Takayama Ramen is a no-frills experience for ramen purists. Located inside Robson Square Market, this hidden gem is Vancouver’s only ramenya to make their noodles in-house with premium-grade ramen flour imported from Japan. Their broth is MSG-free and requires three days to prepare, and their savoury, tender chashu is generously portioned. You can upgrade to a medium or large size for no extra cost. Featuring over ten delicious ramens, Hida Takayama is a must-try for ramen-lovers.
Motomachi Shokudo
740 Denman St, Vancouver BC V6G 2L5Motomachi brands itself as the healthier alternative for downtown ramen-lovers. Specializing in soups made with organic ingredients whenever possible, Motomachi’s menu focuses on nutrition – in contrast to some competitors who feature rich, pork-based soups and fatty barbecued pork slices. One of the unique offerings at Motomachi is the Bamboo Charcoal Ramen. The blackened soup is a combination of powdered bamboo charcoal and Motomachi’s rich miso soup. In Chinese medicine, bamboo charcoal is regarded as a highly effective digestive supplement.
Kintaro Ramen
788 Denman St, Vancouver BC V6G 2L5Kintaro Ramen is one of Vancouver’s original ramenyas, having introduced the Japanese noodle dish to many and sparking an explosion of ramen houses across the city. Kintaro is a no-nonsense ramen shop, with a minimalist décor that features bare concrete walls and an open kitchen where ramen chefs work efficiently in plain view. Specializing in authentic Japanese comfort food, pork-based broths are Kintaro’s signature and their ramen bowls are considered near-perfect by Vancouver’s most discerning connoisseurs.
Benkei Ramen Restaurant
43 5th Ave E, Vancouver BC V5T 1G7Regarded as one of Vancouver’s top Japanese ramenyas, Benkei serves traditional Japanese ramen in five styles: shoyu, shio-tonkotsu, miso, shiro-tonkotsu and akaoni (spicy miso). You get extra bang for your buck as Benkei allows you to customize your ramen to personal taste with a wide assortment of inexpensive extra toppings. There's a traditional Japanese décor and a friendly vibe that's accented by staff shouting greetings as customers enter, making Benkei a favourite spot for authentic ramen lovers.
