Ginza is a commercial area lined with luxury brand stores, department stores, and renowned sushi restaurants. It also has numerous art museums and attracts people for cultural experiences at venues like the Kabuki-za and the New National Theatre. While Ginza is often associated with luxury, it’s worth noting that there are also many relatively affordable ramen shops in the area. In this article, we will introduce the top 10 recommended ramen shops in the Ginza area.
目次
Ginza Kagari Main Branch 銀座 篝 本店
Relocated from a hidden alley near the Ginza 4-chome intersection, ‘Ginza Kagari’ swiftly gained popularity and earned a spot in the ‘Michelin Bib Gourmand’ guide.
The interior features a beautiful wooden counter, creating a delightful ambiance. What sets it apart is the distinction between their chicken white broth and clear chicken soba soups.
The rich, almost potage-like broth is meticulously prepared by simmering domestic premium chicken over high heat with pure water for an extended period, extracting a savory essence without any undesirable flavors.
The chef, with a background in Japanese cuisine, incorporates seasonal vegetables and elegantly adorns the bowls.
A highly recommended option is the ‘Chicken White Broth Soba,’ featuring a creamy yet finely textured chicken white broth soup, tender chicken char siu, and medium-thin noodles. The chef’s commitment to changing the vegetable toppings according to the season adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the dish.
Ginza Kagari Main Branch Details
9. Hashigo Ginza Hon-ten はしご 本店
As one of the top-notch establishments specializing in Ramen, this renowned eatery was founded in 1964 and is known for becoming packed almost immediately upon its 11:00 AM opening.
Their signature dish, the ‘Dandan Men,’ features a light soy-based soup with a distinct flavor profile. The sharp spiciness of Chinese cuisine and the balanced acidity create a unique and delightful taste. Its broth is so light and easy to drink that you can easily slurp it up.
They use firm straight thin noodles that allow the soup to adhere well, offering a satisfying, slightly chewy texture. The generously sized char siu, cooked to perfection until it’s tender and easy to cut with chopsticks, has a gentle and delightful flavor. The simple vegetables, consisting of bok choy and scallions, enhance the depth and umami of the soup.
Hashigo Ginza Hon-ten Details
8. Yamachan Ginza 博多長浜屋台やまちゃん 銀座店
The Ginza branch of the renowned ‘Yamachan,’ which has three locations in Fukuoka. What sets it apart is the tonkotsu (pork bone) soup that strikes a perfect balance between richness and refreshment, making it exceptionally easy to enjoy.
While the original shop in Fukuoka is known for its authentic street food charm, the Ginza branch offers a clean and inviting atmosphere, making it accessible and appealing to a wider audience. The soup, slow-cooked to perfection, rivals that of the main shop in Fukuoka.
They offer a variety of menu options, including the Nagahama Ramen, which comes with tender char siu and green onions sourced daily from Fukuoka, the Char Siu Men with an abundance of char siu that covers the bowl, and the Negibokkoshi Ramen, generously topped with a mountain of green onions. You can also personalize your bowl with a wide range of toppings and condiments like red pickled ginger and spicy mustard greens available at your table!
Yamachan Ginza Details
7. 9th Keisuke 銀座鴨そば 九代目けいすけ
The popular ‘9th Keisuke’ is known for its continuous stream of innovative ideas that stand out from the rest. With a focus on duck, they offer a rich and aromatic duck-based clear broth soba and a creamy duck white broth soba as their signature dishes.
Their menu features 100% duck-based soups, complemented by homemade noodles and sous-vide-cooked duck chashu, meticulously crafted to perfection. Every detail is finely tuned for an exceptional dining experience.
The recommended menu choice is the Duck Soba. It harmoniously combines the elegance of ‘Senba’ soy sauce with the robust richness of duck oil-infused broth. To ensure that the duck’s flavor remains uncompromised, condiments are served separately on the side, allowing you to customize your experience to your liking.
9th Keisuke Details
6. Rosokuya 蝋燭屋
The owner of the restaurant, boasting 20 years of expertise in Chinese cuisine and a specialization in Szechuan cuisine, has ingeniously added an ample dose of the unique fiery and numbing taste of Szechuan peppercorns to the already beloved Japanese favorite, Mabo Dofu. The result is the Mabo Men, a dish that once experienced, you won’t be able to forget, delivering an exhilarating and tingling sensation that leaves you thoroughly satisfied!
The menu also features a variety of noodle dishes commonly found in Szechuan cuisine. However, the restaurant’s standout and most popular recommendation is unquestionably the Mabo Men!
A harmonious blend of various ingredients and spices like ground pork, silken tofu, scallions, chili oil, and Szechuan peppercorns come together to create a delicate yet deeply flavorful experience!
It’s worth noting that the Mabo Men has a limited daily availability, so it’s advisable to visit during the early part of the day to ensure you can savor this incredible dish.
Rosokuya Details
5. Manpuku 萬福
This establishment, founded during the Taisho era, is located in Higashi-Ginza. Amidst the emergence of trendy newcomers that evolve with the times, this place offers an unwavering taste of the fundamental essence of Chinese ramen.
The Chinese soba they serve, passed down since its inception, strikes a perfect balance between animal-based broth and aromatic vegetables.
In line with its name as a ‘town Chinese’ restaurant, you’ll find an array of appetizers such as dumplings, pork fried rice, and liver with leeks, making it a delightful experience to pair with their signature Chinese soba!
Manpuku Details
4. Kyoraku 共楽
Kyoraku is a restaurant that steadfastly adheres to a style dedicated solely to the local community. It temporarily closed its doors in March 2016 for renovations but made a triumphant return in May 2019. Even after its revival, this long-standing ramen shop continues to enjoy unwavering popularity. It’s conveniently located within a 5-minute walk from Ginza Station.
The enduring appeal of Kyo Raku lies in its classic flavor profile – a simple yet rich broth with the sweetness of back fat, combined with the umami of animal-based broth and soy sauce. This soup has been beloved for over half a century, embodying a nostalgic taste.
The straight noodles provide a satisfying firmness and harmonize well with the soup, evoking a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of the Showa era.
Remarkably, the char siu topping is marinated for four days, allowing the flavors to penetrate deeply.
One highly recommended menu item is the Wonton Men. The wontons perfectly complement the simple soy-based soup, and it’s a delightful experience to eat them together with the soup.
Kyoraku Details
3. Oborodzuki 朧月
When the craving for rich and flavorful tsukemen strikes in Ginza, this renowned establishment is the go-to spot where you can be sure to find the ultimate satisfaction.
Their dipping sauce is a masterpiece that encapsulates the umami of seafood, delivering a gentle and delightful aftertaste. Its profound and unforgettable flavor profile has garnered a devoted following that remains unwavering throughout the years.
With a cozy and intimate atmosphere reminiscent of traditional small eateries, this place boasts only eight counter seats, which fill up quickly, leading to enduring queues. Nevertheless, fans eagerly wait for their turn, knowing that it’s worth every moment.
The menu primarily features the exquisitely thick and rich seafood-based tsukemen, which is just the right level of viscosity. The broth is modest in saltiness, offering a kind and well-balanced dipping sauce that leaves a deep and lasting impression on those who have had the pleasure of tasting it.
Their seasonal specials, when available, are also highly recommended!
One particularly appealing aspect is that the serving size of noodles remains the same for both regular and large orders, offering excellent value for your money.
Oborodzuki Details
2. Mugi to Olive むぎとオリーブ
This emerging restaurant, honored with the prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand, has been making waves as a hot favorite. It’s known for its unique fusion of Japanese and French flavors, crafted by a chef with French origins who has a relentless commitment to sourcing the finest ingredients while preserving the essence of Japanese cuisine.
Their signature dish combines three distinct tastes: chicken, dried bonito, and clams. The result is an explosion of layered umami in a single bowl that is nothing short of remarkable.
Of particular note is their clam dish, which is immensely popular among their menu offerings and highly recommended for a try.
What’s also noteworthy is their collaboration with Teigaku, a renowned Kyoto-based noodle manufacturer. They use Teigaku’s top-quality noodles, which you can enjoy in generous portions at no extra charge.
Adding to the dining experience is the option of tableside olive oil, a creative touch by the French-trained chef that instantly transforms the flavors into a more French-inspired profile. This unique blend of ideas and culinary skills sets this place apart and is truly captivating.
Mugi to Olive Details
1. Chūka Soba Ginza Hachigou 中華そば 銀座 八五
Opened in December 2018, ‘Chuka Soba Ginza Hachigou’ derives its name from the concept of resembling the character ‘八’ (eight) to Mount Fuji and symbolizing the determination to ascend from the fifth station to the summit. Their salt-based clear broth soup is meticulously prepared without any chemical additives, featuring duck, Nagoya Cochin chicken, and prosciutto as the main ingredients, along with additions like razor clams, roasted mushrooms, dried tomatoes, kombu, and dried shiitake mushrooms.
To adjust the flavor, they directly incorporate salt from France’s Guérande into the pot containing the soup. This innovative approach avoids the use of soy sauce, relying instead on the natural saltiness of the prosciutto broth.
Their specialty, the ‘Tokusei Chuka Soba,’ combines this superb MSG-free soup with straight, medium-thin noodles from Asakusa’s Kaika-ro, offering an incredibly smooth slurping experience. With its profound richness and clear umami, it promises an exquisite bowl of ramen that is unmatched elsewhere. Don’t miss the chance to savor this one-of-a-kind bowl!
Chūka Soba Ginza Hachigou Details
<iframe src=”https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3241.2621052802247!2d139.76757507631226!3d35.67054767259078!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x60188be664634e5f%3A0xb960da45f432b5da!2sCh%C5%ABka%20Soba%20Ginza%20Hachigou!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sjp!4v1696748256307!5m2!1sen!2sjp” width=”600″ height=”450″ style=”border:0;” allowfullscreen=”” loading=”lazy” referrerpolicy=”no-referrer-when-downgrade”></iframe>
