Umeda, located in the heart of Osaka Prefecture, is known as a vital hub for commerce and transportation. It’s an area characterized by towering skyscrapers and vast commercial facilities, making it one of Osaka’s premier downtown districts. With JR Osaka Station and Umeda Station at its core, along with a convergence of subway and private railway lines, it boasts excellent accessibility. Furthermore, with a variety of activities such as shopping, gourmet dining, and entertainment, it has become a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike.
This article highlights the top 10 recommended ramen shops in the Umeda area.
目次
10. Osaka Mentetsu 大阪 麺哲
A shop that comes into view after a short walk from Higashi-Umeda is “Osaka Men-Tetsu.” Its exterior exudes a somewhat sushi restaurant-like ambiance. The soup is characterized by its light soy sauce-colored, high transparency broth! The refined chicken flavor with a mellow soy sauce taste is addictive. The noodles are homemade straight noodles. The smooth and translucent noodles have an excellent throat sensation! The texture of the bamboo shoots is also good, making for a simple and clear ramen. The sweet and savory soup is very light, making it a classic soy sauce ramen.
Osaka Mentetsu Details
9. Men-ya Takei – Hankyu Umeda 京都 麺屋たけ井 阪急梅田店
Located within the ticket gates of Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station, this shop’s main branch is in Kyoto. Offering takeaway noodles as well, it’s approachable and definitely worth a try. It’s a bowl crafted with the intention of providing a taste that makes everyone happy. This is a precious opportunity to casually enjoy the representative tsukemen of Kansai in Umeda.
Men-ya Takei – Hankyu Umeda Detail
8. Ramen Pepe ペペラーメン
A popular ramen shop in the Nishi-Umeda and Kita-Shinchi area is Pepela Ramen. While the accessibility itself is convenient, being close to the station, please note that Pepela Ramen’s store is on the 2nd floor of a mixed-use building and may not be conspicuous. Look for the signboard on the 1st floor of the building as a landmark.
At Pepela Ramen, the menu seems to vary slightly between lunch and dinner. The photo shows the salt ramen from the lunch ramen set. Along with that, you can choose rice or rice balls, and there’s a system where you can have unlimited raw eggs and pickles, and optionally, natto. The soup for the ramen is probably lightly flavored with chicken as its base, lacking strong individuality but likely appealing to everyone.
Ramen Pepe Detail
7. Menya Teru Nakatsu 麺や 輝 中津店
Menya Kagayaki Nakatsu is a popular ramen shop affiliated with the Menya Kagayaki Group, which operates multiple stores in Osaka. Among them, this Menya Kagayaki Nakatsu branch seems to be the second to open, with a longer history within the group. It’s easily accessible from both Nakatsu Station on the Osaka Metro and Hankyu lines, although it might be a bit closer from the former.
The specialty of Menya Kagayaki Nakatsu is the so-called seafood pork bone ramen and tsukemen. While not particularly unique, they are incredibly delicious, meticulously prepared without relying on chemical seasonings, which is reassuring. The accompanying noodles are also homemade, a hallmark of the Menya Kagayaki Group, and it’s convenient that the portion sizes—small, medium, and large—are all the same price, which is appreciated by big eaters like myself. Occasionally indulging in their seafood pork bone tsukemen always reminds me how delicious it is. Since they operate continuously without a break, there shouldn’t be much of a wait at Menya Kagayaki Nakatsu, especially if you avoid peak hours.
Menya Teru Nakatsu Detail
6. Zen laboratory 善 laboratory
A highly anticipated ramen shop in recent times in Umeda is ZEN Laboratory. It’s said that the owner, who trained at the famous ramen shop Chuuka Soba Mugen in Ebisucho, Osaka, received supervision from there to open this shop. Located just a few minutes’ walk from Hankyu Umeda Station, its convenient location is complemented by a stylish interior that doesn’t resemble a typical ramen shop, which is one of ZEN Laboratory’s distinguishing features.
Similar to its training ground, Chuuka Soba Mugen, ZEN Laboratory also serves meticulously crafted light and clear ramen, emphasizing on quality ingredients. The most popular item seems to be the ramen using white soy sauce, as seen in the photo, featuring a soup with a subtle sweetness and delicious homemade noodles. Especially with the soup being based on white soy sauce, the excellence of the noodles is easily discernible.
Zen Laboratory Detail
5. Ginza Kagari Lucua Osaka 銀座 篝 ルクア大阪店
Several years ago, “Ginza Kagari,” which has multiple branches in Tokyo including Ginza, made its debut in Osaka and has been drawing long queues ever since. When you mention “Ginza Kagari,” it’s a famous establishment that was selected as a Bib Gourmand by the world-renowned Michelin Guide for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017.
The presentation is meticulous, and you can see the dedication to each ingredient. Located on the B2 floor of Lucua Osaka, the interior is very stylish and welcoming, even for solo diners.
A highly recommended dish is the “Clam and Oyster Soy Sauce Soba.” It offers an exceptionally refined flavor, with the prominent presence of both the oysters and clams, each asserting themselves in a harmonious balance. The noodles are thin and supple, making them very easy to
Ginza Kagari Lucua Osaka Detail
4. Ramen Igei らーめん伊藝
Ramen Igei is located approximately a 10-minute walk from Hankyu Nakatsu Station. If you accidentally end up at Osaka Metro Nakatsu Station, be aware that there’s quite a distance to Ramen Igei, so please double-check your destination.
The owner of Ramen Igei was originally a ramen enthusiast, and the ramen created by this owner is a combination of rich tonkotsu and seafood broth with homemade noodles. While tonkotsu seafood ramen itself is not uncommon, the one at Ramen Igei is meticulously crafted and was quite impactful when I tried it for the first time. This deliciousness cannot be fully expressed in words, so I highly recommend that as many people as possible visit Ramen Igei to experience it. Additionally, besides ramen, the legendary fried rice is a specialty, so if you have room in your stomach, I definitely recommend giving it a try.
Ramen Igei Detail
3. Ramen Kikuhan らぁ麺 きくはん
Located in Nakazakicho, Laamen Kikuhann is a hugely popular ramen shop in the Umeda area known for its ramen with frothy soup.
The ramen at Kikuhann has a base of animal-based broth such as pork and chicken. The soup is rich, with a strong soy sauce flavor, resulting in an overall bold and robust taste. However, at Laamen Kikuhann, the finely chopped onions and other condiments do a great job, eliminating any heaviness and making it incredibly delicious. The attentive service also leaves a good impression, making one want to become a regular if they live near Laamen Kikuhann.
Ramen Kikuhan Detail
2. Ramen Yashichi らーめん 弥七
Located just a 5-minute walk from Nakatsu Station is the renowned ramen shop “Ramen Yashichi,” known for its chicken white broth ramen. The rich and creamy soup is extracted from chicken feet, chicken skin, and chicken bones. To complement it, they use a soy sauce seasoning made from various ingredients! The combination of the original soup and the soy sauce seasoning creates a profound flavor that spreads throughout the mouth.
They use homemade medium-thin straight noodles, offering a unique texture. The classic soy sauce ramen is packed with the condensed flavor of chicken, making it a satisfying bowl until the last bite. With plenty of delicious chashu topping, it’s a fulfilling meal!
Ramen Yashichi Detail
1. Mugito Mensuke 麦と麺助
様々なお店がひしめく中、多くの人々から支持を得ているこのお店は同じく大阪の福島で人気を博している「Moeyo Mensuke」のセカンドブランドのお店です。
Mugito Mensukeでは、比内地鶏やホロホロ鶏などの厳選食材を使用した、高級感溢れるラーメンを提供。写真の醤油ラーメンは、タレに由来するものなのかほんのり感じる甘みが凄く好みで、柚子の香りも好き。特製ラーメンにすると、トッピングも色々追加され、この味・ボリュームとこの値段ならはっきり言って安い。行列ラーメン店と書いたものの、麦と麺助 新梅田中津店は割と回転が早い印象があるため、平日の遅めの時間なんかを狙えば、そんな極端に待つ可能性も低いはず。
Mugito Mensuke Detail
Conclusion
Osaka Umeda serves as a hub for Osaka tourism due to its proximity to the Shinkansen station, Shin-Osaka. As a result, there are many highly regarded eateries in the area. If you find yourself craving ramen, I recommend using this article as a reference to discover your favorite ramen shop!
