Best Ramen In London: Top Recommendations

• Location: 102 Old St, Shoreditch, EC1V 9AY
• Price: £15-£21
• Dish to order: Spicy Tonkotsu
• Why we recommend: there is an art (and a science) to each of Monohon's bowls - the team here are dedicated to providing the perfect ramen each time, using specialist ingredients and measuring the viscosity and saltiness of their soup and dare. They don't take bookings, so be prepared to queue during peak times

Launched in 2015 by Ian Wheatley, who discovered his love for Japanese culture while living in Osaka in the 90s, Monohon is now one of the most popular spots for authentic ramen in London. They make all their noodles in-house, using specialist flour from Japan and softened water (London water is too hard to get the ideal noodle texture), but it doesn't stop there. Ian and his team are ramen purists; after boiling their soup for a day, they use a refractometer to check its viscosity (if that isn't dedication, I don't know what is) and the saltiness of their dare.

Though these guys are famed for their soupless ramen (the Aruba Soba is a favourite), nothing beats a good bowl of steaming broth and noodles. They use pork bones, kelp and shiitake mushrooms for the ultimate umami soup, with a creamy sesame-flavoured option for vegans. Choose your ramen flavour (mine is the spicy tonkotsu, made with spicy miso pork mince), your size (regular or large), and noodle firmness (regular, hard or very hard), and you're good to go.

• Location: 177 Bermondsey St, Bermondsey, SE1 3UW
• Price: £14 per ramen
• Dish to order: Hakata Tonkotsu
• Why we recommend: I adore Hakata's rich, authentic tonkotsu and cosy setting, ideal for satiating comfort food cravings. Their signature broth is slow-cooked for hours, giving it a depth that keeps locals coming back, plus it has a cool speakeasy-style bar downstairs

Located in bustling Bermondsey, just a short walk from London Bridge, Hakata Ramen + Bar is famed for its warm, comforting bowls of noodle soup. Priding themselves on their quality dishes and vibrant, inviting atmosphere, the 50-seater restaurant (which is walk-in only, by the way) specialises in tonkotsu ramen - evident in their moreish and creamy signature Hakata tonkotsu, made with shio tare and 12-hour pork broth, beni shoga, and slices of chashu pork.

Other ramen include the Kumamoto, Shoyu, Miso and Spicy Miso, and all bowls come with a soft-boiled egg, menma, bean sprouts, spring onion and yakinori as standard. Even better, they offer vegan versions of all their ramen, and the opportunity to 'pimp your ramen' with a long list of extra toppings. And if you fancy something on the side? Tuck into hirata buns, katsu sandos, pork ribs, chicken wings, gyozo and so much more. You'll also find an intimate Tokyo-meets-NYC dive bar downstairs, complete with a menu featuring Japanese whiskies, cocktails and craft beers.

• Locations: Carnaby, Covent Garden, Regent Street, Soho, Shoreditch, Westfield Stratford City, Ichiba Westfield White City
• Price: around £14-£18
• Dish to order: Shoryu Ganso Tonkotsu
• Why we recommend: Shoryu's team bring the flavours of their hometown, Hakata, to London with a focus on tonkotsu ramen. What really makes them stand out is their menu of creative twists on the classic and the option to choose your preferred noodle firmness - ideal for anyone who loves a bit of customisation

Hailing from Hakata (famous for its tonkotsu ramen), Executive Chef Kanji Furukawa and founder Tak Tokumine launched Shoryu Ramen in 2012, sharing their favourite comfort food with Londoners. Armed with a lifelong obsession for noodles and broth, not to mention recipes passed down through generations, each slowly simmered bowl is a love letter to their hometown.

Perfect for lovers of tonkotsu ramen, the menu showcases inventive variations - from the Dracula, layered up with black garlic mayu, slow-braised pork belly, kikurage mushrooms and red ginger, to the piri piri topped with jalapenos, gochujang and orange yolk nitamago (although you can always stick to the classic). They also have plenty of vegan options, with the miso wafu being a particular highlight, and you can choose your noodle firmness for the perfect slurp each time. Sides-wise, you're in for bao buns and chicken karaage, with sake, shochu, whisky and Japanese-inspired cocktails to wash everything down.

• Location: 98 Farringdon Rd, Farringdon, EC1R 3EA
• Price: £16-£17 per ramen
• Dish to order: Spicy Miso Red Chilli (I'm still dreaming about this today)
• Why we recommend: after success with restaurants in Tokyo and the US (and an appearance on Chef's Table that earned him cult status), Ivan Orkin has brought his culinary vision to the capital - with his passion for ingredients and technique evident in his beautiful bowls of ramen

Tucked away in Clerkenwell, Ivan Ramen is a 26-seat, walk-in-only ramen bar that blends Tokyo's stripped-back noodle culture with a New York edge. The space is warm and minimalist, with light wood, reclaimed materials, manga-inspired murals and an open kitchen where you can watch every bowl come together.

The menu focuses on ingredients and technique. Chef-owner Ivan Orkin is renowned for his handmade noodles and slow-simmered broths, featuring signatures such as tonkotsu, tori paitan, and spicy miso red chilli, as well as crispy karaage. London exclusives like the salt beef bun and indulgent truffled vegetarian ramen add a local twist. 

• Location: 49 The Cut, Waterloo, SE1 8LF
• Price: £13.50-£15 (with lunch specials as low as £7)
• Dish to order: Kokura Ramen or Oyako Ramen
• Why we recommend: this is one of the most affordable ramen spots in London, but it doesn't compromise on flavour - expect rich, warming broths, delightfully chewy noodles and top-quality toppings

For those of you looking for affordable ramen in a casual, relaxed space - Kokura in Waterloo is perfect. Whether you grab a seat in the intimate, light-filled restaurant or one of their street-side seats, you can dive into their lovingly made ramen.

Their chicken ramen, Oyako Ramen, is a true delight, featuring umami chicken bone broth and a marinated egg, while the Kokura Ramen is also not to be mised - made with their signature rich pork bone broth, topped with succulent chashu and a combo of vegetables.

• Locations: Hackney, Soho, Shoreditch, Peckham, Clapham, Battersea, Bankside, Ealing, Finsbury Park, Haggerston, Kentish Town, Notting Hill, Oxford Street,, Walthamstow, Stratford
• Price: £13.50-£16
• Dish to order: Tonkotsu (not surprising, I'm sure)
• Why we recommend: though they've expanded across London, Tonkotsu has not lost its heart - in fact, it's become your local favourite ramen shop where every dish is considered and delicious, featuring high-quality ingredients and freshly prepared noodles

Boasting venues in London's hottest neighbourhoods, Tonkotsu understands that the devil is in the detail, hence why they cook their noodles for exactly 32 seconds. In fact, they also make these fresh every single day - you can even watch them be made right in front of your eyes in some of their restaurants, before they're submerged in their lovingly simmered broths.

As you can imagine by the name, their most popular dish is their Tonkotsu. This classic comes complete with thin-cut noodles, pork broth with lardo, sea salt base, roast Dingley Dell pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and a 1/2 stained Clarence Court egg. Otherwise, the fan favourite Chilli Chicken, lighter soy-based Tokyo and vegan mushroom miso are all equally delicious.