Ramen is one of the most popular Japanese food for a reason. It is not only comforting and delicious, but also relatively affordable. We are very lucky that there are many good ramen shops in Singapore which are as good as the ones that you can find in Japan.

Here is a guide to the best ramen in Singapore.

Bari Uma Ramen

Bari Uma does a mean bowl of ramen which we feel is completely underrated. Don’t miss out on their gyozas, which were fresh, succulent and bursting with juices.

#B1-01 Tanglin Shopping Centre
19 Tanglin Road
Tel: +65 6887 4484
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Ippudo Ramen

Often cited by ramen aficionados as the best ramen in Singapore, Ippudo is also one of the most expensive. But it is not unjustified, considering the food quality and the luxe dining environment. Don’t miss out on their pork buns while you are there too.

333A Orchard Road
#04-02/03/04 Mandarin Gallery
Tel: +65 6235 2797
Mon to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Keisuke Tonkotsu King

The snaking queues during lunch and dinner time probably says it all – Keisuke Tonkotsu King is the epitome of ramen, and probably the closest you’d ever get to an authentic ramen experience.

#01-19 Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Street
Tel: +65 6636 0855
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

Keisuke Tori King

It is hard to imagine how a chicken-based broth can taste so good, but Keisuke Tori King yet again impresses with a robust broth that is surprisingly light on the palate. We particularly liked the tender chicken thigh that comes with each bowl, with meat so tender we do not even miss our chashu.

#03-15 100 AM
100 Tras Street
Tel: +65 6604 6861
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

Marutama Ramen

Another popular ramen restaurant in Singapore is Marutama Ramen. It specialises in chicken soup-based ramen, which is light and tasty, and great for a quick lunch.

#03-90 The Central
8 Eu Tong Sen Street
Tel: +65 6534 8090
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

Menya Musashi

Menya Musashi commanded long queues in the first few months, but the hype has died down since then which is unfortunate, as they’ve opened a few more branches around and out of town. Those with big appetites will be glad to know that they allow one to order up to five times the amount of noodles without any additional charge.

#01-16 Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
Tel: +65 6336 6500
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

Miharu Sapporo Ramen

If you are a fan of Sapporo style ramen, check out Miharu Sapporo which just reopened at Millenia Walk. Come here for the signature miso-based ramen with buttered sweetcorn.

Millenia Walk #01-06
9 Raffles Boulevard
Tel: +65 6733 8464
Daily: 12.00pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall/Promenade

Nantsuttei

We like Nantsuttei for its simple, hearty and flavourful stock. The original Nantsuttei ramen comes with a rather generous layer of roasted garlic oil, which may be a tad greasy for some.

181 Orchard Road
Orchard Central #07-12/13
Tel: +65 6337 7166
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Ramen Santouka

Here is a worthy contender for the best all-rounded ramen. A robust broth, chewy noodles and one of the most tender chashu we have had (it is the prized pork cheek after all), it is one easy ramen to love.

#02-76, Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street
Tel: +65 6224 0668
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

Tampopo Japanese Restaurant

We love how Tampopo comes up with new dishes every once in a while – we tried their triple black ramen recently which came with a squid ink-infused noodles in a light ink-tinged broth, topped with their black pig shabu shabu-style. Though not always impressive, we are glad there’s always something new to look forward to on their menu. Otherwise, their Tonkatsu Ramen is always good. A bowl of delicious ramen accompanied by Tampopo’s signature tonkatsu.

391 Orchard Road
#B2-33 Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6235 2318
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen

The theatrics itself is already worth a visit, though that is secondary to the flavourful broth. Go for the Ishiyaki ramen that comes in a pre-heated stone bowl, and supposedly resembles an erupting volcano when soup is poured in.

#02-68/69 Square 2
10 Sinaran Drive
Tel: +65 6379 6636
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

Uma Uma Ramen

Chef Iggy’s take on this Japanese classic is quite unlike any other ramen. The broth has an interesting twist, and epitomises umami.

583 Orchard Road
#01-41/42/43 Forum The Shopping Mall
Tel: +65 6235 0855
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10pm
Sun: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Ippudo is one of Japan’s top ramen shops and there was a hype when it opened in 2009. Even till today, there are often long queues during lunch and dinner.

The founder of Ippudo, Shigemi Kawahara, is known as the Ramen King after three consecutive first place wins on a nationwide ramen-making competition where the top ramen chefs compete to create the best ramen.

Does Ippudo ramen at Mandarin Gallery live up to the hype?

Ciki and I were there for dinner on a weekday, and it was fortunate that we went early as there was a long queue waiting outside shortly after. Upon entering Ippudo, I was pleasantly surprised by the interior. Unlike the usual ramen places, the dimly lit restaurant at Mandarin Gallery, Orchard road has a modern and classy vibe.

Besides ramen, Ippudo’s menu also has other side dishes like Agedashi Tofu ($10), Gyoza ($6), Chashu Hotplate ($8) and Tonkotsu Croquette ($12). After a quick glance at the menu, we ordered the classic Shiromaru Motoaji ($15) – original recipe tonkatsu soup served with Hakata-style thin noodles, rosu chashu, cabbage and spring onion; and Karaka-Men ($17) – Ippudo pork broth with special spicy miso and ground pork.

The chashu, oh the chashu.

At Ippudo, the Shiromaru Motoaji ($15) comes with a gorgeous piece of rosu chashu (pork loin). The Hakata-style noodles are springy and delightful, while the broth is refreshing and very addictive.

It is one of those moments where you find it hard to explain how something so simple can taste so delicious.

The Karaka-Men ($17), on the other hand, has a spicy kick to it and is no less addictive than the Shiromaru.

Like other ramen shops, Ippudo has its own regulars who swear by it and visit on a regular basis to satisfy their ramen cravings. While there are also others who felt that it is overrated and not as good as the one in Japan.

I think it all boils down to knowing how to manage your expectations. Ippudo has always been known as one of the best ramen shops in Japan, and this probably explains why some people go there with ridiculously high expectations and end up being disappointed.

For me, there is no doubt that Ippudo at Mandarin Gallery is one of the best ramen restaurants in Singapore. The question is, are you willing to queue up for it?

Singapore Food Blog Review
Ippudo Ramen
333A Orchard Road
#04-02/03/04 Mandarin Gallery
Tel: +65 6235 2797
Mon to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 10pm

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It has been a while since my last visit to Holland Village, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of new faces. My list of restaurants in Holland Village is slightly outdated now, I will be updating it soon.

Anyway, our main objective that night was 2am Dessert Bar, so we decided to have a light dinner at Yoshimaru Ramen Bar.

Yoshimaru Ramen Bar is famous for their Hakata Ramen, or known as Tonkotsu (pork bone) Ramen. I don’t really know much about ramen, but from what I understand, the broth for Tonkotsu ramen is made from boiling pork bones over high heat for many hours. The result is hearty pork flavoured soup with ultra thin ramen.

I had the Traditional Hakata Ramen ($11), and it was excellent. With a gorgeous runny boiled egg and the mouth-watering char siu, the bowl of rich and flavourful ramen was the perfect thing for a rainy night.

We also had the Shabu-shabu Pork Ramen ($14), which came with thin pork slices instead of char siu. There are a few choices on Yoshimaru Ramen Bar’s menu, you can also go for the Moridakusen Ramen ($15) which has all the toppings, or the spicy Yoshimaru Tan Tan Mian with peanut sauce and chilli oil.

My favourite ramen places in Singapore are still Tampopo restaurant and Ramen Santouka, but Yoshimaru Ramen Bar is a pretty decent place to have a quick dinner if you are at Holland Village. And oh yes, just in case you are interested, the Japanese Ramen Bar is under the same management as Jumbo Seafood Restaurant.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Yoshimaru Ramen Bar
31 Lorong Liput
Holland Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6463 3132

902 East Coast Parkway, Blk B
#01-12 Playground @ Big Splash Singapore
Tel: +65 6346 3132