I wrote the first draft of this article way back in 2017, when the ramen trend had just taken off in Amsterdam \u2013 in a big way. Since then, the pace of new openings has slowed down, but arguably the quality has improved. You\u2019ll now find everything from ramen holes-in-the-wall to fine dining ramen experiences. And I\u2019ve had to update this post on an annual basis just to keep up. But before we get into all the noodly details, let me start with a caveat: I\u2019ve never been to Japan. I\u2019ve never even eaten ramen outside of Europe. I\u2019m comparing these places on a level playing field \u2013 but I\u2019ve never played on another field, as it were. So I\u2019m no expert \u2013 I\u2019m simply speaking as I find, according to my own subjective tastes.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re interested in Japanese food beyond ramen, read my guide to Japanese restaurants in Amsterdam<\/a>. And if you\u2019re looking for other Asian eats \u2013 from Sichuan to sushi \u2013 take a look at my guide to the best Asian restaurants in Amsterdam<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the first half of this article, I focus on the Amsterdam ramen restaurants that I\u2019ve visited recently or that I return to again and again \u2013 those that truly deserve their place in my best-of list.<\/p>\n I first\u00a0reviewed Fou Fow<\/a> way back in January 2015, although I\u2019ve revisited dozens of times since. It was arguably the first place to be exclusively serving ramen in Amsterdam, and as such holds a bit of a special place in my heart. Fou Fow offers their noodle soup in three sizes, with various different bases to their broths. Pig addict that I am, I usually go for the pork broth which is served with more pork, various types of seaweed, and half an egg (which is both warm and oozing with yellow yolk). The first time I went, I was warned that the pork broth had \u201ca stronger flavour\u201d than the regular chicken, vegetable or miso broths. I loved every spoonful and I\u2019m always going back for more \u2013 whether it\u2019s for their tonkotsu<\/em> or their tantanmen <\/em>(pictured below).<\/p>\n A bowl of ramen might not be something you\u2019d readily peg as fine dining. But here to prove us all wrong is Fuku Ramen<\/a>: a Japanese-inspired restaurant with a six-course seasonal tasting menu, culminating in some of the finest ramen Amsterdam has to offer. But before you get to that, you\u2019ll be treated to all sorts of tasty morsels, plus a whole range of sake. On the evening we visited, highlights included lobster gyoza with lobster-head cream and oyster leaves; monkfish with BBQ bimi, burnt butter and a sauce based on sake residue, which made it taste almost cheesy; and an umami-tastic fermented tomato dish. All this was followed up with a rich tonkotsu<\/em> broth housing homemade noodles, smoky pork loin and the usual ramen trimmings. A memorable meal that left me more than a little impressed.<\/p>\n Entering Ramen Kingdom<\/a> feels like you\u2019re 9,000 kilometres east, despite being right next to Centraal Station. The majority of customers are seated along a counter, which borders the long, narrow kitchen. The restaurant \u2013 which can\u2019t hold more than about a dozen customers \u2013 is adorned with artwork from Japanese manga and anime series Dragon Ball. Food-wise, I can\u2019t recommend the spicy pork ramen enough. The char siu<\/em> was some of the best I\u2019ve ever tasted \u2013 potently porky but also full of umami and slightly sweet, in both cases from light caramelisation of the meat. The noodles were thinner than some I\u2019ve had in Amsterdam, but with no less bite. The broth was also less thick than many I\u2019ve tasted, but still full of flavour \u2013 and, crucially, spicy heat. Ramen Kingdom\u2019s eggs were perfect: the yolk still oozing, the white properly marinated. The rest of their ramen toppings were equally impeccable: black fungus; wilted spinach; super-fine spring onion; and a dollop of minced pork and sesame. Heavenly.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: Ramen Kingdom opened in 2019 and closed down rather mysteriously in 2023 \u2013 only to reopen in spring 2026. Let\u2019s hope this time they\u2019re back for good!<\/em><\/p>\n I heard about Gifu Ramen Bar<\/a> from the great Yotam Ottolenghi himself (on Instagram, I might add, we are not friends). And if my food hero tells me to eat ramen, who am I to argue? It\u2019s a few doors down from Fou Fow (above), with a \u00a0low-lit, moody interior that draws you past its open kitchen with the promise of being cool. The ramen itself is pricy but top quality: I tried the creamy tonkutsu<\/em>, with sweetly barbecued pork chashu<\/em>, a jammy half-egg and elegant trimmings. (There was also an even pricier wagyu and duck version that I\u2019ll have to go back for.) Perhaps more interesting still was the drinks menu: Gifu Ramen Bar offers a wide range of sake and a small range of Japanese natural wines. I can\u2019t tell you much about either, but it was fascinating to taste something so different. Dessert was a cheesecake with a black-tea difference \u2013 not really my cup of tea (ha!) but again, interesting to try. I can see why Gifu is one of Ottolenghi\u2019s top picks.<\/p>\n Umaimon Amsterdam<\/a> is \u201cpowered by\u201d Takumi D\u00fcsseldorf \u2013 where Japanese chef Saeki has been peddling noodles for over a decade. And with good reason: they keep their ramen noodles in a special temperature-controlled cupboard, only getting them out when they\u2019re just about to be cooked. The first time I visited Umaimon at a press event,\u00a0I tried seven different types of ramen soup in one sitting \u2013 yes, that\u2019s some serious ramen dedication for you. As fabulous as they all were, I liked three better than the rest, so I went back four days later as a regular customer to try them again. The Noukou Tori Soba is a house special that\u2019s as rich as it is fresh, with generous slices of roasted chicken, tiny but tasty chicken meatballs, deep-fried chunks of chicken (imagine a version of KFC that\u2019s Japanese and awesome), sweet bamboo, bok choi<\/em> and excellently marinated and barely boiled egg. For something less rich, try the Teriyaki Wantan Ramen, which has a much lighter broth but is still generously stuffed with wantan<\/em> parcels. The Butatama Miso Ramen is also a hit \u2013 a sweeter, miso-based broth plays host to thin slices of pork and what I assume are lightly caramelised sliced onion. Whatever you order, it\u2019s pure comfort in a bowl.<\/p>\n The second half of this list covers ramen restaurants that I\u2019ve visited in the past, but less recently. Please note that chefs and menus change over time, and that this information may no longer be fully up-to-date.<\/p>\n Hakata Senpachi<\/a> has been around for decades, but its location out near Amsterdam RAI meant it rather flew under my ramen radar for a long time. The ramen menu was a little confusing, but when we asked a few questions it transpired that the broth was more or less the same but there were three different types of noodles. Mr Foodie got the thinner noodles (that apparently Japanese people generally prefer) while I got the thicker noodles that are more favoured by Europeans. Having tasted both, I can confirm I am European (should I have needed more proof). The noodles had good texture and bite, and the egg had been perfectly cooked so it was runny in the middle and full of flavour. The pork belly in my Tonkotsu Buratama came two ways: essentially thinly sliced and thickly sliced (do I sense a theme here?) while the rest of the bowl was taken up with beansprouts and seaweed. But what about the most important bit: the broth? It was fine \u2013 warm, comforting, creamy \u2013 but just fine. It lacked some depth of flavour for me, although many Amsterdammers swear by it as the real deal. As always with ramen, it\u2019s entirely personal!<\/p>\n Ramen-Ya<\/a> is in the Red Light District, which can be handy when you have visitors to show around. I\u2019ve tried various versions of their wide selection of ramen since I first\u00a0reviewed Ramen-Ya in December 2016: namely the \u201cKimchi Ramen\u201d, the \u201cHakata Deluxe\u201d and the \u201cVeggie\u201d. The former comprised chicken broth with kimchi (obviously), pork\u00a0char siu<\/em>, black wood-ear mushrooms, half a boiled egg and, of course, the noodles. The latter had great bite and flavour to them; the\u00a0char siu<\/em> was melt-in-the-mouth; the egg was perfectly cooked with a rich orange yolk; the mushrooms tasted like seaweed (luckily for me); and the kimchi added a welcome sour kick.<\/p>\n Since Hinata<\/a> apparently translates as \u201cwhere the sun shines\u201d in Japanese, I hope they realise they\u2019re in Amsterdam\u2026 Branding decisions aside, Hinata is doing pretty well. I tried the Kara Miso Ramen, mostly because it was spicy and I was hungover. The broth was excellent \u2013 creamy (but not too creamy), rich in miso, and with a signature flavour of sesame seeds, which gave it an extra nuttiness. The noodles were also excellent, with great texture and bite. Only the toppings left a little to be desired: the pork\u00a0char siu<\/em>\u00a0was dry (I\u2019m not sure what cut of pork they\u2019d used, but it didn\u2019t seem like the right one), and the egg was hard boiled so that the yolk was chalky. It\u2019s a shame because the rest was great \u2013 although in theory those should be the easiest things to change.<\/p>\n Given that I get a\u00a0ramen craving\u00a0at least once a fortnight, I clearly needed to find an alternative to my\u00a0tonkotsu\u00a0<\/em>addiction during\u00a0Vegetarian January. Enter\u00a0Men Impossible<\/a>: a communal-dining experience in the Jordaan, at which you can eat your fill of vegan ramen plus veggie starters, drinks and tea.\u00a0The day I visited, the main event was the Red Dragon tsukemen<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 dipping ramen \u2013 the noodles hand-rolled and the broth a thick, umami-rich, spicy, miso- and tomato-based soup.\u00a0I must admit the noodles had an extremely satisfying bite and the soup was very generous in flavour, despite the lack of animal products.\u00a0It also came with some shredded vegetables (raw carrot and red cabbage), cooked courgette, crispy fried onions and a mushroom that I steered well clear of. Better still was the accompanying spoonful of black garlic oil that added an extra depth and savoury note to the whole dish.<\/p>\n Now with a few locations in Amsterdam, Takeichi<\/a> is clearly very popular although it certainly wasn\u2019t my favourite. The occasion I visited, I got the Nouko spicy chicken ramen. The flavour of the broth was good (savoury and spicy), but a bit too thick for my taste and overly salty by the bottom of the bowl. The toppings in general were a highlight: I liked the little chicken meatball, thick slices of chicken, and spring onions. I wasn\u2019t so keen on the raw yellow onions and slimy brown bamboo shoots. The egg (which cost extra) was perfectly cooked, although seemed to have been chucked into the soup from cold, which was a shame.<\/p>\n In the same vein as Takeichi, Vatten Ramen<\/a> serves mostly chicken-based noodle soups \u2013 so once again I went for the spicy variety. The broth was slightly thinner than that at Takeichi but tasted good \u2013 I think I preferred it, but then again I dislike any soup that feels gelatinously thick. The toppings, however, were less impressive: the chicken\u00a0char siu<\/em> was just simple white chicken with little flavour. The egg came whole and was hard-boiled \u2013 which meant it was missing the jammy egg yolk you\u2019d expect. Also in the bowl were wilted greens (but more like spinach than seaweed), raw and fried onions \u2013 they tasted good, but again I missed the sea-fresh umami hit you get from seaweed.<\/p>\n Tucked away behind the tiniest shopfront on the Ceintuurbaan is Sapporo Ramen Sora<\/a> \u2013 judged by many to serve some of the best ramen in town. I have to say I disagreed: the pork bone broth that made up my Tonkotsu Shoyu ramen was thin and strange in texture \u2013 it looked like it had split. Meanwhile, the Charshu Shoyu\u2019s broth was just a bit salty and uninteresting, although I did appreciate the seaweed in both. The usual boiled eggs were off the menu the time I visited, which was a shame \u2013 and we weren\u2019t offered anything else to make up for it. The venue itself is pretty basic and lacking in gezelligheid<\/em>, which would be no problem if the ramen was better \u2013 but I remained unconvinced.<\/p>\n Download this article as an offline travel app with GPS-guided navigation via GPSmyCity<\/a>!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nTop 5 Amsterdam ramen restaurants<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Fou Fow\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Fou-Fow-ramen-Amsterdam-500x625.jpg\")
Fuku Ramen<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fuku-Ramen-500x311.jpg\")
Ramen Kingdom\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ramen](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Ramen-Kingdom-Amsterdam-500x610.jpg\")
Gifu Ramen Bar<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Gifu-Ramen-Bar-Amsterdam-500x696.jpg\")
Umaimon\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ramen](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/umaimon-misspublicity-byjoycegoverde-49-500x701.jpg\")
Want to eat more than just ramen in Amsterdam? Download my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide<\/a>:<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Amsterdam-Restaurant-Guide-2023-banner.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nOther ramen restaurants in Amsterdam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hakata Senpachi<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ramen](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Ramen-Amsterdam-Hakata-Senpachi-500x500.jpg\")
Ramen-Ya<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Hinata\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Hinata](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Hinata-Yama-Ramen-Amsterdam-500x500.jpg\")
Men Impossible<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Men](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Men-Impossible-vegan-ramn-500x556.jpg\")
Tokyo Ramen Takeichi<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ramen](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Ramen-restaurant-in-Amsterdam-Tokyo-Ramen-Takeichi-500x625.jpg\")
Vatten Ramen<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Ramen](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Ramen-Amsterdam-restaurant-Vatten-Ramen-500x500.jpg\")
Sapporo Ramen Sora<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Want to eat more than just ramen in Amsterdam? Download my Amsterdam Restaurant Guide<\/a>:<\/em><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n