The Michelin-recommended Shugetsu is usually draws a big crowd of tourists and locals alike. With three locations in Hong Kong, the chain's popularity can be attributed to their use of 18-month old fermented soy sauce in the shoyu broth, mixed with other ingredients such as mackerel, sardines and kombu. 

Their menu is bigger than most, serving a variety of spicy and non-spicy options for tsukemen as well as the choice of extra pork belly to go alongside your noodles. The original Shugetsu tsukemen is the crowd-pleaser, with a refreshingly acidic taste to the soup and up to 300 grams of noodles to go with it. 

Then there’s the trademark Shugetsu ramen with their soy sauce soup, shio salt ramen, and Abura soupless ramen. All bowls are customisable and you can add additional toppings, as well as side dishes if you’re still hungry. 

Shugetsu Central, G/F, 5 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2850 6009; Shugetsu Causeway Bay, Shop 6, G/F, Hoi Deen Court, 30-34 Cannon Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2891 1600; Shugetsu Quarry Bay, G/F, 30 Hoi Kwong Street, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2336 7888; shugetsu.com.hk

Located on Gough Street, Zagin Soba has positioned itself as one of the city’s top ramen restaurants due to their impeccable bowls of chicken broth ramen. The menu offers three ramen choices: chicken broth ramen, chicken broth tsukemen (dipping noodles) and a seafood-base ramen. However, if you want to do the restaurant justice, order the two signature chicken broth noodles for your first visit. 

The soup is thicker and creamier than most ramen broth, and due to the restaurant’s "cappuccino" technique for frothing up the soup, the top layer of the broth foams up lightly, giving the creamy soup an airier feel. All ramens are topped with the store’s own deep-fried burdock root which—though it doesn’t carry much flavour—gives the bowl an extra layer of texture and bite. 

Zagin Soba Central, G/F, 7 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2447 1398; Zagin Soba Happy Valley, G/F, 13A King Kwong Street, Happy Valley, Hong Kong, +852 2818 0322; facebook.com/ZaginSobaHK

If you’ve got some time to spare, make a visit to Ramen Taifu, the ramen restaurant that’s notorious for their long lines on the weekends. Founded in Tokyo in 2007, the first Hong Kong branch opened in Tsuen Wan in 2012, followed by the popular Mong Kok location in 2015 and finally, the most recent addition in Wan Chai just last year. 

At the Mong Kok location, the tsukemen and ramen are available during separate times—the former is only available for lunch, while the latter during dinner. For the two other branches, select soup bases are available all day. Since each store has slightly different soup bases, check their social media ahead of time to make sure you’re going to the right branch. 

Craving for a bowl of soup-heavy ramen? Wan Chai has a popular shrimp broth ramen and a pitch-black truffle ramen that has been stealing all the thunder on Instagram. For tsukemen, you can’t go wrong with the original or the sesame broth at Mong Kok. After you’re done with the noodles, ask for the fired-up rocks and clear fish broth to be added to your tsukemen soup for the purpose of reheating it for your slurping pleasure. 

Taifu. R, G/F, 389 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 34602102; Isaba Taifu, G/F, 39 Fife Street, Kin Wong Mansion, Mong Kok, Hong Kong, +852 2487 4488, Ramen Taifu, Shop 7, G/F, Po Shing Mansion, 81 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, +852 2419 7717; ramen-taifu.com

Fans of mala numbing spice, coriander and baby corn should make their way to Kikanbo. Promising to “delight all five senses” using red peppers and fragrant numbing oil in their pig bone, chicken bone and vegetables-infused broth, Kikanbo allows diners to choose their level of spice and numbness, as well as toppings to create their  own customised bowl.

Not a fan of spice or coriander? These can be crossed out from your order, but don’t skip their pork bell—thickly cut, braised and oozing with flavour, you’ll be washing down the delicious grease with spoonfuls of broth, and chasing down the spice with gulps of ice water. 

Kikanbo Tsim Sha Tsui , G/F, 20 Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 2481 2889; Kikanbo Causeway Bay, G/F, 530 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong +852 2491 3383; kikanbo.co

See also: Kikanbo, Tokyo’s Miso Ramen Bar, Debuts In Causeway Bay In August 2019

Tucked away in Whampoa, Wongyi Ramen is a small, independent ramen restaurant that creates a selection of broths using niboshi (small dried fish) chicken, shrimp, shoyu, alongside shio ramen and tsukemen options.

The store regularly pushes out specials such as lobster and oyster ramen but their niboshi chicken ramen is still the most popular order. Similar to Zagin Soba’s cappuccino broth, Wongyi’s white chicken base is just as frothy, if not more. Their specials are limited to as little as ten bowls a day, with a line forming even before the store opens—so make sure you get there bright and early. 

Wongyi Ramen, Shop F4, G/F, Tak Man Building, 29 Tak Man Street, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; facebook.com/pages/Wonyi

Opened in 2019, Ramen Cubism is celebrity ramen chefs Hayashi Takao and Matsumura Takahiro’s first international ramen store. Hidden away by a staircase at Wellington Street, you might miss this restaurant if you’re not looking too carefully. The menu consists of everything from soy sauce broth, to shio, seafood, white chicken broth and a special mackerel broth. 

Portions are on the smaller size, and since the signature bowls here are shio or shoyu-based, the broth won’t be as filling even if you drink every last drop. Not to worry as you can order an extra portion of ramen or even a second bowl all to yourself to make up for it.

Ramen Cubism, Basement, Yuen Yick Building, 27-29 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2399 0811; ramencubism.com

See also: Review: Ramen Cubism Needs More Than Originality To Stay Relevant

Ramen House Konjiki has been expanding quickly since they opened their first location at IFC in 2019. Now, the ramen chain has opened two additional branches in Kowloon Tong and Tsim Sha Tsui, bringing its one-Michelin-starred noodles to all areas of Hong Kong. The broth is made of a unique blend of fish, Hamaguri clams and pork broth, bringing a sweet seafood taste to the soup. Try the signature shio hamaguri soup ramen which comes with a blend of chopped pea sprouts, arugula and basil for extra flavouring, slow cooked chashu, pork belly chashu, white leek, white truffle oil, bacon chips and porcini duxelles. 

Ramen House Konjiki Central, Shop 3020, 3/F, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 6333 8036; Ramen House Konjiki TST, G/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong; Ramen House Konjiki Kowloon Tong, Shop 25, LG2/F, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, +852 6333 8156; facebook.com/konjikihototogisuhk

Known for their chicken paitan ramen, each bowl from Torihana Tei is styled to perfection and is as appetising as it looks. Their number one seller—named No.1 Ramen—is their star chicken broth, loaded with Sapporo noodles and garnished with two thin slices of fried lotus root. The restaurant also has three other chicken broth-based ramen options on the menu, with additions of seafood flavour and spice to give each bowl a special edge. Need something more refreshing? Their lemon ramen will help you cope with Hong Kong’s humid weather. If you’re feeling adventurous, keep your eyes peeled for their limited matcha ramen to make an encore appearance on the menu.

Torihana Tei Ramen, Shop 15, G/F, Wah To Building, 22-30 Cross Lane, Wan Chai, Hong Kong +852 2366 1332; instagram.com/torihanateiramen

Named after a mountain in Japan, Afuri was founded in Japan but has since opened international locations in the US, Singapore, Canada, Portugal and Hong Kong. Fans of citrus soup bases will love this ramen restaurant, as they’re known for their yuzu broth ramen. Choose from yuzu shio, yuzu shoyu, spicy yuzu ratanmen and yuzu-tsuyu tsukemen if you’re keen to try their star flavour. 

However, if citrus isn’t your cup of tea, they also have a vegan hazelnut tantanmen, tonkotsu shio, tonkotsu tantanmen and kara-tsuyu tsukemen as well. For sides, get the soft-shell crab bun and treat yourself to a few of their crispy fried gyozas. 

Afuri, i.t orange forest, 2/F, THE ONE, 100 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 28152177; afuriathome.com.hk

When dining restrictions aren’t in place, Nojo is the place to visit for a midnight bowl of steaming hot ramen. Open till 2am from Monday to Saturdays, this ramen and izakaya spot serves up Japanese snacks, sake and ramen for when you’re done with the club but not quite ready to head home. 

The menu includes nine ramen options to choose from—spicy dandan, yuzu, tomato, shrimp miso, soy sauce, clear chicken soup with smoke duck, spicy minced chicken tossed noodle, mentaiko tossed noodle and vegetarian tossed noodle. The most popular order since Nojo’s opening is the restaurant’s soy sauce ramen, which comes with one whole chicken leg, but their soup-less tossed ramen is a colourful and flavourful noodle bowl with spicy minced chicken, noodles, veggies and one raw egg yolk to tie the dish together. Aside from ramen, order a few sides to share such as Nojo’s selection of rice dons, appetisers and sushi.

Nojo, Shop 5 & Open Space, G/F, The Steps, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2415 1333; instagram.com/nojo.hk

See also: Review: With Good Vibes, Scrumptious Ramen And Well-Curated Sake Collection, Nojo Has It All

For another late-night ramen option, Ichiran is a mustt. The first Hong Kong branch opened in 2013 as the first-ever overseas location of the famous Japanese ramen chain. Known for their individual seating booths that help bring interactions with other people to a minimum, each booth comes with its own water tap for ice cold water, a button to summon Ichiran staff, and a curtain from which you are brought your ramen. 

Food wise, there’s a reason why the chain rose in popularity so quickly—their classic tonkotsu ramen comes with just noodles, soup, green onion and sliced chashu pork. Customers can modify their bowl and choose the level of spiciness, richness, garlic level and dashi seasoning, as well as add additional toppings such as half-boiled egg, seaweed, extra pork and noodle. 

Ichiran Causeway Bay, Shop F I, G/F, Lockhart House, Block A, 440 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2152 4040; Ichiran Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 2369 4218; ichiran.com

Known for their Japanese wagyu ramen, Mashi No Mashi has a total of four food items on the menu: spicy samurai bomb tsukemen, a spicy, wagyu ramen; tokusei wagyu tsukemen, which comes with wagyu, bamboo shoots, cabbage and one soft-boiled egg; wagyu donburi and wagyu gyoza. 

Each bowl is served by Mashi No Mashi’s chefs using one hand, with the bowl raised to the level of your camera and their baseball cap tipped downwards to keep an air of intrigue. After you've finished slurping down the noodles, finish off with a drool-inducing wagyu rice bowl if you still have space left. 

Mashi No Mashi, Shop 1B, G/F, Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2812 0500; instagram.com/mashinomashi

Located in North Point, Shiawase Ramen is a large and spacious restaurant that specialises in tonkotsu ramen—pick from the original, garlic, spicy tomato, miso and shrimp miso flavours. 

Each bowl comes with a variety of veggies and toppings such as sliced pork, soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, leeks and seaweed. If you’re getting the tomato-based tonkotsu ramen, be sure to add some of the restaurant’s cheese powder for an elevated experience. 

Shiawase Ramen, Shop 19, G/F, AIA Tower, 183 Electric Road, North Point, Hong Kong, +852 2311 6322; instagram.com/shiawaseramen

The Central branch of Ichitora may have closed after four years of operation in 2019, but you can still get their delicious noodles at the Wan Chai location. With six staple ramen options on the menu, choose from the Ichitora special, which comes with extra pork slices; the red tora, a super spicy ramen; Ichitora, the restaurant's staple ramen with two slices of pork and egg in the housemade tonkotsu broth; black garlic-based black tora; ebi tora, a rich shrimp miso soup ramen; white tora, a simple tonkotsu broth ramen with two slices of pork without egg. Aside from the six, Ichitora has also introduced two vegan ramen options that’s perfect for plant-based eaters, the vegan shoyu and the vegan pork ramen. 

Ichitora, G/F, 23 Amoy Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2808 0635; instagram.com/ichitora_ramen_wanchai

With eight locations in Hong Kong, Butao has been leading Hong Kong’s ramen scene for years. All the ramen is made with Butao’s well-known tonkotsu soup base, but if you’re tired of the basic tonkotsu, they also do a Black King ramen, a squid and black garlic flavoured soup that will undoubtedly stain your lips—so make sure to go with friends you’re not afraid of embarrassing yourself in front of. If you like your ramen hot and spicy, the Red King may be more up your alley—made of chilli powder, spicy sauce, miso, sesame oil and minced pork, you’ll be done with your bowl in no time. 

Locations in Central, Causeway Bay, Tai Koo, Sham Shui Po, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin and Tseung Kwan O; butaoramen.com

With its tall bowls and rich broths, Kamitora Tonkotsu brings the flavour of Osaka to Hong Kong. The restaurant’s signature bowl, the Kamitora Ramen comes with a thick slice of pork belly, pork shoulder, hand minced pork meatballs and veggie garnishes such as seaweed, bamboo shoots, sliced onion and crunchy wood ear. Aside from the signature, their black garlic oil ramen or shrimp miso ramen are also popular options, alongside non-ramen dishes such as the diced pork on rice with fried egg and the simple yet delicious fresh egg on rice. 

Kamitora Tonkotsu Wan Chai, G/F, Antung Building, 6-16 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2811 0338; Kamitora Tonkotsu Tai Kok Tsui, G/F, Tai Shing Building (Block H), Cosmopolitan Estates, 74 Ivy Street, Tai Kok Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 2316 2830; facebook.com/kamitoratonkotsu

See also: 8 Best Places For Doughnuts In Hong Kong

Aya, which started out with its Yuen Long location, became so popular that the tsukemen specialist opened a second location near HKU station. Known for their homemade wheat noodles and savoury dipping broths, try the original tonkotsu dipping broth which comes with your choice of either 200g or 100g of wheat or black pepper noodles, two slices of meat, an egg, bamboo shoots and topped with a generous amount of thinly sliced green onion. The restaurant also serves unique noodle flavours regularly for a limited time, such as spinach noodles and even tea flavoured noodles. 

Aya Yuen Long, Shop 14, G/F, Yick Lee Mansion, 26 Kin Tak Street, Yuen Long, Hong Kong; Aya HKU, G/F, Kam Ling Court, 16 Whitty Street, Shek Tong Tsui, Western District, Hong Kong, +852 2440 0900

Welcome Ippudo’s newest addition to Hong Kong—Metro Tonkotsu Base, which specialises in tonkotsu soup base. Inside, you’ll find modern red, black and white decor, as well as thoughtful details such as the hanging hooks on the side of the wall for customers to hang up heavy coats during winter. Expect elevated versions of Ippudo’s signature broth here. Try the Singaporean spicy tomato and crab meat ramen for a sweet and spicy combination.

Metro Tonkotsu Base, Shop G101A, 1/F, Telford Plaza, 33 Wai Yip Street, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2769 6318

Tucked inside K11 Musea, Tokano is a Tokyo Michelin recommended restaurant which prides on its homemade broth and noodles. If you prefer tsukemen, try the popular duck broth ramen, or if you want a hearty bowl of soup noodles, try the spicy sesame ramen. 

Tokano Ramen TST, Shop 220, 2/F, K11 Musea, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, +852 2881 8331; Tokano Sha Tin, Shop 167, 1/F, New Town Plaza, Phase 1, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin, Hong Kong, +852 2887 8133

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