6 Ottawa ramen restaurants you can run to at the first sign of fall
It may still only be September, but cooler weather is just around the corner. Soon, we'll all be craving something warm and comforting as fall settles in over Ottawa.
For many of us, ramen has been that cozy go-to over the years. It's the perfect bowl of delicious broth, noodles, and toppings that come together to create something truly magical. Luckily, Ottawa's ramen scene continues to grow, with plenty of amazing spots to slurp down a steaming bowl of this classic Japanese dish.
Whether it was instant ramen that helped you survive school or discovering the best ramen restaurants in Ottawa for a sit-down meal, we all have our own ramen memories.
So, let me reintroduce you to this iconic comfort food! Here's a list of the top places in Ottawa to enjoy a mouthwatering bowl of ramen—no flavour packets required.
Koichi Ramen
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Ramen
Address: 832 Somerset St W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Koichi is a classic. This sit-down spot's traditional Japanese feel only adds to the allure of its ramen. Koichi prides itself on being as authentic as possible and promises ramen that's reminiscent of its home country's bowls.
What sets Koichi apart is not just its unique dining experience and authentic recipes, but also its unwavering commitment to using high quality ingredients. This dedication to excellence is what makes it a standout spot among industry pros and casual ramen enjoyers alike.
Ramen Isshin
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Ramen
Address: 775 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: This ramen spot focuses on the classics and being as authentic as possible (spoiler alert, this is not the case for every place on this list).
Ramen Isshin's speciality is wok-fried red miso ramen. The wok's flavour imparts a unique profile to an otherwise classic bowl of the savoury soup.
With a spot like Ramen Isshin, it's all about doing the little things right. There is nowhere to hide when you do the simple classics. You must do them well, and Ramen Isshin does them well.
Paper Tiger
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Japanese fusion noodle and raw bar
Address: 1091 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Paper Tiger is so much more than just ramen, so I'd like to take a moment to recognize the raw dishes, small plates, and other unique dishes created by the team in this kitchen. Paper Tiger is a great date spot, friends' night out, or even a solo spot to dine at the bar.
The beverage program here is pretty unique, too, and the selection of sake will make you feel like you're in Japan. All of this is to say that PT is great, but what about their ramen?
Well, simply put...it's delicious. This spot is known for its "beast ramen," an aggressively savoury broth topped with noodles, pork belly, and a kiss of sesame. Let's not forget the marinated egg, either, as this is the hidden gem of this bowl.
As popular as the beast ramen is, Paper Tiger's vegan ramen is the real star of the show for me. The broth, while still savoury, is lighter and full of flavour. The roasted oyster mushrooms are cooked perfectly, and for non-vegans, adding the atijima egg is a must! Don't be put off by the word vegan; this is a bowl for everyone.
Sansotei
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Ramen
Address: Multiple locations
Why You Need To Go: We're back on the classics, and this is one of the busiest ramen spots in town, if that tells you anything.
When the cold weather comes around, Sanstoei's Bank St. location often has a line or waitlist that is FULLY worth enduring. The broth is flavourful, the noodles are bouncy, and the variety of ramen options on offer means there's a flavour profile for every taste.
While drawing inspiration from Japan's Kyushu and Hokkaido regions, Sansotei creates classic pork tonkatsu broths as a base and imparts new and exciting flavours with each bowl.
Kuidaore
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Japanese
Address: 420 Preston St. Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: If Paper Tiger is a good Ottawa date spot for Japanese food, Kuiadore is THE Ottawa date spot for Japanese food.
From sushi to karage (Japanese fried chicken) to my personal favourite, takoyaki, Kuidaore is a place full of unique and interesting dishes that will interest both the most basic and most adventurous eaters.
So, let's chat about their ramen, shall we? Kuidaore actually has two ramen menus. One is dedicated entirely to varieties of pork belly ramen bowls, while the other has unique flavours, bases, and focal points.
Their specialty is pork belly, but their vegetarian and protein-alternative ramen bowls are just as delicious for those who aren't interested in pork.
I love this restaurant, and I haven't been in a while. Kuidaore, if you're reading this, I miss you.
Jinsei Ramen
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Ramen
Address: 300 Laurier Ave W, Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Jinsei is Ottawa's hidden gem when it comes to ramen. Arguably less known than most of the others on this list, this authentic ramen spot is just as heavy a hitter. The regulars here love it, and their classic black garlic tonkatsu ramen specifically gets its flowers regularly.
Jinsei is another dietary accommodation-friendly spot. While the classic pork broth ramen bowls are in high demand here, various alternative options, including vegetarian miso ramen, are also available.
All of Jinsei's broths, tare, marinades, and oils are made from scratch, which is a must in good ramen! There is no need for flavour packets in a bowl like this.
Ramen is a personal love of mine, regardless of the temperature outside.
Bouncy noodles, savoury broth, and all of the delicious fixings to balance out the dish just make me ridiculously happy! I hope through this article, you will find six new ways to be ridiculously happy yourself.
Happy ramen-ing, Ottawa!
