The best ramen in Osaka is arguably the best ramen in Japan and therefore the world. Find out where to eat the best Osaka ramen, a savory Japanese soup loaded with noodles, chashu and tasty bits.
We loved all of the food in Japan’s most food-focused city during our visit to Osaka, but the city’s ramen earned a special place in our hearts. Ramen was Daryl’s first meal in Osaka and set the tone for our culinary journey of the city’s rich food scene.
Discover the world’s best noodle dishes. Ramen is one of these dishes!
We loved slurping down hot bowls of soup on an almost daily basis, and we miss it more than any of the city’s other culinary delights. Like in the rest of Japan, Osakans take their ramen seriously. Ramen shops known as ramen-ya are located all over the city, each serving its unique take on the savory soup.
The city even has a museum dedicated to instant ramen, a less sophisticated soup than the bowls served at the city’s ramen-ya shops, and its inventor Momofuku Ando. Visiting the quirky Cup Noodles Museum is almost as fun as eating a steaming bowl of Osaka ramen in town.
Discover other great food to eat in Japan.
The Best Ramen in Osaka
We admit it – we ate a lot of ramen during our visit to Osaka. Ramen was our go-to dish during our two weeks in Osaka, and we made it a point to try various versions in different neighborhoods in our quest for ramen greatness.
And the best part? This quest didn’t break our bank. Inexpensive bowls of ramen may be the best cheap eats in Osaka.
Discover more of the best soups in the world.
During on our deep dive into the Osaka ramen scene, the following three shops stood out as the best ramen shops in Osaka:
7.5 Hz
Located underneath the massive Umeda transportation center, tiny 7.5 Hz is worthy of a special lunchtime trip. This ramen shop serves Takaida-kei style ramen with dark shoyu broth and thick noodles.
7.5 Hz’s rustic ramen comes packed with flavor. Green scallions and orange-yolked soft boiled eggs add color. However, the soup’s secret ingredient is lacto-fermented bamboo shoots known as menma.
7.5 Hz is located at 1 Chome-2-2 Umeda, Kita-ku, Ōsaka, Japan.
Hakata Ippudo
Founded in Fukuoka in 1985, Hakata Ippudo has ramen locations around the world in cities like Paris, London and New York. Don’t let this globalization stop you from visiting Ippudo’s Osaka location in Namba. The experience and ramen rival what you’ll find at other ramen joints in the city.
Ippudo specializes in tonkotsu ramen made with pork bone broth. After slurping ramen three times at Ippudo Osaka, our favorite bowls were the Shiromaru Classic and Karaka ramen. We also enjoyed eating Ippudo’s gyoza dumpling starters.
Hakata Ippudo has an excellent location at 3-1-17 Nanbanaka, Naniwa-ku Osaka, Japan.
Ryukishin
Lines queue at Ryukishin for good reason – local diners flock to achieve ramen bliss at the small Namba ramen shop. These savvy diners know to order from a ramen vending machine with descriptions in both Japanese and English.
Although Ryukishin is known for its Shio Ramen, we highly recommend ordering the Spicy Chili Potage Ramen (no. 3 on the vending machine) for a twist on typical Osaka ramen. Thick and rich, this spicy ramen reminded us of chicken pot pie on steroids. Not only did this bowl of ramen fill us up, but it also made us happy.
Ryukishin is located at 2-10-25 Nanbanaka, Chuo Ward, Osaka, Japan.
Ramen Osaka Video
Watch our YouTube video to see what it’s like to eat the best ramen in Osaka. Then go out and eat a big bowl of ramen wherever you are!
Hungry for More in Osaka?
Check out our Osaka Food Guide for the best things to eat in Osaka, Japan.
About the Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.
Original Publication Date: November 26, 2016