Where to find Manchester’s best ramen spots

If you’re looking for a contemporary spot to enjoy a bit of ramen, HakkaPo will be just what you’re looking for! HakkaPo enlists the dining style of ‘izakaya’ – a type of informal, cosy establishment where people eat, drink and socialise after a long day at work.

On their ramen menu you’ll find seven different flavours to choose from, including their waaygu shoyu with a clear chicken brother; the garlic tonkotsu with a rich and creamy pork broth; their laksa crab with a chicken and seafood broth; and their yasai tan tan with a vegetarian broth for the non-meat and dairy havers.

The ramen menu at Tib Lane embraces Tokyo’s new wave styles, with everything made in-house, including noodles from their dedicated noodle room. Prioritising local ingredients for sustainability, as well only importing essential Japanese products, New Wave keeps quality at the forefront of everything they do.

Choose between their Tori Paitan ramen with ‘foam style’ white chicken broth and pork belly, their Tan Tan ramen with Szechuan-style chilli broth and lamb + chicken soboro, their Truffle Shopyu with chicken and sea bream double broth and pork belly, or their Miso ramen with mushroom, miso, and soy milk broth and celeriac chashu. They also have an impressive list of extras to pimp your ramen with.

House of Fu is a lively Japanese restaurant inspired by the city of Tokyo, with a strong focus on authentic ramen dishes made from scratch, including their in-house crafted noodles. Their diverse ramen menu features options such as the Original Fu Ramen with tonkotsu broth, BBQ chashu pork, and burnt garlic oil; Spicy Fu Tantanmen with a spicy sesame and miso tare; Yuzu Chicken Ramen with a refreshing yuzu twist; Shoyu Beef Mazesoba; and vegetarian options like the Kimchi & Cheese Ramen and Spicy Miso Tantanmen. The menu is all about fresh, locally-sourced ingredients for high quality and sustainability, and some of the very best tasting ramen in Manchester.

While it may be located in the bustling chaos of Piccadilly Gardens, this is Shoryu Ramen’s first spot outside of the capital and they’ve quickly made a name for themselves by bringing authentic Hakata ramen to the people of Manchester. Naturally, the ramen takes centre stage on the menu and this is the tonkotsu variety – a rich 12-hour both topped with char siu bbq pork belly, nitamago burford brown egg, mushrooms, spring onion, red ginger and seaweed as standard. There’s numerous variations and toppings to add your own twist, as well as ‘special’ ramens using the likes of seafood, chicken and vegan alternatives. If that wasn’t enough, Shoryu also offers curries, buns and a whole host of side dishes.

Pop-up showstoppers Lucky Ramen and Sushi have taken over the kitchen at Ancoats bar Mule, serving eight-hour broths and Japanese-inspired small plates from the tiny venue. With space for only a dozen diners, the intimate setting only takes walk-ins, just like the late-night ramen bars in Japan. The menu offers giant bowls of hand-rolled noodles and five different broths, all lovingly brewed over eight hours, before being loaded with the likes of karaage chicken, soft shell crab and king oyster mushrooms. You can also get your hands on plenty of small plates and sides too, including moreish edamame beans, gyozas and Japanese fried chicken – as well as a new offering of maki, raw fish tacos and other sushi delights.

If you want to expand your horizons beyond Japanese dishes, Tampopo has a patchwork menu of street food dishes  from Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and beyond. With sharing platters and street-food style dishes, the sociable atmosphere and bright colours of the restaurant decor are echoed in the vast menu. There’s a whole section dedicated to the ‘Way of the Noodle,’ drawing on several popular Asian dishes – there’s Pad Thai, Yaki Udon and Singapore Vermicelli Noodles. The star of the show, however, is the Tonkotsu Ramen, a rich pork-based broth packed with noodles, crispy pork belly, braised bamboo strip, nori, soy-marinated egg and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Alongside other classic dishes such as Nasi Gorend and Katsu Curry, the ramen at Tampopo certainly holds its own.

Serving authentic Japanese food from its central spot since 1993, Samsi is a beloved eatery filled with cherry bonsai trees and flooded with natural light. Promising a memorable experience, guests can sit in their horigotatsu sunken tables, which mimic sitting on the floor surrounded by Japanese murals. Using premium ingredients, the restaurant offers a huge menu covering all the staple bases of sushi, donburi, katsu and teriyaki. The noodle offering is a DIY affair – you can build your own ramen dish with a creamy broth and choice of protein, such as pork, beef, chicken or seafood.

Offering a menu that is both small and mighty, Tokyo Ramen is a tiny Northern Quarter venue taking inspiration from the ramen-houses of Japan. If the authentic ramen wasn’t enough to tickle your tastebuds, the eatery serves the crispiest koji fried chicken, octopus karaage and veggie-packed gyozas, ready to be washed down with an Asahi beer. While both the decor and the menu may be minimal, the ramen certainly makes up for it with maximum flavour – the house broth takes 10 hours to make from simmering chicken bones. The standout dish is arguably the Tantenmen Ramen, buttery noodles paired with chicken, fermented chilli oil and pungent roasted garlic.