The past few years have seen steaming-hot bowls of flavourful broth and chewy noodles firmly establish themselves in the dietary habits of the country’s maximum city. If you’ve yet to hop on the ramen train, we’ve rounded up a few spots in Mumbai that are the perfect starting point. By Eshita Srinivas
The humble ramen’s history is the subject of much debate – with some records attributing it to 1800s China and others pointing to noodle shops in Japan in the 1900s. That said, there’s definite consensus on the fact that the latter truly popularised the delicacy – developing several types of umami-packed broths – Shio, Shoyu, Miso, Tonkotsu – that today feature prominently across menus around the world.
Every bite is a labour of love – featuring a selection of toppings like seaweed, meat, vegetables, and eggs. In Mumbai, this creation has found itself amongst the likes of Bombay sandwiches and vada pav in the long line-up of local-favourite comfort meals. After all, it’s the perfect meal for gloomy, rainy evenings – which the city is no stranger to. From elegant establishments to laidback spaces – here’s where you can head to in Mumbai for a bowl of ramen.
Best places to get a flavourful bowl of ramen in Mumbai
The Fatty Bao
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Delightful pan-Asian cuisine meets trendy, chic ambience at this popular spot in the city. The Andheri outlet comes with an izakaya – Japanese bar that serves drinks and snacks – as well as a noodle bar. On offer? Inventive cocktails, indulgent desserts, and bowls of deliciousness. The menu’s most popular options include tempura shrimp roll, char siu bao, and Malaysian chicken kapital. The ramen menu – featuring exotic mushroom, spicy red chicken, chashu, and grilled seafood options – comes highly recommended. We’ve got eyes on the tantanmen with chicken and pork stock, roast pork, spiced pork mince, bok choy, sesame tare, soft boiled egg, and chilli oil.
Address: Off Link Road, Near Infinity Mall, Oshiwara, Andheri West, Mumbai
Izumi Bandra
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With one of India’s top chefs – Nooresha Kably – at the helm of affairs, this destination promises the most authentic, visually-appealing ramen. The live sushi counter draws hundreds from across the country to this Japanese restaurant, but the bowls of broth and noodles are just as exciting. The menu features options like pork tonkotsu ramen – a thick, umami-packed pork broth with soy seasoning and pork charsu as well as seafood ramen with a host of veggies like bean sprouts and carrots. And there’s plenty more options on offer. Best part? The noodles are crafted by hand, in house. Besides this, the salads and ice creams come highly recommended. As does their selection of sake.
Address: Sunrise, Opposite Rang Mandir, Road 24, Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai
Taki Taki
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The new kid on the city’s culinary block, this Japanese fine dining establishment will leave you spoilt for choice. The menu features a range of sushis, dimsums, and inventive cocktails. Over the monsoon, they’ve curated a delicious menu of ramen bowls – complete with ribbon-like noodles, dried seaweed, and umami-packed broth. The vegetable ramen comes with soy broth, tofu, bamboo shoots, corn, and bok choy. The chicken shio ramen, meanwhile, features chicken broth, grilled rubbed chicken, marinated eggs, and bamboo shoots. The pork charsui goma ramen with braised pork belly, marinated eggs, chilli bean paste, and sesame dressing comes highly recommended as well.
Address: World Crest, Unit no.1A & 1B, Lodha, Upper Worli, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Milliways Broth Noodles & Bao
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One of the city’s best-kept secrets, this establishment is named after the restaurant in the sci-fi classic novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Run by highly-experienced, passionate chefs, the ramen here is worth writing home about. Options include jalapeno miso ramen with slow-poached spring chicken (or fresh tofu), shimeji and button mushrooms, green chilli oil, and scallions as well as kimchi ramen with chashu Belgian pork belly, bacon, and gochujang. The pork tonkotsu ramen with 15-hour pork bone broth, chashu, pork belly, shaved shiitake mushroom, nori, and toasted sesame comes highly recommended. This is comfort food at its finest!
Address: Shop 12, Piroja Mansion, Alibhai Premji Road, Grant Road, Mumbai
Mizu
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Drawing inspiration from the izakayas of Japan, this minimalist, elegant spot in the city offers an authentic dining experience. On the menu are options like katsu curry, yakitori, pork belly, and crispy prawns. Ramen here comes in three renditions – the vegetarian featuring shoyu miso broth, la-yu and tare; the sapporo ramen with pork bone broth and miso tare; and the yakitori chicken ramen with chicken tori paitan broth and black garlic oil. All the noodles are hand-rolled, truly making for the most flavourful, chewy bites. Round out a meal here with the Japanese cotton cheesecake or Nashi tart.
Address: Atria Mall, Worli, Mumbai
Origami Japanese & Korean Restaurant
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This fine-dining establishment promises authenticity in every bite. And the menu is extensive – offering most everything from dim sums and miso soups to bentos and sushi platters. Ramen couldn’t (naturally) be too far behind. The menu features shoyu ramen with dashi broth, miso ramen, and spicy miso ramen with chicken, pork, and vegetable options. Tonkotsu ramen with pork bone broth is popular as well. To mix things up a bit you could experiment with Korean shin ramyun. Other popular options here include the tuna sushi, salmon maki, shrimp tempura, and tempura ice cream. Delicious!
Address: Supreme Business Park, B Wing, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai
Seefah
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This relaxed space – led by chef Seefah Ketchaiyo – serves up scrumptious Thai and Japanese fare. The decor here is minimal and elegant while the flavours are bold and punchy. On the menu are options like maki rolls, sushis, and sashimis in a range of flavours and ingredient combinations. Gyozas and soups are popular as well. That said, shoyu ramen with vegetables or roasted tenderloin has its own cult following. End your meal on a sweet note with water chestnuts in coconut milk or crispy rotis with caramelised bananas. Don’t miss out.
Address: Khan House, Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai
Kofuku
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Rounding out this list on a high is this beloved spot in the city that serves up the most indulgent traditional Japanese fare. On the menu are options like squid tempura, sushi platter, okonomiyaki, mochi ice cream, and kakuni pork. The ramen menu is extensive, with options like shoyu ramen and miso ramen in chicken and pork options as well as tonkatsu ramen with pork bone broth. The Korean ramen and the soba noodles are also worth a bite.
Address: Flat 101, 1st Floor, Krishna Villa, North Avenue, 18th Road, Santacruz West, Mumbai
Whether you’ve a hankering for something authentic or are feeling a bit experimental – Mumbai has the perfect ramen on offer. Which of these do you look forward to digging into the most?
Feature and hero image: Courtesy Shutterstock
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia India
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