Maksym KuzaievHunting down the perfect ramen spot in Ottawa has been one heck of a flavor-filled escapade — full of belly-warming slurps and savory delights!
Even with the sun trying its best to steal the show, nothing beats cozying up to a steaming bowl of ramen for that extra dose of comfort and satisfaction.
So, whether you’re a local noodle connoisseur or a curious tourist craving a taste of Ottawa’s finest, fear not, my friend.
We’ve rounded up the crème de la crème of ramen joints in the city. It’s time to get ready to slurp, sip, and savor your way through a ramen adventure like no other!
Sansotei Ramen
– Media credit: sansoteiramen
Website: https://www.sansotei.com/
Address: 153 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5N7, Canada
Contact: +1 613-695-1718
Hours:
- Closed on Sunday
- Monday to Saturday: 11 AM–10 PM
Things got spicier than a chili-infused broth when Sansotei, hailing from the ramen kingdom of Toronto, crashed onto the scene in Centretown back in 2016.
With queues stretching longer than a noodle strand and hearts hungrier than sumo wrestlers, the battle for broth supremacy was on!
As Sansotei flaunted their porky prowess with bowls of tonkotsu goodness, other eateries couldn’t resist jumping into the mix, hoping to slurp up a piece of the ramen bowl.
Their signature tonkotsu ramen packs a flavorful punch with a broth so rich and creamy, it could make even the most stoic food critic shed a tear of joy.
And those noodles? Springy enough to bounce back like an over-enthusiastic Tigger!
Toppings were like the gladiators of flavor, battling it out for a place on your spoon! We’re talking soft-boiled egg, earthy black fungus, and the verdant green onions, each one fighting for ramen supremacy.
And let’s not forget about the cha shu — so tender, it practically melted on the tongue like butter on a hot skillet.
But Sansotei wasn’t content with just one ramen warrior in their arsenal. Oh no, they came prepared with a whole army of flavor bombs: miso, miso black (oozing with roasted garlic oil goodness), spicy Tan Tan, shoyu, and tomato!
| Pro Tip: Why stop at ramen? Add some gyoza and zangi to your orders! |
Datsun
– Media credit: eatdatsun
Website: https://eatdatsun.com/
Address: 380 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1N1, Canada
Contact: +1 613-421-7411
Hours:
- Closed on Sunday
- Monday to Saturday: 5 PM–10 PM
Datsun is where noodles reign supreme and flavor is king! This joint is like the Disneyland of Asian fusion, but instead of rides, you’ve got tonkotsu and fried chicken ramen to whisk you away on a taste adventure.
And don’t even get us started on their squash dumplings and coconut milk laksa — both are pure flavor explosions in your mouth!
Now, for all you ramen aficionados out there, Datsun is your Mecca. With noodles so good they’ll make your taste buds do the Jiuta Mai, this place is a temple of noodle worship.
Whether you’re diving into a bowl of tonkotsu or getting down and dirty with some fried chicken ramen, every bite is a journey to flavor town. Their broth is so rich it’s practically royalty, and their noodles have more bounce than a kangaroo on a trampoline.
And let’s not forget the service – it’s so good, you’ll feel like you’re dining with the kitchen gods themselves!
| Pro Tip: Try Datsun’s mushroom ramen — we can’t get enough of it! |
Koichi Ramen
Website: https://koichiramen.com/
Address: 832 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6R5, Canada
Contact: +1 613-680-8822
Hours:
- Open daily from 11:30 AM–10 PM
You’ll want to go to Koichi Ramen to make your ramen dreams a reality! This Japanese noodle haven lets you play mad scientist with your bowl, mixing and matching broths and proteins to your heart’s content.
Their veg miso broth is the umami bomb! Packed with corn, mushroom, green onion, seaweed, bok choy, and bean sprouts, it’s like a veggie party in a bowl.
Feeling spicy? You can dial up the heat to your liking — just make sure you know what you’re doing!
For a fully vegan experience, don’t forget to pair it with their rice noodles. Trust us, your taste buds will thank you!
| Pro Tip: Whether half-off or regular-priced, get at least a plate of hiyashi chuka — we usually get one apiece! |
Nom Nom Kitchen
– Media credit: bintisbigbites
Website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Nom-Nom-Kitchen-100054328279377/
Address: 2160 Montréal Rd #4, Gloucester, ON K1J 1G4, Canada
Contact: +1 613-287-1111
Hours:
- Closed on Sunday
- Monday to Friday: 11:30 AM–2 PM, 4 PM–8 PM
- Saturday: 4 PM–8 PM
Affordable eats alert! Nom Nom Kitchen isn’t just your run-of-the-mill Korean joint — it’s a flavor fiesta featuring a mishmash of Asian delights!
We’re talking lip-smacking tonkotsu ramen and other mouthwatering dishes that’ll have your taste buds tickled pink. No fancy plates here either — just good ol’ take-out containers and plastic cutlery, because who needs frills when the food speaks for itself?
One step inside and you might raise an eyebrow or two. But fear not, dear foodie, for once you dig into those daily specials, you’ll be singing a different tune!
And their portions are just right, striking that perfect balance between filling you up and keeping your wallet happy!
| Pro Tip: Mix things up with some bibimap and Korean spicy noodles to go with your bowl of piping-hot ramen! |
Kinton Ramen
– Media credit: kintonramen
Website: https://www.kintonramen.com/location/kinton-ramen-north-ottawa/
Address: 216 Elgin St #2, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L7, Canada
Contact: +1 613-565-8138
Hours:
- Open daily from 11:30 AM–10:30 PM
Hold onto your chopsticks, because Kinton Ramen just strutted onto Elgin Street like it owns the place! This franchise isn’t your run-of-the-mill ramen spot — nope!
It’s part of a ramen revolution that started back in 2012 in Toronto and has since spread like wildfire, boasting over 30 joints across Canada and the U.S. Now, let’s talk about the real star of the show: their chicken, pork, and beef ramen!
Each bowl is packed with broths so good, noodles so bouncy, and meats so darn impressive, you’ll be bowing down in appreciation.
And don’t even get us started on their beef ramen, a rare treat that’ll have you smacking your lips over that juicy slab of brisket!
| Pro Tip: Tea too hot for you? Try their refreshing cold drinks: Iced Matcha Latte, Pomegranate Blossom, Blue Raspberry Ocean, and the Blushing Rose Fizz! |
Sidedoor
– Media credit: sidedoorkitchen
Website: https://www.sidedoorrestaurant.com/
Address: 18b York St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5T5, Canada
Contact: +1 613-562-9331
Hours:
- Closed on Sunday
- Monday to Thursday: 4:30 PM–10:30 PM
- Friday to Saturday: 4:30 PM–11 PM
Sidedor is the trendiest joint in town where Chef Korecki’s ramen reigns supreme, making other bowls jealous! It’s due to its dashi broth, Chinese greens, golden garlic, and that soft-boiled egg that’s just begging to be slurped up.
But this place isn’t just about ramen. It’s a flavor carnival with a menu that’ll take your taste buds on a world tour.
From tacos that’ll make your mouth do the cha-cha to bibimbap that’s a whole vibe, and let’s not forget about their siumai that’s more addictive than social media scrolling.
When craving an experience that’s as bold and eclectic as your taste in memes, you know where to look!
| Pro Tip: They’ve also got donuts to brighten your mornings — and cocktails to liven up the evenings! |
Jinsei Ramen
– Media credit: jinseiramen
Address: Come up through the stair 300 Laurier Ave W, 235 M2 (2nd floor, Ottawa, ON K1A 1J2, Canada
Contact: +1 613-563-1111
Hours:
- Closed on Sunday
- Monday to Saturday: 11 AM–3 PM, 5 PM–9:30 PM
2023 saw the grand entrance of Jinsei Ramen onto the culinary stage, courtesy of the dynamic duo: Angela and Stella Lee. These two proved to be a formidable mother-and-daughter team — because girls run the world!
Angela’s culinary expertise hails from Korea and her specialized training in the art of ramen-making in Japan. So it’s no surprise that their ramen bowls pack a punch of authenticity!
Angela’s unique touch shines through in the clam shio ramen, a delightful creation exclusive to Ottawa. Oishī!
Meanwhile, their trio of tonkotsu ramen variations, with that signature porky, creamy goodness, are nothing short of outstanding, perfectly capturing the essence of Ottawa’s ramen scene!
| Pro Tip: Finish all your ramen bowls with one (or both) of their desserts: the deelish fish-shaped taiyaki waffles and their mitarashi dango — with hot tea! |
Paper Tiger Noodle Bar
– Media credit: papertigerottawa
Website: https://papertiger.ca/
Address: 1091 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 0R8, Canada
Contact: +1 613-521-2125
Hours:
- Closed from Sunday to Monday
- Tuesday to Thursday: 4 PM–10 PM
- Friday to Saturday: 12 PM–10 PM
In Old Ottawa South, Paper Tiger Noodle Bar pounced onto the scene in January 2022, serving up some seriously wild eats courtesy of chef Charley Nelson.
Formerly known for his pop-up stints around town since February 2020, Nelson’s now got a permanent playground for his rebellious culinary creations.
Now, let’s talk about the main event: the “beast” ramen. This bad boy isn’t your average noodle soup!
It’s a wild concoction of pork, beef, and chicken bones, simmered to perfection to create a broth so rich and flavorful, it’ll make your taste buds sing! It’s like a shoyu broth, but with a twist that’s as mysterious as it is delicious!
| Pro Tip: Their beast ramen’s not the only star of the house: try their jalapeño breeze cocktail and their negroni. You’ll be pouncing on your taste buds all night long! |
Ramen Isshin
– Media credit: ramenisshin
Website: https://www.ramenisshin.com/
Address: 775 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3V5, Canada
Contact: +1 613-421-6600
Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday: 11:30 AM–9 PM
- Friday to Saturday: 11:30 AM–10 PM
Ramen Isshin, a Toronto-based chain, may not seem like the underdog, but hey, they’ve got some serious game.
With eight years under their belt, they’ve mastered the art of ramen-making so well that not a single bowl out of their extensive menu of over a dozen varieties left us feeling meh.
In fact, some of them downright knocked our socks off with their flavor explosions and spot-on toppings.
The ultimate winner? A chicken ramen that had us questioning the need for pork-based broths!
Seriously, who knew chicken could pack such a flavorful punch? And let’s not forget that perfectly cooked breast meat — talk about a ramen-changer!
| Pro Tip: We wish every day was Valentine’s — especially when we got to enjoy their strawberry kakigori! And don’t forget to get their fresh kiwi sake to keep things light and fun! |
J:unique Kitchen
– Media credit: juniquekitchen
Website: https://www.juniquekitchen.com/
Address: 381 Cooper St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0G8, Canada
Contact: +1 613-234-8877
Hours:
- Closed on Monday
- Tuesday to Thursday: 5 PM–9 PM
- Friday to Sunday: 4:30 PM–9 PM
Hopping into the ramen spotlight is J:unique Kitchen, where sushi reigns supreme but ramen gets its moment in the spotlight too. Born in the culinary cosmos in late 2018, this joint isn’t afraid to dabble in both the art of raw fish and the mastery of noodle slurping!
Just imagine a broth so pristine, it’s practically sparkling, and noodles so bouncy, they could double as trampolines. And those garnishes?
They’re not just a sprinkle — they’re a shower of sweetly cooked shiitakes that’ll make your taste buds do a happy J-pop dance!
| Pro Tip: Get some sashimi platters while you’re at it — just make sure you have reservations first! This place gets pretty packed. |
