Apr 33 min read

Best Ramen in Canada

Updated: Apr 12

Ramen is undoubtedly one of the most famous and delicious soups/stews in the world. It is one of many culinary delights coming from Japan and, in my opinion, was significantly better in Japan compared to Canada. Now obviously a Japanese dish is going to be better in Japan but to be more precise I would say that I thought there was the biggest difference in this dish between Canada and Japan compared to any other dish.

In this post I want to highlight three ramen shops in three different cities across Canada that cannot rival the best of the ramen I had in Japan but definitely stand above the ramen I have had in Canada! I will just be highlighting these three restaurants here, if you want more information about ramen itself go checkout my ramen blog post!

Shimizu Kitchen - Calgary

When I first immigrated to Canada I lived in Calgary, until I left to Montreal for University, so I've had the opportunity to try a lot of restaurants in Calgary! There are a lot of really solid restaurants including some nice ramen restaurants but for me the ramen at Shimizu Kitchen really stands out! What I love about this restaurant is that they have a shockingly delicious vegetarian ramen! It is a miso-based vegetarian ramen and what really impressed me was the richness of the broth. It was perfectly savory and rich despite being vegetarian and all of the vegetable toppings were delicious! Whether you are vegetarian or not I recommend checking this place out and considering how good this ramen is I bet their other ramen are great too!

Yokato Yokabai - Montreal

This is not only the most popular ramen restaurant in Montreal but also one of the most popular restaurants in the city in general. This isn't without good reason, when I tried Yokato Yokabai I was really impressed! What I really appreciate about this spot is that they have pork, chicken and vegan broth. I personally got the chicken broth and I was very satisfied with the rich chicken flavor. The chicken topping was also pretty good but I think it's really all about the broth here. While I personally think this place isn't quite on the level of the chicken-based ramen I had in Japan, I will say out of the three entries on this list the style of ramen here is the most reminiscent of what you'd find in Japan in my opinion!

Koichi Ramen - Ottawa

I have been to Ottawa a couple of times, and I am personally not a huge fan of the city if I am being completely honest, sorry Ottawa... Something that Ottawa does have though is my favorite ramen shop in Canada! During one of my visits I noticed a ramen when I was exploring Chinatown and knew I had to return and give it a try. When I returned to the shop there was a line extending out the door and although I was really hungry it made me excited because when there is a line there is a pretty good chance the food is about to be amazing!

Once I got inside I was greeted with a gorgeous interior and the most inclusive ramen menu I have ever seen with multiple types of pork, chicken and vegetable broths. I opted for a chicken based broth and then I got to choose a spiciness level which, as a spice lover, I love to see! I obviously opted for extra spicy and I was shocked at how great the broth was! Not only did it have a wonderful rich chicken flavor but it also actually packed some heat! The toppings and noodles were also amazing and overall I definitely haven't had a more satisfying ramen experience in Canada. From the wide array of options, customization and outstanding flavors, Koichi Ramen is a must try if you visit Ottawa, especially if you are a ramen lover!