These are the best under-the-radar ramen joints in Vancouver
There’s nothing like a hot, flavourful bowl of ramen, especially during Vancouver’s rainiest months (which happens to be most of the year).
Sure, we love the city’s most acclaimed spots as much as the next person – we’re looking at you Hokkaido Ramen Santouka and Ramen Danbo – but there’s something satisfying about discovering lesser-known ramen joints.
These are the pop-ups, the hole-in-the-wall, under-the-radar restaurants that are mostly only known by locals and die-hard foodies.
Some of these places aren’t strictly ramen restaurants at all but happen to offer banging versions of the Japanese dish on their menus.
Some offer really great vegetarian versions, while others have perfected the classic, what they all have in common though is that they are note-worthy, despite usually being left off of “best of” lists.
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Here are our picks for the best low-key spots to grab a bowl of ramen in Vancouver.
The Ramen Club
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The Ramen Club started out as an obsession with ramen – specifically, as a journey to try all the ramen in Vancouver. After popping up around the city for about a year, with styles like Hiroshima Tsukumen and Karashibi Miso Ramen, The Ramen Club now has a space of its own inside the Olympic Village Bao Down location. Here, patrons will find The Ramen Club’s signature dish – a chicken and dashi broth with a soy sauce base – with different variations, as well as weekly or bi-weekly ramen specials in different styles.
Address: (inside Bao Down) 115 W 2nd Avenue, Vancouver
Lucky Bepo Ramen
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Lucky Bepo Ramen doesn’t have its own space per se, but the local ramen maker pops up at various venues around the city. In the past, Lucky Bepo has served up bowls at Pittie Coffee, The Pie Shoppe, and Platform 7. The styles change all the time, with variations like Tori Nibo, Mapo Taofu Ramen, and Kitakata style shoyu. Those wanting to get in on the action will have to pay attention to Lucky Bepo’s Instagram page for pop-up dates and ticket info.
Fuku Ramen
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Tucked away in East Vancouver’s First Avenue Marketplace – the same mall as T&T Supermarket – is Fuku Ramen, a low-key spot offering varieties like Black Ramen and a spicy Kara Miso Ramen.
Address: 2800 E 1st Avenue #114, Vancouver
Phone: 604-620-0200
The Workshop Vegetarian Cafe
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This vegetarian and vegan restaurant in North Vancouver has a Japanese-inspired menu, with some great veg-forward ramen options. Its Organic Spicy Tan Tan Ramen features a creamy butternut squash broth and rayu chili oil, while the “Nama” Shoyu Ramen is a mushroom broth made with premium shoyu aged in cedar kegs.
Address: 296 Pemberton Avenue, North Vancouver
Harvest Union
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This community grocer and cafe focuses on super local ingredients and farm-sourced produce, but it also has a small but great noodle menu. The menu features a ramen made with a squash and miso broth with yuzu radishes, as well as one with a rich chicken broth. This spot also has “noodle with sauce” style ramen, featuring spicy pork, miso gravy, and pickled burdock.
Address: 243 Union Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-682-8851
Menya Raizo
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This cozy West Broadway spot is one of our favourite joints for a low-key bowl of ramen. The bowls are solid and the menu has a range of options, including Yuzu Shio Ramen, Spicy Veggie Miso Ramen, and Menya’s signature ramen, a Tori-pota Ramen with a rich chicken broth.
Address: 401 West Broadway, Vancouver
Phone: 604-829-0697
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