The best spots for Ramen in Cape Town
Located on Parliament Street, Ramenhead embodies the true art form of ramen making, preparing fresh noodles using the Yamato machine, an imported machine from Japan, and applying the same principles and commitment of the old age craft to each and every bowl served.
With no shortage of flavour in sight, each bowl features an umami-rich broth and daily freshly-made noodles
Offering two bowl sizes, the dishes average around R145 for the small bowls and R230 for the regular bowls.
Dishes from their ramen section include Tonkotsu, a rich pork bone broth paired with Tokyo-style noodles, pork belly chashu, pickled ginger, ajitamago, mayu, rayi and kikurage. For Wagyu lovers, a torches Cape Wagyu and wagyu sirloin with beef broth, Tokyo-style noodles, shitake, truffled kikurage is the go-to!
Led by Head Chef Julia Du Toit, Ramehhead's ramen is an ode to tradition and skilful technique.
Be sure to pair your steaming bowl of ramen with Japanese sake from their wide selection available.
Address: 37 Parliament St, Cape Town City Centre
Open times: Monday to Wednesday from 5pm to 9pm for dinner service, Thursdays to Saturdays from 6pm to 10pm for dinner and Thursday to Saturday from 12pm to 2.30pm for lunch.
At the time of publication, Ramenhead is closed for winter break from 1 - 24 July 2025.
2. Bodega Ramen
Nestled away in a building on Wale Street, and revered for its steaming and delicious bowls of Ramen, Bodega Ramen is a staple among ramen lovers in the Mother City.
As Bodega offers a rotating menu, it's an adventurous opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Another alternative is asking the waiters on service what their pick is according to your tastes and preferred spice levels.
Ramen dishes that have featured on their menu include prawn tom yum, hot fried chicken tantanmen, hot fried cauli tantanmen and more.
One thing is for sure, Bodega does not shy away from portion sizes, offering large bowls that pack a punch of flavour and enough broth to savour each bite. Catering to meat-free eaters, there will always be a vegan ramen dish and starters available for diners.
Gluten-free diners will be happy to know that Bodega Ramen offers rice noodles as an alternative. Ramen bowls range from R165 upwards.
3. Yatai Ramen
Opening its doors in November 2024, Yatai Ramen provides an elevated Japanese street food dining experience.
As no surprise, the star of the show on their menu is their wide selection of ramen. From miso grilled kinglip, served in a rich and creamy broth, with sea veg, fish cake, all within a steaming elderflower dashi broth and topped with marinated egg and chilli crisp oil, to miso dashi tofu.
All the ramen dishes on their menu use Tokyo-style noodles, made from wheat with a medium thickness, ensuring maximum noodle to broth coverage for the perfect slurp. Medium and large bowls are available for each of their ramen dishes on offer.
If you are looking for a pick-me-up from those Monday blues, Yatai Ramen runs a special offering of medium bowls of ramen for R99, excluding the Truffle Shoyu Wagyu Ramen. Be sure to book in advance to avoid missing out on this special, as it has become a hit amongst diners.
4. Downtown Ramen
With an unassuming entrance as you walk up the stairway, Downtown Ramen prides itself on offering dishes made from scratch and only sources what it cannot make from local producers.
Authentic to the culinary roots of ramen, fresh noodles are handmade daily, and each bowl is served with nori, egg, and chilli, if you are feeling adventurous or have a palate for all things hot.
Ramen bowls are offered in small and large sizes, with classics available such as the Shoyu ramen, also known as Tokyo ramen, served with a rich, smoky broth and pork. There is a vegetarian option, the Kimiko, which features vegetables and tofu, for those opting to go meat-free.
5. Three Wise Monkeys
Often, the first spot that comes to mind for many diners when they think of ramen is Three Wise Monkeys in Sea Point.
Preparing fresh noodles daily, the menu features five ramen options to choose from, each featuring an alternative protein option: chicken, beef brisket, beef fillet, tofu or duck.
Diners opting for the chicken ramen can expect a chicken-based broth, with a secret (we do not even know, soy sauce), pickled mushrooms, den miso corn, a five-minute marinated egg, spinach, leeks and nori, a true hug in a bowl of comfort.
If you are in the mood for dessert, opt for their matcha & salted custard Bun, a 'match-a' of flavour made in heaven.
6. Kanji Ramen
Located on the bustling Kloof Nek road in Tamboerskloof, Kanji Ramen's setting may be small, but their ramen bowls are anything but that.
Founded by Chef Seelan Sundoo and seasoned restaurateur Gavin Hagger, the restaurant's menu is a showcase of traditional ramen alongside Japanese street food-style dishes served as small plates.
Each of their ramen dishes features hand-pulled noodles and is usually paired with tender slices of meat. Pricing for their ramen starts from R160 to R180. With only four ramen options available, great attention to detail is placed with each bowl served.
Waygu fans will be delighted to know that Kanji offers a beef fillet, wagyu beef mince, chilli oil, baby spinach with bean sprouts and miso corn ramen dish, one that has crave-inducing abilities.
If you are feeling a bit extra peckish before you dive into a bowl of bouncy noodles and broth, opt to try out their gyoza dumplings, fried dumplings either filled with spinach and wild mushrooms or chicken and cabbage.
With limited seating available, be sure to make a reservation in advance.
7. Izakaya Matsuri
Tucked away in Green Point and not easy to spot by walking by, Izakaya Matsuri, somewhat of a truly hidden restaurant.
With its dim and low lighting, Japanese-themed art and interior decor, and ramen options that brim with bold flavours, tender and crunchy toppings, it's the ideal hideaway for a cosy lunch or dinner. A must-try is the rich and creamy Tonkatsu ramen, prepared with pork broth and served with Chashu pork, which is pork belly rolled and sliced, topped with spring onions, boiled egg and sesame seeds.
The menu currently does not feature any vegan or vegetarian ramen options.
Address: 6, The Rockwell, 32 Prestwich St, Green Point, Cape Town
Open times: Monday to Saturday from 11.30am to 10pm and Sunday from 11.30am to 9pm
8. Tomo Japanese Restaurant
Located in the heart of the CBD, Tomo Japanese Restaurant is a dining escape from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area. With a non-fusion approach, Tomo Japanese Restaurant aims to provide an authentic dining experience.
At the helm of the kitchen is chef David Yan, who ensures that each of the Japanese and Asian dishes is prepared with utmost precision.
Serving up beef (a signature dish), veggie, lamb and seafood miso ramen in a broth that wraps around you like a blanket with each spoonful savoured, paired with the freshly made noodles, it transports you to the bustling streets of Tokyo.
Time Out Insider Info: Make the most of their ramen offering by opting for their winter special. From 12pm to 3pm daily, a hearty bowl of ramen will cost you R98.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by TOMO Japanese Restaurant CPT (@tomocapetown)
9. Obi Restaurant
If you have scrolled through Instagram, the chances are that you have spotted chef Hatsushiro Muraoka, a sushi icon in Cape Town, alongside chef Ben Bettendorf, are very high.
This unlikely duo are the co-founders and powerhouse behind the loved Obi Restaurant on Long Street. Celebrating nine years since it opened its doors, Obi restaurant has cemented itself as a cornerstone restaurant offering refined Japanese cuisine in Cape Town.
While the restaurant may often be visited by diners for its celebrated and excellent sushi offering, the ramen of the day is not to be missed, prepared in a broth of the day, with pork belly chashu, and topped with a six-minute egg, spring onions and nori.
Open times: Closed on Mondays. Tuesday to Saturday for lunch service from 12pm - 2pm and at 6pm for dinner.
10. Tjing Tjing
Tjing Tjing House on Longmarket Street is home to three levels, with the base level, Torii, serving up a selection of bowls of ramen that are worth a second trip back for.
With a curated selection, each ramen dish featured house-made wheat noodles, ajitsuke tamago, soft-boiled eggs marinated in a sweet and salty soy sauce, nori, spring onions and sesame seeds.
The ramen section features classic pork Tonkotsu ramen, Chicken paitan ramen, a hearty bowl of grilled chicken thighs and tsukudane mushrooms, miso mushroom for the plant-based diners that features mixed mushrooms and spinach and last but not least, the smokey beef ramen, with beef mince, pickled shimeji mushrooms and charred corn.
For those who love an extra kick, be sure to ask for the addition of spicy sansho tare.
Time Out Insider Info: While many people may believe that ramen originated in Japan, it is important to note that the noodles actually have their origins in China.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, ramen was first found steaming up the kitchens and glasses of diners as they ate, in 1910 at a Chinese restaurant in Asakusa, Tokyo. This restaurant served a Chinese-style wheat noodle, a noodle prepared with Kansui, an alkaline solution, served in a meat or fish-based broth, which is now known as Ramen.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Powys County Times
Remembering VJ Day and the Powys hero who returned home
Today marks the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day, when Japan surrendered and the Second World War ended in the Far East. While VE Day marked the end of the war in Europe on May 8, 1945 many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still involved in bitter fighting in the Far East. Today is also a poigniant day for one Powys family. Chrissy Maddy shared the amazing story of her father Lawrie Price who lived in Hay on Wye following the end of the war. Mr Price had to lie about his age to get enlisted in the Oxe and Bucks Light Infantry and would train in Oxford, Northern Ireland and Scotland before boarding a ship to South Africa. From there he was sent to India and flown into Burma. They landed in the middle of the jungle where he joined the Chindits, a special force under the command of General Wingate. They had a long march from the crossings of the Irrawaddy river in Burma - now Myanmar - and completed a 600 mile trek over three months which saw the soldiers navigate narrow valleys and mountain sides. Daughter Chrissy said: "Dad witnessed many harrowing scenes and the loss of fellow recruits played heavily on his mind for the rest of his life. "Few of us can imagine the hardship those brave soldiers endured. "Trekking like mules carrying half their body weight in a backpack across mosquito infested rivers, through steamy dense jungle terrain with scant water, little food, high humidity, temperatures of 110-112F, monsoons and always the threat of the Japanese. "Life here was no paradise and conditions were extremely tough." The Chindits, named after a Burmese mythical animnal, endured some of the worst conditions of the War. They suffered terrible casualties from savage hand-to-hand combat as well as sickness and slow starvation. In the first expedition a third of the men were lost and 600 of the survivors were too ill to ever fight again. Malaria, Dysentery and Tuphus were rife and Mr Price suffered with all three of these diseases as he plunged from a sturdy 12 stole to a skeletal seven sone. "Dad was desperately ill and taken by raft across a lake to a hospital in Assa," said Chrissy. "There were many sick and wounded men on this raft and many were thrown overboard as one by one they died. "By the time they got to Assam my Dad was the only survivor. "He recovered slowly in hospital for three months were the nurses taught him embroidery and after convalescing he was able to join his Battalion in Poona." However, fate intervened and changed the course of Mr Price's life. When the day finally came to leave hospital and join his Battalion there wasn't room for him onboard. The next day he learned that the boat had sunk and there were no survivors. Chrissy said: "Dad always believed that there was someone with him all the time looking after him and that he was meant to survive. "He was brought up in a religious family and like the rest of our family had a strong faith which helped him enormously. My Dad was a survivor one of the lucky ones." After the end of the war, Mr Price returned home to Hay on Wye on the Powys border and married his sweetheart Peggy and together they raised seven children. Mr Price re-joined Hay St Mary's Football Club having been a keen football player in his younger years and even declined a trial at Liverpool Football Club. Chrissy said: "My Dad treasured each day and lived it to the full, his love of nature, the River Wye, his family and life's simple pleasures that cost nothing were what was important to him . "Dad never talked about his time in Burma and only received his medals when my sister wrote to the British Legion when he was in his eighties and was dying of Bowel Cancer, so he did get to see his medals before he died."
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Monastic music that survived Henry VIII's dissolution brought back to life
Almost five centuries ago a community of monks in the West Country of England gathered to sing, imploring their God to help them endure the challenges of medieval life. Thanks to an extraordinary discovery of music that survived Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in the early 16th century, the songs created by the Buckland Abbey monks were ringing out again across the hills and woods of the Tavy valley in Devon this weekend. The themes are heavy – the threats from disease and crop failures, not to mention powerful rulers – but the polyphonic style is bright and joyful, a contrast to the sort of mournful chants most associated with monks. 'It's an extraordinary rich, textured sound,' said Prof James Clark, a University of Exeter historian, as the university's chapel choir rehearsed at Buckland. 'They're all singing together but following different melodies. It's a sort of melodious cacophony of sound.' Clark found the music while researching Buckland Abbey for the National Trust. Only one book – rather boringly setting out the customs the monks followed – was known to exist, held in the British Library. 'I didn't hold out a great deal of hope it would suddenly open up the lost world of Buckland Abbey,' said Clark. But in the back of the Buckland Book, he came across some leaves of parchment. 'Those leaves contained pieces of chant – text and notation. Though there were 800-plus monasteries in medieval England, you can count almost on one hand pieces of music that survived. 'The Tudor state scrapped Latin worship and the lyrics and music that went with it were largely discarded. Most of this stuff is lost. But there it was, shoved into the back of the book.' The bulk of the book was written in the 15th century but Clark was able to date the music to the early 16th century. 'That made it especially exciting because it transports us to that last generation of monks of the medieval English tradition that had been there for a millennium,' he said. It chimed with another Buckland document from the same era. 'By extraordinary serendipity, it turned out to be the contract for the employment of an organist and choirmaster.' His name was Robert Derkeham, and he would have been hired to improve the singing of the dozen monks who lived at Buckland and the local boys brought in to sing the treble parts. Clark said it was clear that, as well as worshipping God, the monastery was trying to impress patrons by creating wonderful music. 'Monasteries were competing in a very crowded marketplace for investment from patrons,' he said. 'One of the strategies was to upgrade the music. Buckland bought in expertise to turn what may have been a rather ragged choir into something more professional. They were being responsive to cultural change, keeping up with the times and impress their audience.' Derkeham remained at the monastery for more than 15 years, until it was closed and he was pensioned off. Clark said the text was dark. 'It is calling out to what we might call an Old Testament God. One calls out to God to defend his people; one says, 'stay the hand of the avenging angel'; one talks about being in despair. 'I like that sense that it carries us back to a moment in time. In our world, medieval religion is becoming ever more difficult for us to grasp. I think this helps us return to an understanding that it was a sensory experience,' said Clark. 'If we're going to do these people who died 500 years ago some sort of justice as historians, we've got to understand the world as they saw it and as experienced it.' The book has been loaned to Buckland by the British Library and can be viewed at the abbey. The University of Exeter Chapel Choir will perform the music live in Buckland Abbey's medieval Great Barn on 16 and 17 August.
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Cwmbran WW2 veteran remembers VJ Day 80 years on
105-year-old Owen Filer was just 20 when he was called up to serve in the Second World War. In 1944, he sailed to India and was in Bombay (now Mumbai) when news broke that the war had ended. Today he was among 30 veterans of VJ Day who attended our special commemorative event at the National Memorial Arboretum, marking the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day 105-year-old veteran Owen Filer at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire (Image: BBC) Speaking at the service Owen read aloud a powerful quote from the Kohima Epitaph, often associated with remembrance for those who died in war. He said: 'When you go home tell them of us and for your tomorrows, we give our today.' Speaking about VJ Day in a video posted online by the Royal British Legion earlier, Owen reflected on his time in the Welsh Fusiliers and Royal Military Police. He said: 'In 1944 I sailed from Liverpool at 6 o'clock in the morning. They told us on arrival in India that our convoy was the second biggest convoy about to leave the UK. 'That made everybody think what's it all about navy, army and air force. You couldn't see the Mediterranean for ships.' Owen Filer a 105-year-old veteran who fought in the second world war (Image: RBL) Owen is adamant that we must not forget the sacrifices made during this time. He said: 'We absolutely cannot forget what took place. We were just happy it was over. 'I lost two very good friends in the Burma campaign left in the jungle. Sad very, very, sad. God bless them all all of them. 'When I found out the war was over on VJ Day I didn't celebrate it. At least we know now we won't be going to Japan.' Japan's surrender came after the United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The aerial bombings killed between 150,000 and 246,000 people, (most of whom being civilians) and remains the only uses of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict. Owen Filer in his military police uniform during the second world war (Image: RBL) On this landmark anniversary a range of commemorative events are taking place around Newport and Gwent. Today, a concert marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day will take place at Newport Market from 6.30pm to 8pm. This free event will be hosted by west end performer, Anthony Stuart-Lloyd and will feature music from the City of Newport Male Choir and sea shanty group Bois Y Bryn.
