Ippudo V Offers A Plant-Based Version Of The Popular Ramen Shop

Forbes

31-03-2025

Sho-Jin at Ippudo V, the ramen restaurant's first plant-based outpost, in Brooklyn, New York
A ramen brand beloved worldwide has gone vegan! Ippudo, the Japanese ramen shop known for its rich broths and springy noodles opened a completely plant-based version of its popular restaurants in Brooklyn.
Located in DUMBO, Ippudo V offers vegan Japanese food inspired by its typical omnivore menu, plus some brand new veggie dishes.
Created by Ippudo founder Shigemi Kawahara, Ippudo V opened 17 years after the brand's first foray into the United States, in New York City. Ippudo currently operates three locations in Manhattan as well as outposts in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Internationally, Ippudo can be found in the United Kingdom, Australia, and throughout Asia. This is the chain's first foray into a completely plant-based menu.
Vegan ramen topped with tofu and tempura enoki at Ippudo V in Brooklyn
'Opening a completely vegan restaurant was a natural next step for us, as we've always strived to innovate while staying true to our origins,' Ippudo's leadership team shared via email. 'Ippudo has long been a pioneer in bringing authentic Japanese ramen to the U.S. and beyond, showing that traditional flavors can resonate with diverse, global audiences. As we've grown and evolved, we've seen an increasing demand for plant-based options, especially for Japanese comfort foods like ramen. By introducing a vegan concept, we're not only keeping up with changing tastes but also expanding our mission to make ramen more accessible to everyone, while still honoring our Fukuoka origins. It's about offering something new, yet familiar, and continuing to push the boundaries of what ramen can be."
Inside Ippudo V in DUMBO, Brooklyn
Open for lunch and dinner, Ippudo V's extensive menu includes appetizers (think hummus with nori tempura chips and crispy vegetarian gyoza), vegan sushi rolls, sandwiches (like tofu katsu), desserts (vegan chocolate mousse), and of course, ramen.
Ippudo V's vegan ramen riffs off the chain's four proprietary broths —Tonkotsu to resemble pork, Shoyu to resemble soy, Miso, and 'chicken'. Plant-based ingredients are simmered to extract their rich umami flavors and housemade oils are infused to the broths to add texture. Noodles are chewy and egg-free, of course.
A vegan maki roll at Ippudo V
'We view plant-based options not as a constraint, but as an opportunity for innovation—where tradition meets creativity, and health meets flavor,' Ippudo's team shared. 'The process of reimagining classic dishes like ramen, sushi rolls, and gyoza with plant-based ingredients challenged us to think outside the box, but it also showed us the incredible potential for new combinations that we hadn't anticipated… Opening a vegan restaurant reinforced our belief that plant-based dishes don't have to compromise on taste or indulgence."
To drink, Ippudo V offers its sake collection by the glass, carafe, or bottle, plus an international wine list, cocktails, draft kombucha, teas, and plant-based lattes.
Ippudo V is open daily from 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. at 117 Adams St. in Brooklyn.