Top 5 Shio Ramen Restaurants in Tokyo
5. Machida Shiruba Shio Ramen Shinka
One of the few restaurants on the list that has multiple locations, Shinka is probably the most popular ramen restaurants in Machida. As their name would suggest, the Shio Ramen is their claim to fame and is made with an incredibly light, but flavorful chicken broth. The shio tare is a salty, chicken oil blended with some konbu (dried seaweed) water and it pairs incredibly well with the broth. The sous vide pork and chicken slices are meaty and doesn’t have much fat which ensures it doesn’t interfere with the incredible chicken broth. Shinka has a lot of confidence in their broth, letting the soup speak for the bowl and you’ll find yourself wondering if there is a better Chicken Shio Ramen out there.
4. Ramen CiQUE
CiQUE is one of those ramen restaurants that found a unique niche and ran with it. While it’s not a topping that comes with the ramen, most, if not all patrons end up ordering the roasted tomato for their Shio Ramen order. The broth is a chicken and seafood blend and has some Italian undertones that pair with the roast tomatoes perfectly. Be sure to order the white and not the brown egg when ordering the soft boiled egg as they marinate them in different sauces to ensure it pairs well with its respective ramen variety. Don’t forget to add some yuzu citrus provided at the table before finishing your soup as it adds a zesty flavor component you won’t want to miss.
The only toripaitan on the list, most typically don’t associate this soup variety with Shio Ramen. Toripaitan is an incredibly rich, chicken broth that simmers chicken carcasses so long that the bones and marrow break down until the soup is thick and viscous. Somehow, Suzuki found a Shio tare blend that works perfectly with his thick, toripaitan soup and is now one of the most popular shops in Tokyo. Opened in late 2017, it has already garnered a number of magazine articles and a top 100 on tabelog’s list of best ramen in Tokyo. Be sure to come early and get their special toppings. Due to the quality of these toppings, they only have a limited supply which sells out incredibly fast. The topping on my visit was grilled steak and for 150 yen, it was a fantastic bargain.
Most tourists will know of this restaurant as it is located near Akihabara station and is an incredibly popular ramen shop for those doing some shopping in the area. Even with its popularity, they’ve maintained their high quality and make it on my list at #2. I love the dedication to detail here with every component serving a purpose of accentuating their soup. The raw peppercorns you see on the top left are placed on a bed of ground ginger. They serve to change up the flavor of the soup mid way so you can appreciate the different flavor combinations the broth can offer. The won ton is pillowy soft, but plump and meaty while the fresh cut green onions help cut through the fattiness the chicken oil can provide. The chicken meatballs soak up the incredible broth for a juicy bite, and the roasted duck is to die for. Definitely worthy of its praise.
Benten first opened in 1995 near Waseda University, but closed sometime in 2014 for circumstances ramen enthusiasts have yet to figure out. However, it was brought back from the dead in 2016 at this new location in Narimasu and has been a hot spot for ramen lovers ever since. The soup is primarily a fish broth with some chicken, pork, and vegetable stock added to taste. The soup is light, but incredibly flavorful with an intense concentration of umami from the variety of dried fish used for the broth. The menma bamboo shoots are one of the best of any ramen restaurant and most patrons will order it on the side of their ramen to have as an appetizer before their bowl. Definitely be sure to get a side of beer with the extra menma bamboo shoots and pat yourself on the back for getting a seat because lines here can be 40-50 deep with waits as long as an hour and a half. But trust me, you’ll be glad you did because this is far and away the best Shio Ramen Restaurant in Tokyo.
