Walk into any Japanese restaurant in London and you will almost certainly find noodles on the menu. But not all noodles are created equal. Ramen, udon and soba are three completely different traditions, each with their own history, texture and purpose. Knowing the difference will change how you eat.
Think of it this way: ramen is the rock star, udon is the comforting hug, and soba is the quiet sophisticate. Each one deserves your attention, and London happens to be an excellent city for all three.
Ramen: The One Everyone Knows
Ramen is the youngest of the three, arriving in Japan via Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century. What happened next is pure Japanese genius: they took a simple wheat noodle soup and turned it into an obsessive, regional art form. Every city in Japan has its own style, its own broth, its own cult following.
The Noodles
Ramen noodles are made from wheat flour, water, salt and kansui, an alkaline mineral water that gives them their distinctive springy texture and slightly yellow colour. They come in every shape imaginable: thin and straight, thick and wavy, everything in between. The noodle style is chosen to match the broth.
The Broths
This is where it gets interesting. The four main broth styles you will find in London are:
- Tonkotsu — Rich, creamy pork bone broth simmered for hours until it turns milky white. The most popular style in London by far. Kanada-Ya is famous for its 18-hour pork bone broth, and Shoryu Ramen specialises in the Hakata tonkotsu style.
- Shoyu — Soy sauce-based, clear and savoury. The original Tokyo style. Lighter than tonkotsu but deeply flavoured.
- Miso — Originated in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Robust, warming, slightly sweet. Perfect on cold London evenings.
- Shio — Salt-based and the lightest of the four. Delicate and clean-tasting. Harder to get right, which is why fewer places attempt it.
Where to Go in London
London's ramen scene is genuinely excellent. Kanada-Ya in Covent Garden draws queues for good reason. Tonkotsu offers a seasonal rotation across its locations. For something with attitude, Bone Daddies brings a rock-and-roll energy and Western twists to their bowls. And for a counter-seat experience where the mentaiko cream ramen has a cult following, seek out Monohon Ramen near Old Street.
Udon: The Comforting One
If ramen is loud and punchy, udon is gentle and grounding. These thick, chewy wheat noodles have been a staple in Japan for centuries, with roots stretching back to the Nara period. The best udon has a satisfying bite that is hard to describe until you have experienced it: soft on the outside, with just enough resistance in the centre.
The Noodles
Udon is made from wheat flour, water and salt — no kansui, which makes it fundamentally different from ramen. The dough is kneaded extensively, often by foot in traditional shops, to develop the characteristic chewiness. They are thick, white and slippery, and the best ones are made fresh daily.
Hot or Cold
One of the beautiful things about udon is its versatility. In winter, you might have it in a hot dashi broth (kake udon) or topped with a piece of fried tofu (kitsune udon). In summer, cold udon dipped in a chilled sauce (zaru udon) is gloriously refreshing. There is also curry udon, which is exactly what it sounds like and better than you would expect.
Where to Go in London
Koya in Soho is the benchmark. Handmade daily since 2010, it set the standard for udon in London and it has not slipped. Their East London outpost, Koya Ko in London Fields, brings the same quality to a more relaxed neighbourhood setting. For a quick, affordable option, Marugame Udon makes their noodles fresh in front of you using machines imported from Japan.
Soba: The Sophisticated One
Soba is the noodle for people who appreciate subtlety. Made from buckwheat flour (soba-ko), these thin, grey-brown noodles have a nutty, earthy flavour that is entirely their own. In Japan, soba-making is considered an art form, and master soba chefs train for years to perfect their craft.
The Noodles
The ratio of buckwheat to wheat flour matters enormously. The gold standard is juwari soba (100% buckwheat), which is fragile and difficult to make but has the purest flavour. More commonly, you will find ni-hachi soba (80% buckwheat, 20% wheat), which balances flavour with workability. Soba is also naturally gluten-free if made with 100% buckwheat, though most blends contain wheat.
How to Eat It
Cold soba (zaru soba) on a bamboo mat with a dipping sauce (tsuyu) is the purest way to taste the noodle itself. Pick up a small bundle, dip just the bottom third into the sauce — you want to taste the buckwheat, not drown it. Hot soba in broth works beautifully in colder months. Soba is traditionally eaten at New Year in Japan (toshikoshi soba), symbolising longevity and letting go of the old year.
Where to Go in London
Soba is harder to find done well in London compared to ramen and udon, but it does exist. Several of the more traditional Japanese restaurants on our directory serve it as part of wider menus. Koya does excellent hot soba alongside their udon, and you will find good soba at many of the izakaya-style places like Sakagura on Heddon Street.
So, Which One Should You Order?
Choose ramen when: You want something rich, filling and warming. A meal in a bowl. Perfect for cold evenings or when you need comfort food with depth.
Choose udon when: You are after something satisfying but not heavy. The chewiness of good udon is addictive. Works brilliantly as a light lunch or a warming dinner.
Choose soba when: You want something lighter and more refined. Soba rewards attention — it is the noodle for when you want to actually taste what you are eating, not just inhale it.
The honest answer? Try all three. London is one of the best cities outside Japan for noodles, and each type offers something the others cannot. Start with whatever appeals to you most, but do not stop there. The noodle rabbit hole goes deep, and it is a very satisfying one to fall into.
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