Ikigai Ramen
When you think of where to get good ramen in Edinburgh, Maki & Ramen would be the first place I think of and recommend to others. To change things up, I visited Ikigai Ramen to see if it could steal the number one spot.
Ikigai Ramen opened its doors in 2020 and has two branches in Edinburgh, one in Newington and another on South Bridge. They are also opening their third branch in Glasgow on Bath Street soon (the date hasn’t yet been announced though!)
When you walk in, you will be greeted by a server and taken past their open kitchen and to your table. The restaurant was pretty small but certainly wasn’t lacking in atmosphere. There was a really nice buzz whilst still being relaxed, my only criticism on this aspect was that it was quite tight trying to get to some of the seats. The tables were too close together for my liking and it definitely wasn’t fully accessible!
I started with a cocktail from their menu which I’d describe as a Japanese-inspired margarita. It was wonderful, although I can’t say I enjoyed the thin red garnish getting into my mouth when sipping away…
Their menu is exactly what I expected…ramen and plenty of sides. Although I actually thought there would be more ramen options to choose from, however, that’s not a bad thing in my eyes, I’d much rather have fewer options but done better. With that being said there were 5 standard options and another 5 vegan options — straight off the bat it’s a perfect place for any veggies and vegans out there.
The whole menu sounded incredible but I ended up ordering their Tonkotsu ramen. The flavour of the broth was immensely good after being cooked for 8 hours. It was meaty. It was creamy. Just perfection really. It also came with a whole egg, which was nice (and filling!).
For the table, I couldn’t help but order a bunch of sides to share. I almost wish that you could order a smaller bowl of ramen (this doesn’t just apply to Ikigai) so that I could have more room to try as many sides as possible. I guess I’ll just need to go back again to taste the other options I had my eyes on.
I ordered the takoyaki, spicy teriyaki tebasaki karaage, pork gyoza and a plate of kimchi. No matter how hard I try, I don’t have a single complaint about any of the dishes. All of the portion sizes were great and the flavour was banging across the board. The gyoza were packed full and had just the right amount of crisp. The karaage was fried to perfection and the sauce was incredible. The takoyaki…I enjoyed this dish thoroughly, so much so I don’t even have words (a rare occurrence for me). And of course a shoutout to the kimchi which was almost sour with a kick!
Ikigai is now on my radar as one of the top contenders for best ramen in Edinburgh — I urge you to try it if dishes like these tickle your fancy! In comparison to Maki & Ramen, I’d say it’s pretty on par. I would have liked to choose a definite top dog, but it is a close call.
In the spirit of ending this review with a solid conclusion, I’d visit Ikigai if you are less fussy about ramen options and more about the sides. Then if you prefer to have more ramen options as well as sushi, visit Maki & Ramen instead. Both are 10/10 though and similar in terms of price point so you won’t be disappointed either way!
- Ikigai Ramen
- 29-30 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1LL
- N/A
- www.ikigairamen.co.uk
- Reservation (recommended) or walk-ins
- £12-£25pp approx.
Disclaimer: This was a PR Invite but all views are my own.
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