A Japanese chain today announced it is launching a ramen restaurant in London — cementing the dominance of the capital’s latest food craze.
Noodles are fast becoming a staple among Londoners, with a flurry of recent openings of restaurants specialising in ramen. The dish typically includes a broth served with noodles and meat.
Part of its appeal is the speed at which it can be ordered and eaten, making it a healthier alternative to conventional fast food.
Ippudo — which has 120 restaurants worldwide and whose celebrity fans include actresses Jessica Alba and Anne Hathaway — announced that it will open its first outpost in Europe in Central St Giles on High Holborn in September.
It will join the capital’s growing number of ramen restaurants, including Tonkotsu and Bone Daddies in Soho, Tonkotsu East in Haggerston and Shoryu Ramen, which has several eateries around Soho and the West End.
Ramen first originated in China and spread to Japan in the early 20th century where it has since become a staple. In recent years the dish has spread across the world to Sydney, Singapore, New York and now, London.
Ippudo bosses said they chose to open in London because it is the “food capital of the world”.
Marketing coordinator Swann Péré, who is heading the launch with project manager Jasper Bulk, said: “From a European point of view it’s quite close to fast food. You arrive in the restaurant, 15 minutes later you’ve already eaten it. It’s not as expensive as sushi.”
Bulk added: “Obviously London is the most attractive city to be in now as a restaurateur. It is the food capital of the world at the moment.”
The London branch of Ippudo, which serves 45,000 bowls around the world per day, will serve Hakata-style ramen with signature dishes including the Shiromaru Classic, using traditional white pork, and Akamaru Modern, which is seasoned with garlic oil and miso paste.
The 80-seat restaurant, where a bowl of ramen will cost around £11, will be split across two levels, with outdoor seating in the summer.
