Sansotei calls itself a Canadian brand specializing in authentic tonkotsu ramen, taking its inspiration from the Kyushu and Hokkaido regions of Japan. It says it was founded in Toronto in 2012, with its first location in the heart of the city. Our pick for a first tonkotsu, the bowl that teaches you what the word means.
Eat & Drink DeskGuide
Ramen in Toronto: A Broth-by-Broth Guide to Eight Shops
Tonkotsu, miso, shio, shoyu, chicken and vegetable broths: eight Toronto ramen shops, each matched to the broth style it does best, with a Yonge Street crawl.
A bowl of ramen is mostly a decision about broth, and Toronto lets you taste every side of that decision in one cold week.
What are the main ramen broth styles?
Japan’s national tourism organization says there are four main ramen types. Three are named for the seasoning (miso, shio for salt, and shoyu for soy sauce), and the fourth, tonkotsu, is named for pork bone stock. It adds that seasonings and stock bases such as chicken, fish and seafood are mixed and matched from area to area and shop to shop. That is the whole map: pick a stock, pick a seasoning, and see where a shop takes it. Keep our what to eat in Toronto guide open for the next craving.
How do I order if I am new to ramen?
Read a menu in two passes. First look for the seasoning word: miso, shio or shoyu. Then look for the stock, which can be pork, chicken or something else, because stock bases are mixed and matched from shop to shop. If a shop offers a choice of base, start with the one you already like to eat as a soup, and add a topping on the second visit. These eight shops are the ones we would send a friend to, grouped by what lands in the bowl.
Where do I find rich pork broth?
Start here if you want the full, creamy, cloudy kind of bowl that makes people say the word tonkotsu with reverence. Each of these four shops is a different road to it.
Ikkousha splits the work between two shops on Queen Street West. The pork tonkotsu shop is at 249 Queen Street West, and the chicken tori ramen shop is at 257. A third shop sits at 374A Yonge Street, near Dundas. The site invites you to feel the Hakata spirit in every bowl. Go here when your group cannot agree on pork versus chicken.
The signature bowl is the wok fried red miso ramen, and every bowl starts in the wok. Vegetables are fired up with a blend of red and white miso and sake, then tonkotsu broth is added and poured over the noodles. The menu also offers tsukemen (dipping ramen), a black sesame tan tan noodle and a white sesame shio ramen. The shop says it has a large selection of vegetarian ramens too. Its Toronto locations are on College Street, at 421, and on Queen Street West, at 609.
Ramen Tabetai’s site says its ramen takes inspiration from Japan’s Jiro-style ramen. It adds that a special soy sauce transforms its rich tonkotsu broth with just one scoop. The Bloor-Yorkville BIA lists the shop at 154 Cumberland Street. Go when you want a bowl built to be a feast.
Where is the lighter chicken and vegetable ramen?
Not every great bowl is built on pork. These three shops show how much a chicken or vegetable stock can do, and they are a gift to anyone at the table who skips pork.
Musoshin comes from Kyoto to Toronto, in its own words. It specializes in rich vegetable, pork and chicken based broths with in-house made noodles. The Roncesvalles Village BIA says it is best known for a light yet rich vegan, vegetable-based broth. Our pick if you want ramen that does not feel heavy.
Kinton says it is a Canadian brand that takes pride in serving authentic Japanese ramen. You choose a soup base of pork, beef, chicken or veggie. The pork base is slow-cooked for hours into a rich, creamy broth, while chicken is gently simmered for a light, flavourful one. Its original flavour is described as a signature creamy and comforting broth. The BIA says Kinton is known for flavourful broths and customizable bowls. There is a Kinton at 5165 Yonge Street in North York.
Kyouka Ramen’s Queen Street East shop is at 2222 Queen Street East. Its SkipTheDishes menu lists a shoyu ramen made with kelp stock and a daily chicken broth. It also lists a vegetarian miso ramen built on vegetable stock and mushroom dashi, plus a truffled mushroom bowl. A paitan miso bowl brings house-made apple miso paste and a chicken and pork broth. Our pick for a table split between meat eaters and vegetarians.
Where can I find creamy broth?
One North York shop finishes the tour, and it sits on a stretch of Yonge Street with more ramen on it.
Konjiki’s North York restaurant is at 5051 Yonge Street, by the Yonge and Sheppard North York Centre subway. The BIA says it is celebrated for rich, creamy broths and beautifully balanced flavours, and that it has earned Michelin recognition. The same post recommends the dumplings and the matcha sweets.
Can I do a ramen crawl on the subway?
Yes, along Yonge Street in North York. The Yonge North York BIA says ramen is a staple in its area, and it names Kinton and Konjiki among its picks. Konjiki sits by the North York Centre subway, which makes it a natural starting point. Plan the rest of the evening with our North York restaurants guide, and browse the full North York hub for the neighbourhood. If noodles are your thing, our best dim sum in Toronto guide is the natural next stop.
Send this to the friend you would bring, and let them pick the broth.
Sources (14)
- A Guide to Ramen in Japan, Japan National Tourism Organization
- Sansotei Ramen, Sansotei Ramen
- Where to Get the Best Ramen Around Toronto, Destination Toronto
- About Kinton Ramen, Kinton Ramen
- Warm Up to a Bowl of Ramen in Yonge North York, Yonge North York BIA
- Musoshin Ramen, Musoshin Ramen
- Musoshin Ramen listing, Roncesvalles Village BIA
- Ikkousha Ramen Toronto, Ikkousha Ramen
- Konjiki Ramen, Konjiki Ramen
- About Ramen Isshin, Ramen Isshin
- Ramen Tabetai, Ramen Tabetai
- Ramen Tabetai listing, Bloor-Yorkville BIA
- Kyouka Ramen menu, Kyouka Ramen on SkipTheDishes
- Ramen Isshin locations, Ramen Isshin
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