5 Must-Try East Bay Ramen Shops

Try these five fabulous noodle shops.

By Radhika Sakalkale

Published: April 1, 2016

Radhika Sakalkale

Instant ramen started as a low-cost comfort food, but unlike three-minute Cup Noodles, hip gourmet ramen can take up to 60 hours to prepare. Gourmet ramen’s main draws are its flavorful broth and diverse ingredients, which include pork belly, boiled eggs, enoki mushrooms, and scallions.

Here are five East Bay venues to stimulate your palate, similar to the much-anticipated Itani Ramen in Oakland, which is set to open in late March.

Amakara

Why Go? Enjoy the ambience and impressive cocktails.
Standout Dish: Spicy ramen: lots of flavor, with the added bonus of sinus-clearing spices.
Perfect Pairing: Grilled edamame. Dublin, amakaraco.com.

I Love Ramen and Noodles

Why Go? It’s a family-owned restaurant with great prices.
Standout Dish: Miso ramen: ideal for miso soup lovers who want a more filling meal.
Perfect Pairing: Love wings. Concord, (925) 689-8802.

Mixed Grain

Why Go? This modern, well-lit eatery is perfect for lunch.
Standout Dish: Spicy ramen: garnish with bean sprouts.
Perfect Pairing: Kimchee pancakes. Walnut Creek, mixedgrain.com.

Ramen Hiroshi

Why Go? It’s fast-casual dining with a variety of options.
Standout Dish: Tantanmen
Ramen: The unique sesame broth has a hint of spice.
Perfect Pairing: House-made hanetsuki gyoza. Walnut Creek, ramenhiroshi.com.

Ramen Shop

Why Go? This is an ideal stop for a classy ramen date. The menu changes daily, so you’re bound to discover something new.
Standout Dish: Tori paitan shio ramen, for its rich broth; or veggie shoyu maitake mushroom ramen, for the vegetarian.
Perfect pairing: The pickle plate. Oakland, ramenshop.com.

Ramen 101

There are four main types of ramen: shio (salt broth), shoyu, (soy sauce broth), tonkotsu (boiled pork bone broth), and miso (soybean paste broth). Shio and shoyu tend to be more brothy; miso and tonkotsu are heartier and thicker. Ramen noodles are either fresh or dried, and should be eaten within five minutes of serving. Gourmet ramen is garnished with vegetables or flavorful meats.

Follow photographer and food writer Radhika Sakalkale at her blog, The Snobby Foodie, thesnobbyfoodie.com.

Sign up to get our e-newsletter and receive exclusive invites to special events, parties, and happenings.

Edit Module Show Tags

Edit Module Show Tags Edit Module Show Tags Edit Module Show Tags

Faces

John Muir Health Gala

During the fifth annual Celebrate John Muir Health gala, more than 700 guests gathered at the Concord Jet Center at Buchanan Field and enjoyed cocktails, a stellar dinner, music, dancing, and a live auction. The sold-out, outer space–themed party raised a record $2.25 million to support John Muir Health’s neurosciences services.

The Redford Center Benefit

The Redford Center held its inaugural benefit at August Hall in San Francisco, honoring rapper Jaden Smith with The Robert Redford Award for his environmental activism. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed libations, bites, and a performance by actor Sean Hayes—raising more than $275,000 for the environmental nonprofit.

Common Sense 15th Anniversary Gala

Common Sense, one of the nation’s leading technology nonprofits, held its 15th annual celebration at San Francisco City Hall. The night consisted of a cocktail reception and a sit-down awards dinner that recognized the visionary policy-makers, educators, and media creators—including Oakland native and Black Panther writer-director Ryan Coogler—who are helping children thrive in the digital world.

Pledge to Humanity

Pledge to Humanity hosted its 10th annual fundraising gala at the Round Hill Country Club in Alamo, bringing in more than $300,000 for the nonprofit’s local and international programs that empower young change-makers to participate in service opportunities. The soiree featured a cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, a multicourse dinner, live and silent auctions, and dancing.

Ruth Bancroft Garden Annual Member and Friend's Dinner

Approximately 150 gardening aficionados came together at the Hilton Concord to support the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek and raised $72,000 over the course of the evening. Attendees were treated to dinner, drinks, auctions, and a magic show. Walnut Creek Councilmember Cindy Silva was honored with the Golden Barrel Award for Philanthropy on behalf of the garden.

Mysterium: An Evening of Mystery and Magic

Oakland’s Chabot Space and Science Center transformed into a magical, mysterious wonderland for its annual gala, which raised more than $240,000 for science education. The evening featured specialty cocktails, a multicourse dinner, a live auction, and a Halloween-themed after-party.

Bay Area Step UP for Down Syndrome Walk

Approximately 1,400 people participated in the annual family-friendly fundraiser at Pleasant Hill Middle School, which featured an array of activities—including mini golf, carnival games, face painting, and a pumpkin patch—as well as food trucks, music, and dancing. Proceeds benefited the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area, which has provided vital programs, resources, and support for individuals with Down syndrome for 20 years.

Gourmet East Bay

In celebration of its popular November food issue, Diablo magazine hosted its 15th annual culinary extravaganza, which brought in nearly $4,000 for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. Guests came together in Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza to enjoy mouthwatering fare from top East Bay restaurants; pours from numerous wineries, breweries, and distilleries; and DJ beats.

Art of Mixology

East Bay arts supporters found themselves in good spirits at this fundraiser for the Lamorinda Arts Council, as they sampled more than 20 craft cocktails created by local bartenders vying for the Audience Favorite, Art of Staging, Top Amateur, and Mixologist of the Year awards. The cocktail tasting and competition took place at Orinda Theatre Square and raised more than $10,000.

Mustache Gracias

More than 120 guests joined Contra Costa Oncology for a Mexican- themed bash at Rotator Taproom in Walnut Creek, raising nearly $5,000 for the Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area. Attendees noshed on tasty bites from the Madd Mex Cantina food truck, sipped micheladas and beer, and donned mustaches in honor of Movember—an annual multinational event that encourages men to grow mustaches to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

Dreamfest 2018

Metallica and Janet Jackson headlined the ninth annual benefit concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. Thousands attended the performances at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and Civic Center Plaza as well as the pre- and post-show parties in San Francisco City Hall, raising $10 million for medical research.