Taiwan Ramen: Where to Eat, Prices & Hours (Aichi)

Despite Taiwan in its name, Taiwan ramen is actually a local ramen born in Nagoya. A chicken bone based soy sauce soup is piled with minced meat stir fried with chili and garlic, plus plenty of bean sprouts and garlic chives, and its stimulating heat is the appeal. It is said to have begun in the 1970s at a Taiwanese restaurant in Nagoya, arranged spicy as a staff meal based on Taiwanese tantanmen.

Highlights

• Stir fried minced meat whose chili heat and garlic aroma stir the appetite
• Crunchy bean sprouts and garlic chives pair well with the chicken bone and soy sauce soup
• Some shops let you choose milder Taiwan style or an extra spicy version to taste
• It pairs superbly with rice, and the spicy savory soup keeps you coming back

Seasonal Enjoyment

A bowl slurped while breaking a sweat is ideal for summer stamina. In winter it warms you from the core and blows the cold away. Whenever you crave something spicy, it is a Nagoya flavor you want to rush to, no matter the season.

Access and Basics

• Area: widely enjoyed at Chinese restaurants across Nagoya
• Shops are dotted around central areas like Imaike, Osu, and Sakae
• Budget: around a thousand yen a bowl, and affordable even with a side of rice or dim sum
• If you dislike heat, ask the shop whether they can make it milder

Practical Travel Notes

• Time of day: many shops serve it from lunch through dinner, making it easy to drop by any time
• The Imaike area tied to its origin also offers a lively, downtown feel of Nagoya
• Avoiding crowds: popular shops are busy at both lunch and dinner, so shifting your timing lets you savor it slowly
• Many shops can adjust the heat, so starting at standard or mild is reassuring for a first try
• Adding rice at the finish lets you enjoy the spicy savory soup to the last

A Little Advice

If you are worried about the heat, start with the standard level. Add rice to the leftover soup for a spicy, savory finish you can enjoy to the end. The garlic and chicken bone umami beyond the heat is also a big part of this bowls appeal.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• The restaurant where it began: Taiwan ramen was born at Chinese-Taiwanese Restaurant Misen Imaike Main Store (1-12-10 Imaike, Chikusa Ward, Nagoya)
• Opening hours: 17:00-1:00 the following morning (L.O. 0:30) / open year-round (closed on December 31 and January 1)
• Access: Right outside Exit 9 of Imaike Station on the subway Higashiyama and Sakura-dori Lines. There is a sign inside the station just before the exit
• Group restaurants: The JR Nagoya Station branch, Dai Nagoya Building branch, Yaba branch, Fujigaoka branch and Sumiyoshi branch are also in business, so there are branches easy to drop into outside the evening hours as well
• Finding a restaurant: You can search for restaurants serving Taiwan ramen on the official website of the Nagoya Meshi Promotion Council, formed by Aichi Prefecture, the City of Nagoya and others

* Opening hours and prices vary from restaurant to restaurant.

(Sources: Misen Main Store official website, Nagoya Concierge (the City of Nagoya tourism information site), Nagoya Meshi official website)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism information provided by the City of Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture, together with information published by each restaurant. Prices and menus differ by restaurant and are subject to change, so please check each restaurant's official information for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: Around 1,000 yen a bowl (still reasonable even with rice or dim sum added)
• Where to eat it: Chinese restaurants around Nagoya (Imaike, Osu, Sakae and elsewhere)
• Best time of day: Many restaurants serve it at both lunch and dinner, so it is easy to fit in
• Avoiding the crowds: Popular places are busy at both lunch and dinner, so shift your timing
• Combine it with: The down-to-earth buzz of the Imaike area where the dish was born