AFURI Ebisu

AFURI takes its name from Mount Afuri, also known as Mount Oyama, in the Tanzawa mountains of Kanagawa, whose clear spring water inspired the founders. The brand built its reputation on a lighter style of ramen than the heavy pork-bone bowls many visitors expect, and the Ebisu shop is the best-known branch and a regular stop for ramen fans visiting Tokyo. The room is modern and compact, with counter seats around an open kitchen.

The signature dish is yuzu shio ramen, a clear salt-based broth made with chicken and seafood stock and brightened with yuzu, the fragrant Japanese citrus. It comes with thin noodles, a slice of chashu pork that is charred over the grill before serving, half a seasoned egg, bamboo shoots and greens. Other bowls include a soy-based version, a richer broth option and tsukemen, dipping noodles served with a separate bowl of soup. Vegan ramen has been offered too, and side dishes of rice topped with grilled pork are popular.

The shop is open seven days a week from 11:00 until 05:00 the next morning, though it may close early if the soup runs out. It is fully cashless, so bring a credit card or a mobile payment app rather than notes. Ordering is done at a machine by the entrance, which has English options, and you hand the ticket to staff when you sit down. Queues form at lunchtime and in the evening, but turnover is quick; a TableCheck reservation link on the official website is worth checking if you want to avoid waiting.

AFURI suits anyone wanting a quick, inexpensive and lighter meal, and it is a good introduction to ramen for people who find tonkotsu too rich. It is a useful late-night stop after drinks in Ebisu. Seats are close together and the room is small, so it is better for one to three people than for larger groups.

The shop is at 1-1-7 Ebisu, a short walk from the east exit of Ebisu Station on the JR Yamanote Line and the Hibiya Line. Yebisu Garden Place, with its museum of photography, is about ten minutes away, and Bar Trench and many other bars are in the streets around the station.