Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Whether you want to check out a great movie or concert, or devour some tasty ramen, we are here for you, so let's get to it, shall we? (As always, be sure to double check event and venue websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines or other details.) Meanwhile, if you'd like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.
Ramen, as well as instant ramen, holds a universal appeal, which is thanks to its ability to be both familiar and versatile. Some of the best ramen noodle recipes are the ones you know by heart, while others you come up with on the spur of the moment with whatever's in the kitchen. Unconventional as it may sound, even marinara sauce can be used to put together a bowl of ramen, and a good one at that.
The road to ramen paradise ends in the unlikeliest of places. At Men Endo, located in a suburban street, next to a school and a low-rise apartment block, bowls of noodles disappear in a flurry of slurps, gulps and hurried but heartfelt exchanges of appreciation between customer and chef. On a cold afternoon in Yamagata, a city in Japan's northeast, the wait for a seat at Men Endo's counter is mercifully short.
Southern California is a great place to slurp ramen, according to Yelp, which released its list of Top 100 Ramen Shops for 2025 on Thursday, Dec. 11. Four Los Angeles County eateries made it into the top 20. Bincho in Tarzana tops the list. It opened in 2024 in space formerly occupied by Keitaro's Kitchen, a Japanese restaurant with the same chef, Toshiro Tagami. The results are based on Yelp data, which include the number of reviews and the ratings that reviewers give them.
Every Thanksgiving, former Poltergeist chef Diego Argoti serves free bowls of noodle soup to anyone in need of a warm meal on the holiday. While the menu occasionally rotates, it always involves a Thanksgiving-inspired bowl of ramen. Here, Argoti shares his modified recipe for home cooking, making use of not only your leftover turkey carcass but also any surplus sides.
Supa Ya Ramen left a big, noodle-shaped hole in the London culinary landscape when its Peckham and Dalston restaurants closed, but this month the brand has made a Lazarus-like return. Chef Luke Findlay's Supa Ya relaunches this week at Arcade in Tottenham Court Road, with the central London foodhall serving up their signature roast chicken and corn ramen, as well as a maple-glazed pumpkin and chilli crunch bowl,
The best hole-in-the-wall restaurants act as a delicious secret in your city. They're also a great way to learn how locals really eat whenever you're traveling. They're often cheap with no frills, instead offering a unique ambiance and irresistible food. This is especially key in a food destination like New York where you can get distracted by over-hyped and pricey spots or by tourist-trap eateries.
Kirimachi Ramen feels like it was tailor-made for workday lunches or dinners. Small tables are almost always free, so you and your most trusted colleague can gossip in private, and picnic-style benches are also available for manager-sponsored team outings. Add in the fact that it's open later than most Embarcadero Center spots (until 6:30pm), and all the conditions are right for an efficient escape from the office.
Beneath the Brattle Theater, you'll find this hip, subterranean New American restaurant that's perfect for a night out. While you're browsing the menu, think of ordering the basil pasta served with carrot bolognese, the Secret Burger on a house-made roll, or the Loch Duart salmon served with ratatouille. Don't miss out on dessert - the smoked chocolate bread pudding is a winner in our book.
