Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch

The other day when I visited Hakata Ikkosha Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch, I noticed a new Sapporo miso ramen shop had opened on the same floor. Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch is a new shop that opened two years ago in June 2023. In Kyoto, where popular miso ramen shops are scarce, being able to eat authentic Sapporo miso ramen is just what I’d hoped for.

So, on a different day, after work one evening, I stopped by JR Kyoto Station and headed to Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch. What kind of Sapporo miso ramen could I expect here? I was absolutely curious…

Popular Hokkaido chain with 17 locations opens first branch outside the prefecture… Introducing Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch

Honestly, I hadn’t even heard of Menya Kotetsu until now (when I think of Sapporo miso ramen, places like Sapporo Junren or Sumirealways come to mind first…), so I did a quick search online. It was founded in July 2007 in Taihei, Sapporo, and as of September 2025, it seems to have expanded to a total of 17 locations in Hokkaido. Expanding to 17 locations in less than 20 years since founding clearly shows it’s a hugely popular shop. And the location chosen for its first venture outside Hokkaido is Kyoto Ramen Alley. For Kyoto ramen fans, isn’t that incredibly exciting news?

Now, on the night I visited around 8 PM, I was lucky—the entire floor had few customers, no lines for Menya Kotetsu, and I got seated immediately with no wait. I bought a meal ticket at the vending machine by the entrance and went inside. The seating consists of counter seats and two-person tables, making it a layout perfect for solo or duo visits. Like other shops, the space is a bit tight, so bringing large luggage might feel inconvenient.

Hokkaido specialty zangi included! Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch’s No.1 menu item: Special Meat Pile Sapporo Aged Miso Pork Zangi Ver. How was it?

So, let me introduce the No.1 menu item I ordered that day at Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch: Special Meat Pile Sapporo Aged Miso Pork Zangi Ver. (Price: ¥1,600 tax included). After waiting about 5 minutes after ordering, the ramen brought to my table looked like this…

Besides the pork zangi pieces about 20cm long, it’s loaded with toppings like chashu pork, boiled egg, chopped green onions, wakame seaweed, and more, almost completely covering the surface of the bowl. While this ramen is priced a bit high at ¥1,600 per bowl, I can’t complain when they pile on this much topping.

First, a sip of the soup… Unlike the classic pure miso ramen with its layer of lard, it doesn’t have that oily film, so it’s not scalding hot. While it’s nice not to risk burning your mouth, as someone who loves that piping hot pure miso broth, I have to admit it feels a bit lacking. The miso flavor is rich and robust, but among the Sapporo miso ramen I’ve tried, this one is definitely on the milder side. Overall, it has a mellow flavor profile, making it quite approachable even for those unfamiliar with miso ramen.

On the other hand, the noodles are the characteristic egg-enriched, curly noodles typical of Sapporo miso ramen. They’re medium-thin in thickness and, compared to other shops, seem less impactful… or so I thought. But they’re cooked quite firm, delivering an incredibly springy, chewy texture. This was a bit of a surprise. It has a similar texture to the extra-firm noodles in Hakata tonkotsu ramen, but these are thicker and curly, giving them a unique mouthfeel and bite.

The main topping this time wasn’t the usual three slices of chashu, but pork zangi (fried chicken). Each piece was probably around 20cm long… made from pork belly, I think? The meat had a good balance of lean and fat, seasoned with a soy sauce base, and definitely tasted like fried chicken. Personally, though, I’m not a fan of dipping fried chicken into ramen soup. Opinions vary, but I’d prefer the zangi served separately on a side plate, or even skipping it altogether and getting extra chashu instead.

After finishing about 70% of the noodles, I used this shichimi to change up the flavor and polished it off in one go. This shichimi pepper doesn’t have any particularly outstanding characteristics, but it paired perfectly with the noodles and the Sapporo-aged miso at Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch. As a miso ramen, it’s finished in a way that’s quite easy to eat, so it might actually go over well with Kyoto locals. I really hope it helps invigorate Kyoto’s miso ramen scene alongside nearby shops like Sapporo Ramen Yanagi and Ginjo Ramen Kubota…

Other Menu Items at Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch (Prices include tax)

• Mini Sapporo Aged Miso Ramen: ¥850
• Wagyu Steak Miso Ramen (Single) 2480 yen
• Sapporo Aged Miso Chashu Noodles 1630 yen
• Butter Corn Miso with Marinated Egg 1430 yen
• Chicken Zangi Topped Shrimp Miso 1340 yen
• Butter Corn Miso 1250 yen
• Shrimp Miso 1100 yen

Kyoto Ramen Alley’s smartphone app is available… Access to Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch is a 4-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station, the nearest station.

At Menya Kotetsu Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch, you can use Kyoto Ramen Alley’s smartphone app…

By setting up this app, it seems you can get a ¥1,000 meal voucher after eating 8 bowls of ramen. For ramen lovers, eating 8 bowls isn’t too high a hurdle, right? If you often stop by Kyoto Station, installing this app is definitely worth it.

Now, here are the shop details…

P.S. If you are looking for delicious ramens in Kyoto, please stop by this article below…