Kanada-Ya

Kanada-Ya built its reputation on a single thing done exceptionally well: a long-simmered pork-bone broth (widely cited as around 18 hours) that is widely praised as thick, glossy and deeply savoury without tipping into heaviness. You choose your noodle firmness, and the thin Hakata-style strands are cooked to order and paired with tender chashu, a seasoned egg and optional extras like black garlic oil or extra pork. The original St Giles site near Covent Garden became famous for its pavement queues, and while there are now five London branches, including Angel, Piccadilly, Carnaby and Ealing, the quality has held up remarkably well. It remains our first recommendation for anyone who simply wants first-rate tonkotsu in town.