Afuri

Found alongside the Shibuya River a few minutes' walk from Ebisu Station, and facing the rear exit of Ebisu Yokocho (look for the covered market’s coloured lanterns), Afuri attracts a diverse crowd of noodle-lovers practically around the clock. The standard choice here from the ticket vending machine is the shio ramen, which can be had with either the simple tanrei soup or the maro option that comes with added chicken fat. Both soups are mixtures of chicken, seafood and konbu seaweed – a flavour-packed combo over narrow noodles that should stimulate even the most tired of taste buds. For a quirky option, try the yuzu-scented yuzushio-men, served in a bright golden soup and topped with firm chashu pork. The tsukemen versions, with the noodles served dry with an accompanying dip, also have attractively bouncy noodles. This is the original Afuri, opened in 2003; there are now half a dozen branches across Tokyo, including ones in Harajuku and Azabu-Juban.