One Japanese restaurant is being swapped for another in N1
It’s all change on Essex Road as the site that was home to Akari is now being turned into a branch of Japanese ramen chain Ippudo. This new outpost of Ippudo will take the group’s London locations to five, joining restaurants in Tottenham Court Road, Canary Wharf, Fitzrovia, and Charing Cross.
Hakata-style tonkotsu is the chain’s signature ramen – the Shiromaru Classic is made with pork broth, pork belly chashu, thin and straight noodles, sesame kikurage mushrooms, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and spring onions. You can get it with the additions of miso paste and garlic oil (to make the Akamaru Modern bowl) and spicy miso, sansho pepper, roasted cashews and garlic oil (to make the Karaka-Men bowl).
As well as these signature bowls (which you can also get with a range of different toppings), there’s also pork & fish, chicken and veggie ramen available, plus donburi, curry rice, takoyaki, gyoza, karaage and hirata buns on the menu. So if you’re looking for a reliable bowl of ramen in Islington, Ipuddo will see you right.
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Key Information
Opening date | Weds 2nd July 2025
Address | 196 Essex Rd, London N1 8LZ
For more information | ippudo.co.uk