Machida Shoten

What is Machida Shoten? Occupying a bright, minimalist storefront at 326 College Street just west of Spadina, Machida Shoten marks the Canadian arrival of Japan’s heavyweight Yokohama Iekei ramen chain. The room is streamlined and utilitarian, featuring counter seating right up against the open kitchen alongside intimate blonde-wood tables suited for solo slurpers and duos. First founded in Tokyo's Machida district, the concept is dedicated entirely to Iekei—a distinctive, heavy-hitting ramen style created in Yokohama that blends a thick pork-bone tonkotsu base with savoury shoyu tare and a slick of golden chicken oil.

Machida Shoten Menu & What to Order Start with the MAX Yokohama Ramen, a fully loaded tonkotsu-shoyu bowl sporting thick, house-crafted flat noodles, flame-seared chashu, blanched spinach, crisp nori, and the traditional quail egg. Every bowl is custom-ordered down to your preferred noodle firmness, tare saltiness, and chicken oil level. Ordering a bowl of white rice is mandatory protocol here: fold broth-drenched nori over the rice or dump it directly into the leftover soup with a spoonful of table garlic and chili oil for the quintessential Iekei finish. Vegetarians get a solid option in the rich Kinoko Mushroom Ramen, which pairs well with crispy spicy karaage and a cold Sapporo or Ramune.

Know Before You Go Seating is strictly walk-in with no reservations, so expect brief sidewalk lines during peak Friday and Saturday dinner rushes. Turnover is brisk at the counter, making midday visits between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. your best bet for zero wait. Reach the shop effortlessly via the 506 Carlton streetcar or a quick stroll from the Spadina and College intersection.