Ramen near Sokcho Jungang Market: tonkotsu and butadon, Ichiba Ramen

Traveling around Sokcho, you end up reaching for sashimi, dakgangjeong (Korean fried chicken), or sundubu (soft tofu stew) a lot, but this time I wanted something a bit different, so I looked up good ramen spots in Sokcho and ended up at Ichiba Ramen!!

Eating ramen when you've come all the way to Sokcho might seem like an odd choice, but once I tried it, it turned out to be a solid way to fill up during the trip, and it stuck with me.

The restaurant is especially well located, right near Sokcho Jungang Market, so it's a good stop before or after browsing the market.

Where is Ichiba Ramen near Sokcho Jungang Market?

Ichiba Ramen is a Japanese-style ramen restaurant at 348 Jungang-ro, Sokcho, near Sokcho Jungang Market. The first thing that caught my eye was the exterior, which had a distinctly Japanese feel.

The clean white building combined with wood accents gave off that particular ramen-shop atmosphere, and the yellow sign reading 'Ichiba Ramen' stood out nicely.

The entrance had the hours posted too — open from morning to evening — which made it easy to work into a travel schedule!! Above all, it seemed like a great match for anyone looking for a simple but filling lunch near the market while touring Sokcho.

Inside Ichiba Ramen: seating and atmosphere

Stepping inside, it felt cozier than I expected. It kept that Japanese ramen-shop mood without feeling cluttered, so it was comfortable to eat in, and small props and decorations on the walls were fun to look at.

The tables were neatly arranged, and the whole place had a calm mood, good for a little break during a trip.

Ordering at the Ichiba Ramen kiosk

At Ichiba Ramen, orders go through a kiosk toward the back of the restaurant. Taking my time looking through it, I found there were more ramen options than I expected.

From tonkotsu ramen to special tonkotsu ramen, karai ramen, miso ramen, and mania tonkotsu ramen, there was something for every preference, plus sides like butadon, karaage, and chashudon.

Since you can pick from photos on the kiosk, it wasn't hard to choose even on a first visit. (Here's what we picked↘️↘️)

Tonkotsu ramen at Ichiba Ramen: broth and toppings

The first dish to arrive was the tonkotsu ramen. Even in the photo the broth looked rich, and in person it was just as thick, topped with char siu, soft-boiled egg, wood ear mushroom, cabbage, and green onion — a pretty hearty bowl.

I tried a spoonful of the broth first, and it had that distinct savory, deep flavor of pork bone broth. It wasn't heavy the whole way through though, so it worked well with the noodles, and the green onion scattered throughout cut through the richness nicely.

The char siu (braised pork) was a highlight too, with just the right thickness and a smoky char that paired well with the ramen. The soft-boiled egg had a runny, silky yolk that went nicely with the broth, and the chewy texture of the wood ear mushroom added a fun bite here and there.

Above all, with so many different toppings, it was more enjoyable than just eating noodle after noodle — there was variety in every bite.

Butadon, the pork rice bowl we ordered alongside

The dish we ordered along with the ramen was rice topped with meat, egg, and green onion, and it looked appetizing just from the visuals.

Eating the soft egg and meat toppings together with the rice gave a different feel from the ramen. The sauce paired so well with the rice that switching back and forth with the ramen broth, I ended up finishing almost the whole thing before I knew it.

If ramen alone feels like it's not quite enough, or if you're visiting with a group, adding a side dish to share would be a good move.

A warm bowl of ramen in Sokcho

Walking around Sokcho takes more energy than you'd think, and a warm bowl of broth really hit the spot at that point🔥🔥 Especially on cooler days or when you're looking for a breakfast or lunch option, ramen felt like a solid choice.

I also liked that Ichiba Ramen's menu has so much variety, so everyone can pick the ramen that suits their own taste. On top of that, the dishes look really good in photos once they arrive, so it seemed like a good spot for anyone who loves taking food photos while hunting down good places to eat in Sokcho😊 (The owner was super friendly too↘️↘️)

Pairing Ichiba Ramen with a walk through Sokcho Jungang Market

Personally, one of the biggest perks of Ichiba Ramen was the location! If you're planning to visit Sokcho Jungang Market during your trip, I'd recommend working this into your route!!

There's no shortage of things to eat in Sokcho, but when the usual options start feeling a bit repetitive, looking up a good ramen spot in Sokcho is a nice change of pace~ Ichiba Ramen is worth a visit at least once :)

📍 Ichiba Ramen / 348 Jungang-ro, Sokcho, Gangwon, South Korea