Founded by the team behind Japan Centre, this Mayfair hotspot has become known for its wide range of ramens from various regions in Japan, and sits on Heddon Street in one of Japan Centre’s previous sites, Sakagura. Yokocho is a celebration of Japanese cuisine, with a colourful restaurant full of hanging paper lanterns, neon lighting, and the smell of deeply flavoured broths - with the vibrant interiors being inspired by the 1970s.
Of course, it’s not your traditional Christmas party venue, so don’t expect to tuck into a roast turkey with all the trimmings, but you can look forward to some warming bowls of ramen instead. Offering something for everyone, you’ll find bowls with classic flavours such as Tonkotsu which includes 12 hour pork broth, kikurage mushrooms, BBQ pork belly, spring onion, nitamago egg, nori seaweed, red ginger and beansprouts. There are also miso ramens, including a vegan version with tofu, and spicy options like the Spicy Tori Paitan Ramen, which has a chicken broth, ‘top secret’ spicy gochujang sauce, grilled chicken, nitamago egg, menma bamboo shoots, cabbage, spring onion, beansprouts, kikurage mushrooms, nori seaweed and chili threads.
Beyond the broths and noodles, there’s a selection of small plates available including chicken karaage, gyozas, takoyaki and yakitori, which make the perfect way to both start your meal or eat alongside. If you fancy rounding off with something sweet, there’s also a tempting selection of desserts including mochi donut ice cream stacks, matcha cheesecake and yuzu sorbet.
Head to the drinks list to really get the party started, with a slightly more diverse menu than you might find at your local boozer. Think Japanese sake by the glass or carafe, various spirits, wines and beers by popular brands Asahi and Kirin.