Tokyo noodle shop becomes first ramen eatery to earn a Michelin star

Tokyo’s Tsuta (Japanese Soba Noodles 蔦) becomes first ramen eatery to earn a Michelin star

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A Tokyo noodle shop with only nine seats has joined an elite group of global restaurants.

Tsuta, located in Tokyo’s Toshima ward, has become the first ramen restaurant to win a star in the renowned Michelin Guide. Unlike French diners and sushi eateries also awarded stars, ramen is typically an affordable food for the masses. Tsuta’s noodles, which feature broth created from a mix of pork, chicken, fish, and vegetables, sell for about $8.

A spokeswoman at Michelin Guide, which announced the awarding of the star Tuesday, said it wouldn’t explain the reasons for including Tsuta, but said the shop scored high on each criteria used to judge restaurants.

“I feel like ramen has been recognized by the world,” Yuki Onishi, a representative of Tsuta, told Kyodo News on Tuesday.

Tsuta was among 153 restaurants in Tokyo that won a single star. Thirteen Tokyo establishments, including the famous sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro, were awarded the highest rating of three stars, up from 12 last year. That leaves Tokyo again at the top of the global rankings. Paris trails with nine three-star restaurants.