Taka Ramen is a lunch-only ramen counter on the fourth floor of Toko Dun Yong, the Asian department store at Stormsteeg 9 in Amsterdam’s Chinatown, near Nieuwmarkt. It is open every day from 12:00 to 16:00 and takes no reservations. The bowls come from Japanese chef Taka, who has been cooking ramen in Amsterdam since 2012.
The official website lists a second restaurant near Gelderlandplein in Buitenveldert. Several third-party listings now show that branch as closed, so check before you travel there (details below).
Taka Ramen Nieuwmarkt at a glance
| Address | Toko Dun Yong, 4th floor, Stormsteeg 9, 1012 BD Amsterdam |
| Opening hours | Daily, 12:00–16:00 (lunch only) |
| Closed | 25, 26 and 31 December, and 1 January |
| Reservations | Not accepted. Walk-in only |
| Ramen price | Around €17 per bowl on recent menu listings |
| Nearest metro | Nieuwmarkt (lines 51, 53 and 54) |
| Website | takaramen.nl |
Hours and closing dates from the official Taka Ramen website. Prices change, so check the board on the day.
Who is chef Taka?
Taka first came to the Netherlands in 2008 for an office job and found he couldn’t easily get a good bowl of ramen or Japanese street food. A year later he went back to Tokyo and worked in several restaurants to learn the trade, with the goal of opening his own place.
He came back to Amsterdam in 2012 and started selling ramen at Waterlooplein. From there he moved to Toko Dun Yong, then to the Jordaan, and then back to Toko Dun Yong, where he runs the counter today. According to the restaurant, he goes back to Japan every year to see family and keep working on his ramen recipe.
That moving around explains why you’ll see the same chef under different names in older reviews, including Taka Japanese Kitchen and Dun Yong Kitchen powered by Taka. Some of those older articles also put the kitchen on the second floor. The current counter is on the fourth floor.
What’s on the menu
The menu is short. There are four main ramen bowls, a few stir-fried yakisoba noodle dishes and a list of Japanese street-food sides. Here is what recent menu listings for the Nieuwmarkt counter show:
| Ramen | Base | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Shoyu ramen | Soy-sauce tare, chicken and pork broth | Full-flavoured and savoury; the classic option |
| Miso ramen | Miso tare, chicken and pork broth | Slightly spicy |
| Tan tan men | Sesame tare | Taka’s version of Sichuan dan dan noodles; fairly spicy, with chopped pork belly |
| Veggie ramen | Vegetarian miso broth | The meat-free option |
Based on Dishdevil menu listings for Taka Ramen Nieuwmarkt. The menu changes, so check the board when you order.
One reviewer’s tan tan men came with kimchi, spring onion, corn, nori, coarsely chopped pork belly and an egg. Secret Amsterdam’s July 2026 ramen guide recommends the tonkotsu ramen, so a pork-bone bowl may be on the menu even though it doesn’t show up on every listing.
Sides include gyoza, chicken karaage, takoyaki, kimchi and edamame. If you’re vegetarian, the veggie ramen is your bowl. If you’re vegan, ask about the toppings first, because Taka’s ramen is normally served with an egg.
Tips for visiting
- Expect a queue. You can’t book, the room is small and waiting in line is a common theme in reviews. For a shorter wait, go on a weekday or turn up when it opens at 12:00.
- Don’t leave it too late. Service ends at 16:00, and Secret Amsterdam warns that once the food runs out, the counter is done for the day.
- Go through the shop to get there. The ramen counter is inside Toko Dun Yong, which opens before lunch service starts (09:00 on weekdays, 11:00 on Sundays). You can shop for Asian groceries while you wait.
- Ask for a window seat. The fourth-floor windows look out over the Geldersekade canal and the old city centre.
- Plan on about €25 per person. In September 2025, Afford Amsterdam paid €50.25 for two people, before tip.
- Know the area. Stormsteeg is in the Wallen (the Red Light District), a short walk from Nieuwmarkt metro station and Amsterdam Centraal.
Is the Gelderlandplein location still open?
The sources don’t agree. Taka’s second restaurant opened around the turn of 2024 at Willem van Weldammelaan 4, 1082 KV Amsterdam, next to the Gelderlandplein shopping centre. Its menu was longer than the Nieuwmarkt one, with tsukemen (dipping noodles), extra sides and mochi ice cream for dessert, and it was open into the evening.
The official Taka Ramen website and the Chang Restaurants brand page both still list this location. However, its Uber Eats page says it has been closed on the platform since 7 October 2025, and at least one place directory marks it as permanently closed. Contact the restaurant before you make the trip.
If it is open, the simplest way to get there by public transport is GVB bus 62 or the free Gelderlandpleinlijn shuttle buses, which stop at the shopping centre. You can also take tram 5 or 25 to the A.J. Ernststraat stop and walk east, or walk south through the Zuidas from Amsterdam Zuid station.
Frequently asked questions
Is Taka Ramen the same as Dun Yong Kitchen?
It is the same fourth-floor lunchroom inside Toko Dun Yong. Older listings, including Tripadvisor, still use the name Dun Yong Kitchen powered by Taka and show outdated hours. The official website now calls it Taka Ramen Nieuwmarkt.
Is Taka Ramen open on Mondays?
Yes. The official website says the Nieuwmarkt counter is open every day from 12:00 to 16:00. Some older reviews and listings say it is closed on Mondays, but that information is out of date.
Can you eat dinner at Taka Ramen?
Not at Nieuwmarkt, which only serves lunch. The Gelderlandplein branch used to list evening hours, but it is unclear whether it is still open, so check with the restaurant before planning a dinner visit.
