To be honest, I initially thought Osaka was too far and that I wouldn’t be able to attend the Expo. But one of the reasons I absolutely had to go was GF RAMEN LAB. “GF” stands for gluten-free, and this spot offers completely gluten-free and plant-based ramen. It’s located in the EARTH TABLE ~ Future Dining Hall ~ area of the Expo, and the ramen served here perfectly aligns with the “future dining” concept of the zone.
The interior has both counter and table seating, and it’s surprisingly spacious. However, instead of seating customers as soon as spots are open, it seems they regulate entry based on kitchen capacity. Although the official hours say they’re open until 10 PM, when I went on a Sunday just after 7 PM, the “CLOSED” sign was already up.
Oh, one important thing I forgot to mention: since it’s located inside the Expo venue, you’ll need an Expo admission ticket in addition to the food cost. A full-day ticket is 7,000 yen.
GF RAMEN LAB was jointly established in 2020 by Masuo Onishi, who runs the successful ramen shop TSURUMEN in Boston, and Kenmin Foods, known for their rice noodles. The Expo branch is actually their first permanent location. The manager is Rika Umezaki, the owner of “Shinonome Noodle” in Kameido.
I thought I took photos of the menu inside the store… but I can’t find them. Luckily, I still have a shot of the outdoor menu. Alongside their gluten-free rice noodle ramen, they also serve stir-fried rice noodles—no surprise, since Kenmin is involved. One slight downside: no custom toppings are available.
The alcohol menu is crafted with real care, especially the rice whiskey and rice lager!
I hesitated a bit seeing the price—1200 yen for a canned beer—but ended up ordering it anyway. And I’m glad I did! This GF RAMEN LAB original rice lager is made from rice grown in Hyogo Prefecture and ground into rice flour in Awaji Island. 100% gluten-free. When I poured it out of the can—surprise! It was white.
Technically a happoshu (low-malt beer), it had a light, refreshing taste even softer than a white beer, almost like a non-sweet version of amazake (a traditional sweet rice drink). Kind of like a cocktail made from beer and amazake—it sounds strange, but it works.
There were even bits settling at the bottom. This must be exclusive to GF RAMEN LAB. I wish they’d serve it at Shinonome Noodle too!
I ordered the GF Shoyu Ramen (1,600 yen). It doesn’t come with a flavored egg, so I debated it for a second—but the simplicity of it won me over. And it was a beautiful, minimalist bowl. Toppings included mitsuba (Japanese parsley), two kinds of roast pork, and long strips of menma (bamboo shoots).
The aroma was just incredible—I wish I could bottle it and share it with you. Honestly, I knew it would be delicious the moment I walked through the door. The broth is made with Rishiri kombu (kelp), and the soy sauce base is from Shoda Shoyu (正田醤油) in Gunma Prefecture. It’s a simple ramen that lets the umami of soy sauce and chicken shine.
The noodles are thin, gluten-free rice flour noodles. They’re smoother than traditional Chinese noodles and have the bounce and texture of thick somen. Eating them felt totally guilt-free.
Naturally, I finished the soup down to the last drop. I left the place completely satisfied. There are tables right out front, too, so takeout is also a great option.
About
Name GF RAMEN LAB Expo 2025 Kansai branch
Open Day through night
Reservation Unavailable
Credit card Available (Cash unavailable)
URL Website, Instagram
Google Map
