Regardless of your broth preference, nothing comforts the soul like a hot bowl of ramen. If you’re looking to slurp down delicious noodles in a flavorful broth we know a few places you may want to check out. From vegetarian options to “triple pork” bowls, here are some of NYC’s most notable ramen spots!
1. Chuko, Prospect Heights
This vegetarian ramen shop is delicious, even for meat eaters! Be sure to try their miso ramen, it’s made with cabbage, butternut squash, and scallions. Plus, thanks to their location just steps away from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, it’s the perfect spot to pregame a concert or basketball game, or maybe even just have a nice meal with friends.
Where: 565 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn
2. HinoMaru, Astoria
If you’re into spicy ramen their HinoMaru ramen is made with their signature “fire ball,” but their miso ramen is also tasty and has over 30 different ingredients! They specialize in different ramen styles with different topping options from various regions, so you’re sure to find something that sounds appetizing here!
Where: 33-18 Ditmars Blvd, Queens
3. Ichiran, Bushwick, Midtown & Times Square
This is the ramen shop you may remember making waves through media a few years ago when they first opened with single-seating options where people could dine with no human interactions at all. However, there is another dining area where you can have a traditional experience, too. Their classic tonkotsu ramen is the only thing they serve, but they’ve pretty much perfected it.
Where:
Bushwick – 374 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn
Midtown – 132 W 31st St
Times Square – 152 W 49th St
4. Ippudo, East Village
This restaurant first opened in Fukuoka, Japan and has since become a global name. While all of their ramen dishes are amazing, if you’re into spicy food you have to get their Karaka spicy bowl. It’s made with their special blend of spices and topped with pork belly chashu, cabbage, and sesame kikurage mushrooms. Their steamed buns are also tasty, but you won’t be able to take your order to-go so be sure to show up hungry!
Where: 65 4th Ave
5. Ivan Ramen, Lower East Side
We can recommend Ivan Ramen’s entire noodle menu when it comes to what you should get while there, but if you’re looking for a classic, we suggest the Tokyo Shoyu ramen, or if you’re trying to go all out and love garlic, the Triple Pork Triple Garlic Mazemen is as indulgent as it sounds.
Where: 25 Clinton Street, New York
6. Minca, Alphabet City
This cash-only spot has been around for a while but it’s still worth your money. Choose your noodles (thick, thin, wavy, whole wheat, or bean) and then your broth (there are 12 broken up between pork broth, chicken broth, pork & chicken broth, miso, vegetable, and spicy). It’s wonderfully simple.
Where: 536 E 5th St
7. Momosan Ramen & Saki, Murray Hill
Momosan, created by chef Masaharu Morimoto, serves a handful of ramen options but we’d go for the tantan which is made with spicy coconut curry, pork chashu, red miso, ground pork, aji-tama, and cilantro. If you’re nervous about having something spicy, their tsukemen is also delicious. In this dish, the noodles and soup are served separately.
Where: 342 Lexington Ave
8. Zurutto, Lincoln Square
Try their Zurutto miso ramen made with organic brown ramen noodles or the Zurutto Kuro made with chicken broth, black garlic oil, scallion, onion, seasoned boiled egg, bamboo shoot, and chashu pork that is sure to warm you up on a chilly day!
Where: 142 W 72nd St
9. Nakamura, Lower East Side
Another wonderful ramen shop on the LES, Nakamura has several vegan options on the menu. They even have a truffle miso! Anything on this menu is worth a try. Plus, they even sell at-h0me ramen kits so you can take the deliciousness home with you and make it yourself!
Where: 172 Delancey St
10. Totto Ramen, Midtown West
Totto Ramen is known for their chicken-based broth, instead of the more common pork-based broth you’ll find at most ramen shops. If you’re not going alone you may have to wait a bit for a table, but the wait is certainly worth it if you have the time to spare!
Where: 366 W 52nd St
11. Jun-Men Ramen Bar, Chelsea
Try the Spicy Pork Bone or the Uni Mushroom (dry) with uni, roasted pancetta, porcini butter, truffle oil, fried shallots, scallion, parmesan cheese. We also recommend their sake based “Sake-Tail” cocktail because the flavors are potent and delicious. This is a jewel in the rough if you’re in Chelsea.
Where: 249 9th Ave, New York
12. E.A.K., West Village & Hell’s Kitchen
E.A.K. Ramen actually first opened in 2008 in Machida City, Japan. Practicing an IEKEI style of ramen, which is combination of Tonkotsu style and Shoyu style, this spot is definitely one to put on your list! Bowls here typically consist of thick broth which is a mixture of chicken and pork. Our favorite in particular is the ever popular “The E.A.K” (Yokohama style pork and chicken broth, shoyu tare and thick noodles, topped with spinach, chashu, and nori).
Where:
West Village – 469 6th Ave
Hell’s Kitchen – 360 W 46th St
13. NR, Upper East Side
This UES cocktail bar and ramen joint is inspired by 19th century Japanese port towns, so you know the noodles are good. Hand crafted by head chef Takashi Igarashi, our recommendations are the “Kyoto” (soy sauce flavored chicken and fish-based broth topped with pork belly, garlic oil, soft boiled seasoned egg, spicy bamboo shoot, and scallion) or the seasonal soupless ramen “Wagyu + Bone Marrow” (Umami Dashi Wagyu fat noodles topped with wagyu, bone marrow, chives, lemon salt scallion, wasabi and sudachi).
Where: 339 E 75th St
14. Marufuku, East Village
This East Village proudly serves Hakata-style Tonkotsu ramen, and that’s exactly what we suggest to order. Their “Hakata Tonkotsu” is by far their most popular item, but if you’re feeling edgy, try spicing it up by getting their tantan or spicy miso. There’s branches of this restaurant in both California and Texas too, so you know they’ve mastered their craft.
Where: 92 2nd Ave
15. Naruto Ramen, Various Locations
With three different locations around NYC, you should be able to make a trip to this ramen pit shop. Our favorites happen to be the “Cilantro Bomb” (spicy Tom Yum broth with cilantro, chicken breast, shrimp, lemon, bean sprouts and fishcake) and the “Hells Fire” (soy based broth with bean sprouts, cabbage, onion, carrot, fishcake, marinated egg, scallions, bamboo shoots, and pork chashu).
Where:
UES – 1596 3rd Ave
UWS – 2634 Broadway
Brooklyn – 276 5th Ave, Brooklyn
16. Tonchin, Midtown
In the chaos that is Midtown is this quaint Tokyo-based ramen joint that serves some of the best noodles in the area. We think the talk of the town is their “Smoked Dashi Ramen” (noodles, Tokyo tonkotsu pork broth, clams, menma, egg, smoked fish oil, radish sprouts, tobiko, seaweed) but you really can’t go wrong with anything here, including their cute appetizers or one of their salads.
Where: 13 W 36th St
17. Izakaya Fuyu, Jackson Heights
This Queens Japanese joint lives by the “wabi-sabi” motto of finding beauty in life’s imperfections, but there is really nothing imperfect about their ramen. Their bowls are mainly Tonkotsu-based and come complete with egg, chicken, and the normal fixins. They also have a ton of great Japanese cuisine too like sashimi and onigiri if you’re not in the mood for noodles.
Where: 71-28 Roosevelt Ave, Queens
18. Okiboru House of Tsukemen, Lower East Side
Okiboru House of Tsukemen is a Michelin-starred ramen joint that specializes in tsukemen or “dipping ramen.” A place where noodles and broth are separated, this style of preparation doesn’t make their ramen any less yummy. Anything you order here is going to be tasty, and because they just recently opened in NYC, we suggest reservations if you want to stop by!
Where: 117 Orchard St
19. Momo Sushi Shack, Bushwick
Though the name of the restaurant might confuse you as to why we recommend its ramen rather than sushi (though the sushi is equally as delicious), this spot serves up one of the best bowls of spicy miso ramen in Brooklyn. Sink your teeth into chewy noodles and tender prok belly as you slurp up the irresistible broth. The atmosphere is perfect for both group or solo dining with communal tables.
Where: 43 Bogart St, Brooklyn
20. Susuru Ramen, Astoria
Specializing in Japanese noodle soups, rice bowls & buns, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of ramen from this Astoria joint. They offer a wide variety of ramen, including veggie miso, tantan, kuro, and paitan.
Where: 33-19 36th Ave, Queens