Soup Yourself Silly: The Best Ramen in NYC
What’s more satisfying during a New York City winter than a steaming bowl of rich, savory ramen?
There are few things that have the ability to lure us out of our cozy apartments on a blustery, frigid December day. But as many of our friends and readers know, we’ll pretty much do anything and go anywhere in New York if there’s the promise of a tasty meal at the end of our journey.
We braved the cold and scouted out some of the best noodle soup that New York City has to offer. Here are our top ramen picks:
Ippudo — East Village and Midtown
A list of the best ramen places in New York simply wouldn’t be complete without Ippudo, one of the most popular and famous Japanese restaurant chains in the world. Chances are you’ll encounter a wait no matter what day or time you go — but we promise, Ippudo’s salty, savory, flavor-bursting bowls of chewy ramen are worth the wait. We recommend the Hirata buns with pork to start followed by the Shiromaru Hakata Classic. Yum!
Kogane Ramen — Brooklyn
The self-professed “best ramen in Brooklyn” absolutely lives up to its title as far as we’re concerned. This cozy ramen joint nestled on Henry Street has everything going for it: attentive and friendly staff, a welcoming ambiance, and delectable food. We ordered their pork gyoza along with bowls of Tonkotsu and Shoyu ramen, which we pretty much inhaled in ten minutes flat. Did we mention this place has ramen burgers? You can bet we’ll be sampling some of those during our next visit.
Jin Ramen — Upper West Side and West Harlem
The word “Jin” is the pronunciation of the Japanese character 仁, meaning benevolence. This ramen restaurant lives up to its name, dishing out delicious noodles at reasonable prices. Our favorite dish is the Spicy Tonkatsu ramen, which features thin noodles in a creamy pork broth. The menu also features many vegetarian options for all of you tofu lovers out there.
Ramen Lab — Nolita
If variety is your thing, then Ramen Lab is for you. This Tokyo-style ramen counter is run more like a pop-up shop, bringing in a crew of different chefs every few weeks to serve up their innovative interpretations of delicious, slurp-worthy ramen classics. Since this place is always bustling, be prepared to eat your meal standing up. Still, each trip to Ramen Lab offers the opportunity to try a new version of your favorite dish. In our book, that more than makes up for the lack of seating.
What’s your go-to spot for ramen? Comment your favorite places below or hit us up on Twitter @NYCExplorers!
