It is nice to have a hot bowl of freshly prepared ramen in the chilly city of New York. This well-known Japanese cuisine, which consists of expertly cooked wheat noodles soaked in a thick and flavorful pork broth, vegetarian broth or chicken broth, can definitely satisfy your cravings.
Ramen season in New York begins on the month of October, and there are a lot of ramen restaurants in the city offering both traditional favorites and more recent additions. So where are the best Ramen restaurants in New York? Learn more about New York’s best ramen restaurants in this article.
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Best Ramen In New York
What Is Ramen?
Japanese ramen is a type of noodle dish. It includes toppings like sliced pork, nori (dried seaweed), menma, and scallions and is made up of wheat noodles prepared Chinese-style and served in a broth with meat that is frequently spiced with soy sauce or miso. Chinese noodle meals are the source of ramen, which originated in practically every area of Japan. Generally speaking, Chinese wheat noodles were modified by the Japanese to become ramen. Examples include the tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen from Kyushu and the miso ramen from Hokkaido.
Common Types Of Ramen
Shio Ramen
The oldest of the four varieties is shio ramen. The ramen broth is produced with any mix of veggies, chicken, fish, and seaweed and has a light, clear, yellowish color. Sometimes pork bones are added, but they aren’t cooked for as long as they are in tonkotsu ramen, leaving the soup to stay clear and light. They frequently replaced lean chicken meatballs with Chāshū. Pickled plums and kamaboko(a slice of processed fish roll often presented as a frilly white circle with a pink or red spiral known as narutomaki) are also popular garnishes. Shio ramen noodles differ in thickness and texture, although they are normally straight noodles rather than curly.
Shōyu Ramen
With a lot of soy sauce added, the clear brown broth of Shōyu ramen, which is created from chicken and vegetable (or occasionally fish or beef) stock, produces a soup that is tangy, salty, and flavorful but yet rather light in flavor. Though it’s not always the case, shōyu ramen often contains curly noodles instead of straight ones. Sometimes the soup will also contain chili oil or Chinese spices, and some shops serve sliced beef instead of the traditional chāshū. It is frequently garnished with marinated bamboo shoots or menma, scallions, ninjin (carrot), kamaboko (fish cakes), nori (seaweed), boiled eggs, bean sprouts, or black pepper.
Miso Ramen
Around 1965, miso ramen surged to national recognition. The broth for this distinctively Japanese ramen, which was created in Sapporo, Hokkaido, blends a lot of miso with fatty chicken or fish broth and, rarely, tonkotsu or lard to make a thick, nutty, mildly sweet, and extremely filling soup. Even though miso ramen broth typically has a strong, tangy flavor, it can stand up to various flavorful toppings, including leeks, sesame seeds, white pepper, onions, bean sprouts, ground pork, cabbage, chopped chillies, and garlic. Other common toppings include butter and corn. Normally, the noodles are thick, curly, and just a little bit chewy.
Karē Ramen
Curry soup is used when making Karē Ramen. Curry is used to season the soup, which is mostly produced from veggies and pork bones. The curry ramen have thick, curly texture noodles. Bean sprouts, wakame, and chāshū are among the toppings.
Let’s get to the good stuff now that you have a basic grasp of the most popular types of Japanese ramen. Choosing the best ramen New York restaurant can be challenging because there are so many of them. You don’t need to worry since we’ll provide you with a list below.
1. Kogane
Kogane is situated at 76 Henry St, Brooklyn, Ny 11201.
Owner chef Ken-san is in charge of Kogane, which is an outcome of his love for flavorful, filling, and healthful ramen. Ken-san was able to fulfill his dream of operating a Ramen restaurant because of his passion for ramen and his two years of experience cooking Japanese food. Chef Ken-san enhanced his Ramen options based on the many encouraging remarks from his regular customers to make sure they will enjoy the finest Ramen experience at Kogane. He conducted a number of Ramen tastings around the U.S and Japan to achieve the ideal balance between the broth, noodles, toppings, and spices.
Tokyo-style or Hakata-style ramen are the two varieties available. While the latter uses long, thin, and firm noodles, the former utilizes, curly, thin noodles. Whichever you choose, you will be amazed by their unique taste.
Their must-try dishes are spicy miso ramen, tonkotsu ramen, red tonkotsu ramen, and parco ramen.
Their spicy miso with minced pork, mushrooms, and black garlic oil, as well as their traditional tonkatsu ramen with pork jowl, wood ear mushrooms, mushrooms, and a soft-boiled egg are quite popular. Pork bones are referred to as “tonkatsu” in Japanese. Basically, this ramen is made entirely with pig.
If you like spicy food but you are a vegetarian, a spicy vegetable ramen dish with kale, okra, red pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and miso is one of the vegetarian ramen options on the menu.
Enjoy their ramen burger with curry sauce, miso-glazed broiled eggplant, or spicy pork jowl buns if you don’t want to eat ramen.
Kogane Popular Dishes
Vegetable Ramen
Made with Konbu based broth, tofy, enoki mushroom, fresh corn, menma, seaweed and scallion.
Tonkotsu Ramen
Among the ingredients of this delicious ramen are pork bone based broth, braised pork belly, menma, Japanese wood ear mushroom, soft boiled egg, scallion and black garlic oil.
Ramen Burger
Prepared with Angus beef, mixed greens, tomatoes and teriyaki sauce.
Yaki Ramen
Sauteed ramen with chicken, jalapeno, egg and Kogane yaki sauce.
Spicy Vegetable Ramen
A spicy ramen prepared with spicy miso and vegetable based broth, kale, okra, red pepper, shiitake mushroom and scallion.
Parco Ramen
Made with pork bone and curry based broth, pork katsu, spicy Japanese pickles, soft boiled egg, menma, scallion and black garlic oil.
Shoyu Ramen
Prepared with chicken broth, white meat chicken, fresh corn, menma, soft boiled egg and scallion.
Spicy Miso Ramen
If you want spicy ramen, this is perfect for you. Made with bone and miso based broth, spicy miso paste, minced pork, Japanese wood ear mushrooms, menma, soft boiled egg, scallion and black garlic oil.
Seafood Ramen
Chicken and seafood broth with snow crab, mussel, shrimp, fresh corn and scallion.
Red Tonkatsu Ramen
Ingredients are pork bone-based broth, red chili paste, braised pork belly, soft boiled egg, menma, Japanese wood ear mushroom scallion and black garlic oil.
Miso Lobster Ramen
Tonkotsu and lobster broth, red miso, braised pork belly, fresh lobster, fresh corn, scallions, soft boiled, black garlic oil.
2. Tonchin
Tonchin is located in 13 W 36th St, New York, NY 10018. Tonchin was established in 1992 in Tokyo, Japan. The brothers Katsuhiro and Motohiro Sugeno had a straightforward mission, that is to foster community and serve top-notch dishes.
Anan Sugeno started his mission to spread Tonchin’s concept 25 years after the inaugural opening. Anan created Tonchin New York with the aid of his father Katsuhiro and a group of dependable New Yorkers.
A variety of ramen made based on what is known a Tokyo-style tonkotsu broth and other bowl dishes are highlighted on the menu of this deep, narrow establishment on the outskirts of Koreatown. Many of the bowls are exquisite and a must-try. A prime example is the smoked dashi ramen, which starts with the broth and then includes fish oil and clams for an incredible flavor medley. Another benefit is the on-site production of noodles.
You must try their Spicy Tan Tan Ramen, Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen, Miso Ginger Ramen, and Smoked Dashi Ramen if you visit this ramen restaurant.
Tonchin is a one-starred Michelin restaurant amid its plain and minimalist decor and atmosphere. When you visit here, you shouls also try their crisp-seared gyoza loaded with ginger, pork, and put on a cast-iron skillet sizzling with ramen soup. To end the night, enjoy also some mango milk shaved ice with a dollop of honey cream.
Their Signature menu includes Tonchin Spicy chicken (which is made of chicken wing, white pepper, pink pepper, and teriyaki sauce), Curry Cheese Chicken Wings (made of chicken wings, curry powder, teriyaki sauce, parmigiano cheese and chive), and Pan-fried Tonchin Gyoza (Prepared with ground pork, Chinese cabbage, ginger, sesame oil, scallion, rice vinegar soy sauce, and spicy sauce).
Their Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen includes Tonchin Classic Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen(homemade noodles, thick tonkotsu pork broth, roasted chashu pork, egg, scallion, menma, seaweed), Smoked Dashi Ramen, Spicy Tan Tan Ramen(homemade noodles, tokyo tonkotsu pork broth, roasted chashu pork, ground pork, egg, scallion, menma, cashew nuts, chili pepper), and Miso Ginger Ramen (homemade vegan noodles, vegan miso broth, wakame, corn, soy meat, menma, spicy cabbage, sesame, scallion, chili pepper).
3. Chuko
Chuko is situated at 565 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238, United States.
Sesame Garlic Ramen, one of their specialty dishes, has been on the menu for a whole decade and features a creamy pork and chicken broth that is boosted with sesame-garlic umami and black garlic oil. Additionally, it includes scallion, wood ear mushrooms, spicy pickled mustard greens, and thin noodles.
You should try their miso ramen, kimchi ramen, sesame garlic ramen, kale salad, pork buns, and shrimp buns when you visit this restaurant.
4. Shinka Ramen & Sake Bar
Shinka Ramen & Sake Bar is located in 93 Bowery New York, NY 10002.
The world-famous Beef Bone Marrow Ramen, which won the 2019 JapanFes International Ramen Contest, is produced here. The restaurant’s award-winning Beef Bone Marrow Ramen, which is created using wagyu bones that have been cooked for 14 hours, is Shinka’s delicacy. A bowl of warm, creamy soup is the finished product, and it’s packed with thin noodles, wagyu beef, sliced daikon, garlic chips, chives, scallion, and the dish’s famous broiled bone marrow.
The miso soy milk ramen, prepared with braised tofu chashu, bean sprout, bamboo, scallion, and wood ear mushroom, will also satisfy the demands of vegetarians.
Their signature broiled bone marrow is definitely a must-try.
5. Takumen
Takumen is situated at 5-50th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101, United States.
Takumen boasts some of the greatest bowls in New York, from the broth to the noodle texture. One of the most delicious dishes is Wan Tan Men Ramen Noodles, a Japanese version of wonton soup that has thin noodles, pork and shrimp dumplings, broccoli rabe, chashu pork, scallions, nori, and yuzu zest in a fish and pork broth.
You should try their Spicy Goma Miso Ramen Noodles, ban Ban Chicken Ramen Noodles, Wan Tan Men Ramen Noodles, Hawaiian Tuna Poke Bowl, and Black Sesame & Kale Salad if you get the chance to visit this establishment.
6. Totto Ramen
Totto Ramen has two locations in New York. One is situated at 248 E 52nd St, New York, NY 10022 and the other is located in 464 51st St, New York NY.
You must taste their Spicy Paitan Ramen, Miso Paitan Ramen, Pork Buns, and Chicken Paitan if you intend to visit this restaurant.
This compact, below-street-level noodle shop is built after a traditional Japanese ramen-ya and is intended for fast meals. The house specialty is paitan ramen, a creamy soup made with chicken instead of the traditional tonkotsu (pork) broth from Hakata, Japan. The Totto chicken is the most basic variation and is a delicious, transparent soup with thin, straight noodles and the pork is slow-cooked with satiny fat.
The miso ramen, which is enhanced with a serving of nutty fermented soybean paste and curly egg noodles, is the best choice, though.
Their version of spicy paitan is chicken paitan topped with char siu, nori, scallions, bean sprouts, and house-made spicy sesame oil.
Miso Paitan, a different popular dish, is cooked with their original wavy noodles in their Chicken Paitan and is topped with the best Koji Miso, ground pork, a half-boiled egg, scallions, bean sprouts, onions, and char siu.
Their traditional straight noodles are also used to make their vegetable ramen, which is then topped with fresh seasonal veggies and Yuzu paste over a base soup of seaweed and shiitake mushrooms.
Additionally, you have the choice of adding any of the following toppings: char siu chicken, char siu pork, pulled char siu pork, pulled char siu chicken, seasoned boiled egg, poached egg, scallion, kikurage mushroom, bean sprouts, fresh wakame seaweed, corn, seasoned avocado, rayu (spicy sesame oil), extreme rayu, bamboo shoot, spicy bamboo shoot, cabbage, garlic paste, ried garric, and miso.
7. Jun-Men Ramen Bar
Jun-Men Ramen Bar is situated in 249 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10001.
Jun-Men, which means pure-noodle, is also the name of the Jun Park, the Executive Chef at Jun-Men Ramen Bar.
Pork bone ramen, Uni + Mushroom ramen, kimchi ramen, pork bun, spicy pork bone, chicken bun, and many other dishes are among the finest.
This restaurant offers ramen prepared with extremely thick broth that has been boiled for more than 18 hours with three unique kinds of bones.
In addition to offering classic ramen varieties, Jun-Men also provides distinctive flavors made using premium ingredients and expertise.
Their ramen menu includes the famous pork bone, spicy pork bone (cooked with chashu, kikurage, menma, egg, scallion, black oil, chili paste), spicy miso (prepared with chashu, kikurage, menma, cabbage, eggs, scallion, special miso paste), chicken ramen (made with with chicken confit, kikurage, menma, egg, scallion), spicy chicken ramen (cooked with chicken confit, kikurage, menma, egg, scallion, chili paste), vegetarian ramen/veggie (includes ingredients: fried maitake mushroom, pickled mustard green, menma, wood ear mushroom, cabbage, sesame purée, scallion in mushroom miso broth), and Uni Mushroom (uni, roasted pancetta, porcini butter, truffle oil, fried shallots, scallion, parmesan cheese).
8. Jin Ramen
Jin Ramen is located in 3183 Broadway, New York, NY 10027.
With two noodle types used: thin, straight, and white; and thick, curly, and yellow, the restaurant offers a spectacular variety of ramen, both dry and wet. The spicy tonkotsu, which is based on a pork-bone broth filled with chilli oil and black garlic, is one of the best.
It is recommended that you taste their tonkotsu ramen, spicy tonkotsu ramen, pork buns, and other dishes while you are there.
9. JeJu Noodle Bar
JeJu Noodle Bar is located in 679 Greenwich St, New York, Ny 10014. This West Village treasure is the place to go if you want to try something new.
This gem in the West Village wants to raise the bar for Korean ramen, often known as “ramyun”. The incredible gochu ramyun includes thick slices of pork belly, a spicy red broth matching chigae, and wiry, crisp noodles that are similar to those found in commercial ramen.
10. Minca
Minca can be found on 536 E 5th St, New York, NY 10009.
Customers from all over the country are rushing to this tiny ramen-ya because of its distinctive pork and chicken bone broth, which comes with flexible flavorings, traditional toppings like pork chashu, scallions, wood ear mushrooms, and seasoned eggs, as well as a choice of thin, thick, or gluten-free noodles.
11. Nakamura
In the US, Chef Shigetoshi Nakamura launches his first restaurant.
Chef Naka founded Nakamura-Ya when he was 22 and quickly became known as one of only four “Ramen Gods” in Japan.
He teamed up with Sun Noodle, the top ramen noodle producer in the US, in an effort to share his expertise with the country, and he began creating a network there.
Chef Nakamura made his debut in the US at Sun Noodle’s “Ramen Lab,” where he once more won praise from the critics. Chef Naka was prepared to launch his own restaurant, Nakamura, due to the support network he had built via Sun Noodle and the success at Ramen Lab.
If you go to Nakamura restaurant, get the tontoro mazemen, truffle miso, jidori ramen, steak mazemen, and yuzu wings.
12. Zurutto
Zurutto is located in 142 W 72nd St, New York, NY 10023.
Zurutto is a mainstay of the New York community and is known for its superb Japanese food, first-rate service, and welcoming personnel.
The Japanese restaurant is renowned for its innovative takes on traditional cuisine and dedication to utilizing only the finest fresh ingredients.
Zurutto Miso Ramen, Spicy Tuna Tacos, Karaage, Pork Buns, and Pork Gyoza are a few of their well-liked items.
13. Kuu Ramen
Another restaurant to eat ramen dishes is in Kuu Ramen. It is located in 20 John St, New York, NY 10038.
Since 2016, Kuu has been offering its famous ramen, donburi, and hand rolls to downtown Manhattan. Their goal has always been to serve the multiple local students and office employees delicious Japanese food at a reasonable price.
One of the tastiest dishes is Kuu Chili ramen, which substitutes a milky chicken paitan that has been simmered for eight hours with “chili skin” for the typical chile-laced miso. The chili base is not as overpowering as the hot ramens, but it does have a subtle persistent sting. On the menu are also spicy ground chicken, huge pieces of pork belly, and greens in broth.
You should try their Kuu chili chili ramen, Sesame chicken donburi, miso veggie veggie ramen, pork miso ramen, beef miso ramen, shoyu ramen, and okinawa salt ramen if you visit this ramen restaurant.
14. Momofuku Noodle Bar
A variety of noodles, steamed buns, soft serve, and daily entrees are featured at Momofuku Noodle Bar. In New York, they have two locations: East Village and Uptown near Columbus Circle.
Momofuku Noodle Bar East Village offers a wide range of noodles such as Garlic Chicken Ramen, Smoked pork ramen, mushroom ramen, ginger scallion noodles, and chilled spicy noodles.
Momofuku Noodle Bar Uptown branch offers noodles such as Garlic chicken ramen, smoked pork ramen, mushroom ramen, ginger scallion noodles, chilled spicy noodles, and cumin lamb noodles.
15. Misoya
Misoya is situated at 129 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003.
Misoya focuses in three miso broths: kome, mame, and shiro. Lovely miniature pork cutlets, tempura shrimp, and a lot more can be added to your noodles.
16. Ivan Ramen
Ivan Ramen is located at 25 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002.
The Ivan Ramen restaurant was founded by Chef Ivan. You must taste their ramen, and one of their specialties is Tokyo Shio Ramen, which is cooked with pork belly, a soft egg, and roasted tomato on top of a thin, straight rye noodles and a split foundation of chicken broth and daashi.
They provide Tonkotsu ramen, Tokyo Shio, Tokyo Shoyu, Vegan Shoyu, Spicy Red Chili, Chicken Paitan, and cold yuzu shio on their ramen menu.
17. Karakatta
Karakatta concentrates on spicy ramen variations. Although there are three cold ramen options available, each of which is extremely delicious, but there are some non-spicy bowls available as well. However, the spicy ginger stamina, which is flavored with chile oil and pungent with fresh ginger, is the restaurant’s signature dish.
Conclusion
Now that you have an idea of the best ramen restaurants in new York, you can now make a decision on which restaurant is ideal for you.
Your needs, preferences, and budget will always determine the finest ramen restaurant.