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The classic milky pork bone broth is seen, with some shredded red ginger on top.
The tonkotsu ramen at Ichiran.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Where to Find the City’s Best Ramen

There’s no shortage of options for this Japanese staple. Eater’s senior critic recommends some of his favorites.

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The tonkotsu ramen at Ichiran.
| Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Fall’s first frost is upon us, marking the unofficial beginning of ramen season. This New York City phenomenon, kindled in its current form by Momofuku Noodle Bar in 2004 (though there were precursors like Tokyo LaMen in the last century), has faithfully stuck with us, and the city’s enthusiasm for the wheat noodles in a pork, chicken, or vegetarian broth has only grown. New variations have continued to appear since last year’s list.

Why have ramen restaurants continued to fare so well during this decade? Perhaps because these noodles are a fundamental comfort food, nourishing and soothing in times of stress. Here are the city’s most captivating bowls.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Spicy tonkotsu at Jin Ramen

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This gem in Harlem (there’s another on the Upper West Side and a new branch in Hamilton Heights) provides an astonishing range of ramen, both dry and wet, with two noodle styles: thin, straight, and white; and thick, curly, and yellow. One dry bowl with broth on the side sets your mouth aflame with kimchi, but our favorite fiery bowl is the spicy tonkotsu, a pork-bone broth packed with chile oil and black garlic.

Bright red tonkotsu broth with a black sheet of nori in a white bowl
The spicy tonkotsu at Jin Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Kuro ramen at Zurutto

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An Upper West Sider since 2016 conveniently located near the express 72nd Street stop, Zurutto deploys a chicken broth sometimes modified with sesame oil and seeds. The signature miso ramen incorporates both ground pork and sliced pork, along with miso, corn, bean sprouts, black garlic, and cabbage. Also available are a curry ramen and a vegetarian soy milk-miso ramen, and some interesting sides that run from octopus balls to tuna tacos.

A tangle of ramen noodles with pork chashu in a black bowl
The signature miso ramen at Zurutto.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Hinomaru ramen at Hinomaru

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The focus of the menu at this very serious ramen joint on Astoria’s main drag is a creamy 17-hour Hakata-style tonkotsu broth. Have it with the traditional additions, or better yet, order it “New York style”: two kinds of fish cake (one with a monkey face) and its signature “fireball,” a loose meatball of peppery ground pork that subsides into the soup as the flavor explodes.

A bowl of noodles with a fish cake sticking out that features a picture of a monkey’s face...
“New York style” ramen comes with a fish cake imprinted with a monkey face.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Chicken paitan at Toto Ramen

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Founded in 2010, this intimate noodle parlor in western Hell’s Kitchen, with further locations in Midtown, Boston, and Taipei, takes ramen back to its Chinese roots, with a chicken-pork broth, wavy blond noodles, a hot-as-hell condiment called extreme rayu to be used sparingly, and a potential side of avocado. If there’s a line when you arrive, put your name down on the list by the front door.

A bowl of ramen with a side of avocado
The chicken paitan ramen at Toto Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Mega ramen at Kyuramen

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Flushing’s Kyuramen (there are other branches in Park Slope and Union Square) turned heads during the pandemic for having one of the best designed outdoor dining setups in the city, with individual rooms for each table. The ramen menu features straight or wavy noodles, and the dozen choices include some fringe bowls. Our favorite, the mega, features both sliced pork and shrimp in a pork broth.

A frame structure runs along the street with wooden screens and red trim and hanging paper lanterns.
Kyuramen’s outdoor structure is one of the city’s best.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Smoked dashi ramen at Tonchin

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The menu of this restaurant on the edge of Koreatown focuses on Tokyo comfort food, including a collection of ramen based on what it calls a Tokyo-style tonkotsu broth, and many of the bowls set off on strange but lovable jags. A case in point is the smoked dashi ramen, which begins with the broth and then adds fish oil and clams, for a spectacular combination of slightly bitter flavors. Noodles made on the premises are another plus at this outlier among ramen joints.

A hand holds ramen noodles aloft with chopsticks over bowl of brownish reddish broth.
The dashi ramen comes with clams.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tan-tan ramen at Momosan

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Helmed by “Iron Chef” star Masaharu Morimoto, Momosan brings some celebrity luster to the genre. Six types of ramen are available at this ramen shop with branches in Seattle and Waikiki, including a dry version of dan dan noodles, but the best is tan tan. It offers a spicy, porky, sesame-laced broth further inflected with scallions and cilantro. The bowl is recommended for folks who like a little spiciness, but not the mega-charge that characterizes most bowls of spicy ramen. The noodles are the firm and spaghetti-like Sun noodles.

Noodles, ground meat, a boiled egg, and cilantro in a pink broth.
The tan tan ramen at Momosan.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

The E.A.K. at E.A.K Ramen

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As with the other Japanese chains that have opened here, E.A.K. brought a unique perspective to the city’s ramen scene when it opened in Greenwich Village in 2017. The broth in the signature bowl is a combo of pork and chicken, the noodles are firmer and thicker, and spinach has been substituted for the usual scallions. A nifty printed piece of nori branded with the restaurant’s name doesn’t let you forget where you’re eating.

Light ramen with a soy egg, spinach, chashu pork, and nori
The E.A.K. ramen at E.A.K. Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Spicy ginger stamina at Karakatta

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An attractively designed space near Washington Square Park accented with neon lighting, Karakatta focuses on spicy renditions of ramen. Not that you can’t get some un-spicy bowls here — there are three types of cold ramen available — but the flagship is the spicy ginger stamina, pungent with fresh ginger and laced with chile oil. It comes in five levels of hotness; “two flames” is often hot enough, even for lovers of spicy food.

Bright red spicy ginger ramen in a white bowl
The spicy ginger stamina ramen at Karakatta.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Miso ramen with grilled fishcake at Misoya

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Ever feel like a bowl of ramen doesn’t quite add up to a full meal? Specializing in a choice of three miso broths (brown, white, and red) that it makes extravagant health claims for, the East Village’s Ramen Misoya encourages you to supplement your noodles with added proteins, including lovely miniature pork cutlets and tempura shrimp. They contribute immeasurably to the pleasure of the meal.

A brown broth, half egg, noodles, and fish cake in a bowl.
Miso ramen with grilled fish cake at Misoya.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tokyo tsukemen spicy miso at Minca

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This long-running East Village ramen parlor established itself way before Ippudo, and it takes its ramen every bit as seriously. It also hasn't hesitated to innovate, as demonstrated by its ramen that’s deconstructed in the Tokyo style, with thick noodles, a spicy miso broth, and a whole slew of extra ingredients to be added to the bowl at your pleasure.

A deconstructed bowl of noodles in the tsukemen style, with a fiery broth and several add ins on the side.
Noodles and broth are served separately in Minca’s Tokyo tsukemen ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Beef rib ramen at Wanpaku

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One of the city’s meatiest bowls of ramen is found at small Greenpoint ramen parlor Wanpaku, which conceals the “secret” cocktail lounge Hidden Pearl in its depths. The beef rib ramen, which is sometimes on the menu, is served with a massive, bone-in rib as its centerpiece, almost too much meat to eat in one sitting. Other worthy ramen soups here include the spicy pulled pork and miso beef versions.

A massive plank of beef rises from the broth with arugula and noodles in a black bowl.
The beef rib ramen is almost too much meat to eat in one sitting.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Spicy miso ramen at Mr. Taka

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This handsome but compact ramen-ya founded by two friends from Japan is known for its sprawling menu with lots of optional add-ins. Every bowl is an adventure, including the spicy miso ramen, which features a miso broth made from chicken and bonito, with ground pork and sliced pork belly thrown in.

A spicy bowl of noodles with cilantro sprinkled on top.
The spicy miso ramen with ground pork and sliced belly.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Wonton chicken ramen at Zutto

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One of the city’s first izakayas, founded 20 years ago, has long served a menu of sushi and Japanese comfort classics, along with a growing list of very good ramen in tall narrow bowls. The noodles themselves are more substantial than most and of average circumference, and many of the combinations are remarkable — including one bowl that resembles wonton soup, tastily bridging the gap between Japanese ramen and its Chinese antecedents.

A black bowl with both noodles and wontons.
Zutto’s wonton chicken ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

X.O. miso at Nakamura

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When Nakamura opened in 2016, the Lower East Side had never seen anything quite like it. The noodle shop is run by Tokyo ramen master Shigetoshi Nakamura, who makes his own noodles in the basement of the restaurant and experiments with the genre. Case in point: The X.O. miso ramen, a vegan soup that’s served with an unusual fish-free X.O. sauce.

A big wad of fishy tasting X.O. sauce sits in the middle of this bowl of ramen as a pair of chopsticks lifts a few noodles out.
The X.O. miso ramen is vegan.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Kuu chili at Kuu Ramen

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If you’re obsessed with chile, you can’t help but be impressed by the increasing availability of ramen spiked with hot peppers. This place features not the usual chile-laced miso, but a milky chicken paitan boiled for eight hours with “chili skin” called Kuu chili. Also find therein spicy ground chicken, pork belly, and greens that cook in the broth. The menu at this tiny Financial District ramen-ya (there’s also an Upper East Side branch) also lists beef ramen in a miso broth with garlic chips and butter.

A ramen bowl bursting with bamboo shoots, egg, ground pork, and fishcake
The Kuu chili ramen at Kuu Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tonkotsu ramen at Ichiran

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This Japanese import landed with a thud in Bushwick in 2016, setting down in a dusty industrial area and immediately generating long lines. The place boasts two dining rooms, one allowing you to eat by yourself in a narrow carrel as if in a university library. The noodles, though, are exceedingly solid. They’re available in varying levels of thickness and doneness, and deposited in a tonkotsu broth a little lighter and silkier than most. There are now two Manhattan branches on the West Side.

The classic milky pork bone broth is seen, with some shredded red ginger on top.
The tonkotsu ramen at Ichiran.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Truffle shoyu soba at Tsuta

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Tsuta is a celebrated Japanese chain that started as a noodle stand 10 years ago in Tokyo, but today it’s best known for being the first ramen shop in the world to earn a Michelin star. The broth, made from chicken and shrimp, is lighter and less salty than usual. It’s also provided in smaller quantity, so you tend to slurp up all of it instead of leaving some in the bowl. In the signature ramen, the broth is laced with truffle oil, and the noodles are softer and more supple than most.

A red bowl filled with noodles and medium dark broth.
The truffle shoyu soba at Tsuta.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Parco ramen at Kogane

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Kogane offers nine bowls of ramen, some featuring luxurious ingredients like snow crab and lobster, along with noodles made in-house. The menu is quirkier than most of the city’s noodle shops; its parco ramen is served with a whole pork chop in an unspeakably rich curry-laced broth. The number of sides and apps is unusually large, including ramen burgers, sweet potato fries, and calamari salad.

Chopsticks lift noodles out of a bowl of curried ramen as a baby looks on.
The parco ramen at Kogane.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Army budae at Mokbar

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With three locations — one in Brooklyn and two in Manhattan — Mokbar offers eights bowls of ramen from a Korean perspective, which means heartier, more jam-packed bowls. A perfect example is army budae, said to have descended from surplus foods from U.S. soldiers. To a kimchi-laden broth it adds multiple forms of meat, akin to what you might find on a meat-lover’s pizza: Spam, pork belly, bacon, and little sausages, finished off with grated cheddar cheese.

Army budae ramen has spam and several other unexpected ingredients fit for a soldier’s mess...
Army budae at Mokbar in Brooklyn.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Vegan negi-goma ramen at Ramen Danbo

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Ramen noodles can be ordered at several levels of firmness, and broths at several levels of density, at this Park Slope parlor that originated in Vancouver. Of particular note is a vegan bowl made with a rich broth laced with sesame oil, in which sesame seeds and scallions float in profusion. Deep-fried and sliced tofu add to this unique bowl.

Slabs of tofu, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions can be seen languidly floating on top of this bowl of ramen.
The negi-goma ramen at Ramen Danbo.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Mt. Fuji ramen at Ramen Setagaya Japan Village

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When East Village veteran ramen parlor Ramen Setagaya, now closed, debuted its new branch in Industry City’s Japan Village food court in 2018, it brought some enthralling bowls to Sunset Park. One was the so-called Mt. Fuji ramen, which features a mountain peak of parmesan cheese in a pink broth the menu describes as “tomato espuma.” It’s damn good, reminding me more of tomato soup than a traditional ramen broth.

A bowl of thick, bubbly red tomato soup with a heap of grated parmesan in the middle.
The Mt. Fuji ramen is made with a tomato broth.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Spicy tonkotsu at Jin Ramen

This gem in Harlem (there’s another on the Upper West Side and a new branch in Hamilton Heights) provides an astonishing range of ramen, both dry and wet, with two noodle styles: thin, straight, and white; and thick, curly, and yellow. One dry bowl with broth on the side sets your mouth aflame with kimchi, but our favorite fiery bowl is the spicy tonkotsu, a pork-bone broth packed with chile oil and black garlic.

Bright red tonkotsu broth with a black sheet of nori in a white bowl
The spicy tonkotsu at Jin Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Kuro ramen at Zurutto

An Upper West Sider since 2016 conveniently located near the express 72nd Street stop, Zurutto deploys a chicken broth sometimes modified with sesame oil and seeds. The signature miso ramen incorporates both ground pork and sliced pork, along with miso, corn, bean sprouts, black garlic, and cabbage. Also available are a curry ramen and a vegetarian soy milk-miso ramen, and some interesting sides that run from octopus balls to tuna tacos.

A tangle of ramen noodles with pork chashu in a black bowl
The signature miso ramen at Zurutto.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Hinomaru ramen at Hinomaru

The focus of the menu at this very serious ramen joint on Astoria’s main drag is a creamy 17-hour Hakata-style tonkotsu broth. Have it with the traditional additions, or better yet, order it “New York style”: two kinds of fish cake (one with a monkey face) and its signature “fireball,” a loose meatball of peppery ground pork that subsides into the soup as the flavor explodes.

A bowl of noodles with a fish cake sticking out that features a picture of a monkey’s face...
“New York style” ramen comes with a fish cake imprinted with a monkey face.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Chicken paitan at Toto Ramen

Founded in 2010, this intimate noodle parlor in western Hell’s Kitchen, with further locations in Midtown, Boston, and Taipei, takes ramen back to its Chinese roots, with a chicken-pork broth, wavy blond noodles, a hot-as-hell condiment called extreme rayu to be used sparingly, and a potential side of avocado. If there’s a line when you arrive, put your name down on the list by the front door.

A bowl of ramen with a side of avocado
The chicken paitan ramen at Toto Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Mega ramen at Kyuramen

Flushing’s Kyuramen (there are other branches in Park Slope and Union Square) turned heads during the pandemic for having one of the best designed outdoor dining setups in the city, with individual rooms for each table. The ramen menu features straight or wavy noodles, and the dozen choices include some fringe bowls. Our favorite, the mega, features both sliced pork and shrimp in a pork broth.

A frame structure runs along the street with wooden screens and red trim and hanging paper lanterns.
Kyuramen’s outdoor structure is one of the city’s best.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Smoked dashi ramen at Tonchin

The menu of this restaurant on the edge of Koreatown focuses on Tokyo comfort food, including a collection of ramen based on what it calls a Tokyo-style tonkotsu broth, and many of the bowls set off on strange but lovable jags. A case in point is the smoked dashi ramen, which begins with the broth and then adds fish oil and clams, for a spectacular combination of slightly bitter flavors. Noodles made on the premises are another plus at this outlier among ramen joints.

A hand holds ramen noodles aloft with chopsticks over bowl of brownish reddish broth.
The dashi ramen comes with clams.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tan-tan ramen at Momosan

Helmed by “Iron Chef” star Masaharu Morimoto, Momosan brings some celebrity luster to the genre. Six types of ramen are available at this ramen shop with branches in Seattle and Waikiki, including a dry version of dan dan noodles, but the best is tan tan. It offers a spicy, porky, sesame-laced broth further inflected with scallions and cilantro. The bowl is recommended for folks who like a little spiciness, but not the mega-charge that characterizes most bowls of spicy ramen. The noodles are the firm and spaghetti-like Sun noodles.

Noodles, ground meat, a boiled egg, and cilantro in a pink broth.
The tan tan ramen at Momosan.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

The E.A.K. at E.A.K Ramen

As with the other Japanese chains that have opened here, E.A.K. brought a unique perspective to the city’s ramen scene when it opened in Greenwich Village in 2017. The broth in the signature bowl is a combo of pork and chicken, the noodles are firmer and thicker, and spinach has been substituted for the usual scallions. A nifty printed piece of nori branded with the restaurant’s name doesn’t let you forget where you’re eating.

Light ramen with a soy egg, spinach, chashu pork, and nori
The E.A.K. ramen at E.A.K. Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Spicy ginger stamina at Karakatta

An attractively designed space near Washington Square Park accented with neon lighting, Karakatta focuses on spicy renditions of ramen. Not that you can’t get some un-spicy bowls here — there are three types of cold ramen available — but the flagship is the spicy ginger stamina, pungent with fresh ginger and laced with chile oil. It comes in five levels of hotness; “two flames” is often hot enough, even for lovers of spicy food.

Bright red spicy ginger ramen in a white bowl
The spicy ginger stamina ramen at Karakatta.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Miso ramen with grilled fishcake at Misoya

Ever feel like a bowl of ramen doesn’t quite add up to a full meal? Specializing in a choice of three miso broths (brown, white, and red) that it makes extravagant health claims for, the East Village’s Ramen Misoya encourages you to supplement your noodles with added proteins, including lovely miniature pork cutlets and tempura shrimp. They contribute immeasurably to the pleasure of the meal.

A brown broth, half egg, noodles, and fish cake in a bowl.
Miso ramen with grilled fish cake at Misoya.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tokyo tsukemen spicy miso at Minca

This long-running East Village ramen parlor established itself way before Ippudo, and it takes its ramen every bit as seriously. It also hasn't hesitated to innovate, as demonstrated by its ramen that’s deconstructed in the Tokyo style, with thick noodles, a spicy miso broth, and a whole slew of extra ingredients to be added to the bowl at your pleasure.

A deconstructed bowl of noodles in the tsukemen style, with a fiery broth and several add ins on the side.
Noodles and broth are served separately in Minca’s Tokyo tsukemen ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Beef rib ramen at Wanpaku

One of the city’s meatiest bowls of ramen is found at small Greenpoint ramen parlor Wanpaku, which conceals the “secret” cocktail lounge Hidden Pearl in its depths. The beef rib ramen, which is sometimes on the menu, is served with a massive, bone-in rib as its centerpiece, almost too much meat to eat in one sitting. Other worthy ramen soups here include the spicy pulled pork and miso beef versions.

A massive plank of beef rises from the broth with arugula and noodles in a black bowl.
The beef rib ramen is almost too much meat to eat in one sitting.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Spicy miso ramen at Mr. Taka

This handsome but compact ramen-ya founded by two friends from Japan is known for its sprawling menu with lots of optional add-ins. Every bowl is an adventure, including the spicy miso ramen, which features a miso broth made from chicken and bonito, with ground pork and sliced pork belly thrown in.

A spicy bowl of noodles with cilantro sprinkled on top.
The spicy miso ramen with ground pork and sliced belly.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Wonton chicken ramen at Zutto

One of the city’s first izakayas, founded 20 years ago, has long served a menu of sushi and Japanese comfort classics, along with a growing list of very good ramen in tall narrow bowls. The noodles themselves are more substantial than most and of average circumference, and many of the combinations are remarkable — including one bowl that resembles wonton soup, tastily bridging the gap between Japanese ramen and its Chinese antecedents.

A black bowl with both noodles and wontons.
Zutto’s wonton chicken ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

X.O. miso at Nakamura

When Nakamura opened in 2016, the Lower East Side had never seen anything quite like it. The noodle shop is run by Tokyo ramen master Shigetoshi Nakamura, who makes his own noodles in the basement of the restaurant and experiments with the genre. Case in point: The X.O. miso ramen, a vegan soup that’s served with an unusual fish-free X.O. sauce.

A big wad of fishy tasting X.O. sauce sits in the middle of this bowl of ramen as a pair of chopsticks lifts a few noodles out.
The X.O. miso ramen is vegan.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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Kuu chili at Kuu Ramen

If you’re obsessed with chile, you can’t help but be impressed by the increasing availability of ramen spiked with hot peppers. This place features not the usual chile-laced miso, but a milky chicken paitan boiled for eight hours with “chili skin” called Kuu chili. Also find therein spicy ground chicken, pork belly, and greens that cook in the broth. The menu at this tiny Financial District ramen-ya (there’s also an Upper East Side branch) also lists beef ramen in a miso broth with garlic chips and butter.

A ramen bowl bursting with bamboo shoots, egg, ground pork, and fishcake
The Kuu chili ramen at Kuu Ramen.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tonkotsu ramen at Ichiran

This Japanese import landed with a thud in Bushwick in 2016, setting down in a dusty industrial area and immediately generating long lines. The place boasts two dining rooms, one allowing you to eat by yourself in a narrow carrel as if in a university library. The noodles, though, are exceedingly solid. They’re available in varying levels of thickness and doneness, and deposited in a tonkotsu broth a little lighter and silkier than most. There are now two Manhattan branches on the West Side.

The classic milky pork bone broth is seen, with some shredded red ginger on top.
The tonkotsu ramen at Ichiran.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Truffle shoyu soba at Tsuta

Tsuta is a celebrated Japanese chain that started as a noodle stand 10 years ago in Tokyo, but today it’s best known for being the first ramen shop in the world to earn a Michelin star. The broth, made from chicken and shrimp, is lighter and less salty than usual. It’s also provided in smaller quantity, so you tend to slurp up all of it instead of leaving some in the bowl. In the signature ramen, the broth is laced with truffle oil, and the noodles are softer and more supple than most.

A red bowl filled with noodles and medium dark broth.
The truffle shoyu soba at Tsuta.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Parco ramen at Kogane

Kogane offers nine bowls of ramen, some featuring luxurious ingredients like snow crab and lobster, along with noodles made in-house. The menu is quirkier than most of the city’s noodle shops; its parco ramen is served with a whole pork chop in an unspeakably rich curry-laced broth. The number of sides and apps is unusually large, including ramen burgers, sweet potato fries, and calamari salad.