Ramen has taken over the world, one noodle at a time. What was once a cult Japanese street food and the go-to meal for college students on a budget has become a global food trend. The simple noodle soup is warm, filling and soulful, a heady mix of carbohydrates and porky protein, root vegetables, and fragrant spices. It’s comfort food with an artisanal twist, a slurpable feast created by samurai noodle-masters. While the ramen renaissance is in full swing, not all noodle shops are created equal. Here are the five best ramen restaurants in the country.
1. Nakamura: New York City
Noodle master Shigetoshi “Jack” Nakamura is ramen royalty in Japan. His 20 years in the business have included a partnership with Sun Noodle, the leading U.S. based ramen noodle manufacturer, as well as creating recipes for celebrity chef David Chang. Nakamura’s ramen bowls are robust and savory, and his signature dish, torigara shoyu, a bowl of chicken and seafood broth, is highly recommended. Chef Nakamura is also renowned for experimenting with mazemen, a brothless ramen.
2. JINYA Ramen Bar: Los Angeles, California
LA is a ramen haven, with outstanding noodle shops around every corner. However, JINYA Ramen Bar is a Valley staple that helped usher in the LA ramen boom. It’s known for its well-balanced bowls and thin noodles. JINYA’s stocks are simmered for more than 10 hours, and the result is an unforgettable, full-flavored broth. JINYA Ramen Bar prides itself on “kaizen,” which is the practice of continuous improvement, and that means its ramen is always getting better.
3. Ramen Tatsu-Yu: Austin, Texas
It makes sense that the city that sparked the food truck craze would know a thing or two about noodles and broth. It also helps when your noodle chefs are former DJs, because really, who would know better how to “mix-and-match” wood ear mushrooms and tender, thin slices of pork? Ramen Tatsu-Yu prepares artful and carefully composed bowls. Next time you’re in the Lonestar State, skip the T-Bone steak and have a ramen bowl at this Austin hotspot, the true culinary star of Texas.
4. Toki Underground: Washington D.C.
Toki Underground was featured on the Food Network, so expect a long wait. The fact that the restaurant only features a 25-seat ramen bar doesn’t help the wait time either, but it adds to the cozy, authentic, hole-in-the-wall environment. Toki Underground has the same dining in a broom closet feel that many of Tokyo’s best noodle shops have. At Toki, classic broth bowls are brought to new places with red miso and kimchi. Chef Erik Brunger-Yang isn’t afraid to look beyond Japan for culinary inspiration, borrowing components from Korea as well as his native Taiwan.
5. Momi Ramen: Miami, Florida
The ramen craze has invaded the Sunshine State, and Momi Ramen represents the best of the best. Specializing in rare ingredients, creative meats, and five-times-filtered pork broth, Momi sets the ramen standard as high as Mount Fuji. At $20 a bowl, this isn’t your cheap Japanese street food. It’s a five-star culinary experience.
Ramen is America’s latest rock and roll cuisine. Whether you’re a curious ramen newbie or a seasoned connoisseur, these 5 spots are guaranteed to leave you hungry for more.