Where to Curl Up with a Bowl of Ramen in Philly Right Now
As summer comes to a close and the weather (finally) begins to cool down, ramen season is upon us. Although I could eat soup year-round, there’s something comforting about holding a piping hot bowl of ramen in your hands during one of Philadelphia’s frigid cold winters.
It’s actually a sign of respect to loudly slurp your noodles, so don’t listen to your friends if they tell you you’re being obnoxious. While we’re far from Tokyo (in distance, but not in quality), these Philadelphia ramen restaurants will transport you to Japan, sans the 16-hour flight.
Best Ramen in Philadelphia
- Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
- Sang Kee Noodle House
- Terakawa Ramen
- Nom Nom Ramen
- Yamitsuki
- Poke Burri
- Cheu Fishtown
- Neighborhood Ramen
- Hiro Ramen
- Tomo Sushi and Ramen
- Aki Nom Nom Sushi
- Hajimaru Ramen
- Ramen Bar
- Morimoto
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
1022 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 923-1550
Visit Website
As you can probably tell from the name, Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House is so popular because they make their own Nan Zhou pulled noodles. Although their signature dish is not the traditional Japanese-style ramen, their Chinese noodle soups are just as satisfying.
Select thin or thick (hand-drawn or shaved) noodles after opting for one of their 22 flavors of soups. Like most of the top-notch restaurants in Chinatown, this hole-in-the-wall serves some unusual delicacies, such as sliced intestine, oxtail, and beef tripe.
Too hot for noodle soup? Go for the stir-fried noodles with pork soy sauce and assorted dumplings.
Sang Kee Noodle House
3549 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 387-8808
Visit Website
All hail the house of noodles! Did you know that ramen was most likely introduced to Japan by Chinese immigrants? Regardless of where it came from, we can all agree that noodle soup is great, especially Sang Kee Noodle House’ “big bowl broth noodle soup.”
First, choose your soup from options like braised beef, lemongrass chicken, or lamb with cumin. Then, choose your noodle: thin egg, thin rice, udon, rice thread, or ramen.
Lastly, savor that soup loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, especially the chef!
Terakawa Ramen
204 N 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (267) 687-1355
Visit Website
Terakawa’s broth, which is simmered for 2 days, is the kind of broth you want to drink straight from the bowl (no spoon and no broth left behind). This Kyushu style ramen is the most prestigious variation of Tonkotsu ramen, so it’s a no-brainer that it would make this list.
According to their website, it’s the chef’s intention for you to experience the passion they put into every bowl of ramen, which you can do by following 4 simple steps: taste the broth, taste the egg noodles, experience the flavors and texture of the ramen, and flavor the broth and noodles using the spices on your table.
If you do this, the dish will evolve throughout your meal. Take a seat at the counter and enjoy a big bowl of their signature Terakawa ramen or an even bigger bowl of their Kyushu Danji (Whopper style) ramen!
Nom Nom Ramen
20 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 988-0898
Visit Website
Nom Nom Ramen holds a special place in my heart because it’s where I went on my first date with my boyfriend of 3 years…at the time, I was trying to be vegetarian and ordered the tofu ramen, but I instantly regretted that decision once I tried his classic pork ramen.
While the vegetarian ramen is a good substitute for those who don’t eat meat, you’re really missing out if you don’t get the aka nom nom ramen with tonkatsu broth and pork belly chashu.
The “aka bomb” is an explosion of flavor that will have you “nomming” this bowl in seconds. Seriously, what’s more romantic than ramen?
Yamitsuki
1028 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 629-3888
Visit Website
The owners of Yamitsuki believe that ramen is good for all seasons and moods, and I couldn’t agree more!
Feeling down? A bowl of their Yamitsuki ramen or shrimp tempura udon is sure to pick you up, as well as their extensive sake and sushi menu.
Now that indoor dining is back, you can experience their modern, anime-themed bar for after-work cocktails (they have a stellar happy hour) or late night bites (they’re open till midnight on weekends). You’ll be slurping these noodles almost as fast as Naruto!
Poke Burri
255 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (267) 900-1888
Visit Website
You may be wondering why a poke spot is on this list, but within Poke Burri is Lifting Noodles, Philadelphia’s newest ramen joint. With several other award-winning locations across the United States, however, they’re not new to the ramen game.
Perhaps one of the few vegan-friendly ramen restaurants in the city, Lifting Noodles has oodles of green kale noodles in a vegetarian broth. Who would’ve known that eating your veggies could be so easy?
In addition to ramen, Poke Burri has the most unique sushi concoctions on their secret menu, like sushi donuts, pizza, burgers, and corndogs. What else is on the secret menu, you might ask? Fried ramen carbonara and — I’ve already said too much…
Cheu Fishtown
1414-1416 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Phone: (267) 758-2269
Visit Website
We’ll never forget Cheu Noodle Bar, one of Philly’s favorite ramen bars in Center City. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to close their doors permanently.
Luckily for us, Cheu Fishtown is still open for business. Located inside a restored stable, this Japanese-inspired, neon-lit restaurant has great vibes inside and out. During the colder months, their alley oasis has hanging string lights and heat lamps. But if you can, definitely sit at the bar for the true Cheu experience.
One positive thing to come from COVID is that you can now order from both Cheu and Nunu next door. Try a bowl of Cheu’s coconut curry or matzah and brisket ramen, along with Nunu’s sushi hoagie.
Neighborhood Ramen
617 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Phone: (215) 201-3501
Visit Website
D MAZESOBA (@neighborhoodramen)Best of Philly 2019 winner Neighborhood Ramen is a BYOB counter service ramen shop in Old City. Their menu is small and shifts with the seasons (they are currently brothless until September).
But ramen is ramen, am I right? And where else in Philly are you going to find ramen that pays homage to the City of Brotherly Love, like pizza maz and cheesesteak maz?
Find them at their brick and mortar location or popping up around the city and beyond (they were just in Iceland)! Check out their Instagram for menu changes and specials (Update: the pizza maz just sold out, but they’ll be replacing it with something else this week. Stay tuned).
Hiro Ramen
1102 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 626-5172
Visit Website
For nearly 10 years, this cash-only ramen house has been serving authentic ramen in Center City. In fact, they practically invented the ramen scene in Philly.
Like Neighborhood Ramen, their menu is small, but that makes the already near-impossible decision of what to order a little easier.
Do you go for the “Hiro’s Inch of Heaven” (pork tonkotsu broth, blended soy sauce, pork belly chashu, bamboo, egg, and nori) or the “Gates of Hell” (same thing but with chili oil)? What about the “Black Pig” or the “Pig and Miso”? Each one is only $10, so you might as well get all of them!
Tomo Sushi and Ramen
228 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (267) 519-0209
Visit Website
Fun fact: Tomo comes from the word “Tomodachi” or “friends” in Japanese. So, bring your friends to this BYOB sushi and ramen restaurant in Old City!
This menu has something for everyone, from mayu tonkotsu ramen, to vegetarian shoyu ramen, to vegan yasai ramen (with seitan teriyaki mmm), as well as a whole menu of vegan rolls and vegan inari sushi, like the “guacarollie” and “straw-veggie.”
While Tomo is a little more on the upscale end in comparison to some of the other spots on this list, considering that they don’t have a single rating below 4-stars, it should be your next go-to for a date night or special occasion.
Aki Nom Nom Sushi
1210 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 985-1838
Visit Website
Not to be confused with Nom Nom Ramen, Aki Nom Nom also features the chef’s aki bomb in their aki nom nom ramen, but I’m not sure if aki is different from aka or if one of them is a typo.
Aki Nom Nom has a wide selection of ramen in regular or large portions, including four variations of each of the following broths: pork belly tonkotsu (cooked for 36 hours), kyoto chicken chintan, and vegetarian. For an extra kick of umami, I suggest adding the aki bomb to any ramen (except the vegetarian one).
If the weather is cooperating or you just prefer to sit outside, dine outdoors in their makeshift streetery. And don’t skip the $30 all you can eat sushi or you might be kicked to the curb.
Hajimaru Ramen
200 E Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125
Phone: (215) 426-8700
Visit Website
Hajimaru Ramen in Fishtown and Bryn Mawr is dine-in only, but let’s be honest; ramen shouldn’t be delivered. There’s just something special about guzzling fresh noodles out of a big bowl that is incomparable with pouring lukewarm broth into a plastic container at home.
That feeling was something I sorely missed in the midst of the pandemic, and this is why I didn’t eat ramen for more than a year. But Hajimaru is the perfect place to go for your first meal out among the rest of society.
The signature ramen with spicy tonkotsu broth, extra chashu, a whole marinated egg, sweet corn, baby bok choy, menma bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, kikurage mushrooms, fishcake, and scallions has everything other ramen restaurants are lacking.
Ramen Bar
3400 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 921-5804
Visit Website
If you go to Drexel or Penn, you’ve probably been to Ramen Bar, a West Philly sushi and ramen restaurant walking distance from campus.
Do you like to customize your dish? Well, Ramen Bar lets you choose your toppings (while giving suggestions that I would also advise you to follow), noodles (straight or wavy), broth (vegan or pork), and spice level (on a scale from 1-5).
On top of the classic shoyu, miso, et cetera, this menu has green curry and tom yum ramen, tsukemen or “dipping noodles” served separately with a spicy minced pork shoyu dipping soup, and mazesoba ramen, brothless noodles served with an egg yolk meant to be mixed together.
Morimoto
723 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (215) 413-9070
Visit Website
Steven Starr has managed to master every genre of cuisine, including Japanese.
Morimoto, a contemporary and ultra chic Asian fusion restaurant, is a fine dining experience. Do they have the best ramen on this list? Definitely not. However, the Morimoto ramen is described as the “iron chef’s chicken noodle soup,” so saying it’s good would be a gross understatement.
The Morimoto Omakase, a multi-course tasting menu, is also well worth the expensive price tag next time you have something worth celebrating.
Final Thoughts
Ramen isn’t just a cheap dinner for college students (even though I do love Maruchan when I’m on a budget). Still, there’s no wrong way to eat ramen, unless you’re using a fork.
Speaking of noodles, check out my list of the Best Italian Restaurants in Philly to find out where to eat the finest macaroni and gravy, besides the Italian Market.
Did I forget some of your favorite ramen spots? Let me know in the comments below!
The post Where to Curl Up with a Bowl of Ramen in Philly Right Now appeared first on Restaurant Clicks.
https://restaurantclicks.com/best-ramen-philadelphia/
Comments
Post a Comment