Where to find great ramen in Philly

What makes a good bowl of ramen? Neighborhood Ramen’s co-owner Lindsay Steigerwald will tell you it’s a balance of five main components: tare (concentrated seasoning), broth, noodles, toppings, and aroma oil.

“I think a good bowl is very balanced, where each component is chosen thoughtfully,” said Steigerwald. At her ramen hot spot in Queen Village, each part of the ramen bowl is made from scratch, from the broth to the tare. Her partner in business and life, chef Jesse Pryor, builds bowls around the noodles when envisioning menu additions, rotating among different ramen styles depending on the season.

When you learn more about and eat more ramen, you can tell the difference in noodle textures and what broths pair well with them, Pryor said. “Having those different balances between bowls is really nice to experience.”

Big bowls of hot and cold noodles are a go-to for many in Philly, and local restaurants accommodate with tonkotsu or pork bone, hiyashi chuka or chilled noodles, and other ramen varieties throughout the seasons.

Scott Li, the owner/chef of Ramen Umai, offers a broth-focused version to the growing local scene with his recently opened ramen shop in University City. “I like people putting effort into [their ramen],” he said. “I really admire those people who make broth from scratch — it brings their own spirit for good quality ramen.” Li himself frequents Terakawa Ramen (nestled in Chinatown and University City) and Neighborhood Ramen.

Ramen shops are thriving in Philly because the variations are nearly endless. From hearty tonkotsu versions and nourishing housemade broths, to regional styles and expertly made noodles, a delicious bowl of noodles is not hard to find. Here are eight spots serving up soulful bowls of the good stuff.

At Neighborhood Ramen in Queen Village, you’ll find softer tonkotsu-style noodles on the menu this winter, with noodle-making methods Pryor and Steigerwald picked up on their travels in the Fukuoka region of Japan. But the menu changes often at this ramen spot, from featuring cloudier and creamier broths, known as paitan, to clear soups called chintan, with more noodle options on the horizon.

During summer months, the kitchen rolls out brothless and chilled ramen, including maze soba and hiyashi chuka. Don’t sleep on special offerings like the abura soba ramen (tossed in tare and pork fat with toppings), a recent addition for “a taste of brothless summer in December,” according to the Instagram post. Vegan options are always on the menu, with bowls offering the same rich texture as their meat counterparts, thanks to a creamy vegan broth. Ramens range from $17.50 to $19.50.

📍617 S. Third St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147, 📞 215-201-3501, 🌐 neighborhoodramen.com

Bop over to Fishtown and check out Cheu’s three funky, brothy noodle options. Chef and co-owner Ben Puchowitz’s signature ramen bowls include brisket ramen with sesame red chile broth, kimchi, and a matzo ball, and miso ramen with pork shoulder and soy egg. The bowls feature wheat noodles from national noodle company Sun Noodles, with broths made from scratch. Looking for something gluten-free? Opt for the coconut curry ramen and request the rice noodle substitute. Don’t miss off-menu specials like roasted garlic pork ramen, spicy chicken shoyu ramen, and cold sesame noodles (in the summer months).

📍1416 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19125, 📞 267-758-2269, 🌐cheufishtown.com

Along with wagyu steaks and chicken katsu curry, chef Masaharu Morimoto’s Center City restaurant offers chicken noodle ramen with Inaniwa Temomi udon, yasai (veggie) ramen with Maroni harusame noodles, and a cha soba with chilled green tea noodles and mushroom-shoyu tsuyu sauce for dipping. Bowls come with broths made from scratch at Morimoto, priced at $17 to $19.

📍723 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 📞 215-413-9070, 🌐morimotorestaurant.com

Over at the new Blade Runner-themed ramen bar Chika, find five styles of ramen ($15 to $17) from kara kara tonkotsu, a minced pork noodle soup at five different spice levels, to ebi hiyashi chuka, cold wavy noodles mixed with homemade soy sauce dressing. Dean Leevongcharoen, a Thai-born chef who trained in Japan and France and previously ran the now-shuttered Ramen Bar location in University City, is helms this Glu Hospitality basement ramen shop in Center City.

📍1526 Sansom St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19102, 📞 215-419-5847, 🌐chikaramenbar.com

Enter the orange building on the corner of 18th and Market Streets for a small, one-page menu. Nom Nom Ramen offers hakata-style tonkotsu ramen — if straight, thin noodles in a cloudy soup are what you’re after, you’re in the right place. Priced $16 to $22, the noodles here are plunged into a lighter, citrusy shio, soy-sauce based shoyu, creamy miso, or spicy miso-style karai broth and topped with various veggies and meats.

📍20 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 📞 215-988-0898, 🌐nomnomramen.com

Chinatown’s Yamitsuki specializes in wavy and straight egg noodles, served with spicy or clear broths. Order tonkotsu with tender, fatty slices of pork belly or chicken (also known as chashu) or mushroom kambu (or pearl millet plant) soup with veggies and tofu for $13.50 (before tax) per ramen.

📍1028 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107, 📞 215-629-3888, 🌐 yamitsuki1028.wixsite.com/yamitsukiramen

Looking to warm up to a bowl of ramen in University City? At Scott Li’s Ramen Umai, a drizzle of aromatic black garlic oil tops flavorful broths, and spicy miso colors a tonkotsu red. Bowls come with thin white flour or thick egg noodles, pieces of chashu, egg, bamboo shoots, seaweed, wood ear mushrooms, and other toppings for $12.99 to $22.99. Expect cold ramen later in the spring and summer months, said Li.

📍32 S. 40th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104, 📞 215-488-7676, 🌐 ramenumai.com

At Terakawa Ramen, with locations in Chinatown and University City, you’ll find ramen recipes originating from the Kumamoto region of Japan. Here, the broth simmers for two days for a deep flavor that pairs with two styles of ramen: thick, wavy egg noodles or thin, straight noodles. Both styles are handmade, cooked al dente, and added to the broth with veggies, meats, soy sauce, dark roasted leek, crushed garlic oils, and more. Cold, wavy egg noodles come in a spiced bean paste sauce with toppings in the bibim noodle bowl. Expect to pay $14 to $20 at both Chinatown and University City locations.

📍204 N. Ninth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107, and other locations, 📞 267-687-1355, 🌐 terakawaramen.com

Best hot and cold ramen in Philly

Neighborhood Ramen: 📍617 S 3rd St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147, 📞 215-201-3501, 🌐 neighborhoodramen.com

Cheu: 📍1416 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19125, 📞 267-758-2269, 🌐cheufishtown.com

Morimoto: 📍723 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 📞 215-413-9070, 🌐morimotorestaurant.com

Chika: 📍1526 Sansom St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19102, 📞 215-419-5847, 🌐chikaramenbar.com

Nom Nom Ramen: 📍20 S 18th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 📞 215-988-0898, 🌐nomnomramen.com

Yamitsuki: 📍1028 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107, 📞 215-629-3888, 🌐 yamitsuki1028.wixsite.com/yamitsukiramen

Terakawa Ramen: 📍204 North 9th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107, and other locations, 📞 267-687-1355, 🌐 terakawaramen.com

Ramen Umai: 📍32 South 40th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104, 📞 215-488-7676, 🌐 ramenumai.com