You’re in Boston and looking to chow on some quality food to satiate that rumbling in your stomach. What are you in the mood for today?
Pizza? Too greasy.
Pasta? Too fattening.
A burger and fries? Meh, just not in the mood.
Well, what about ramen?
No, we’re not talking about that cheap packaged ramen you can buy at 7-11 for a buck with so-called “flavorings” like chicken or beef.
You’re averse to ripping open one of those little bags and sprinkling powder on some tough noodles while they boil in water.
You want quality ramen. Well, thankfully, you’re about to get a quick course on the best ramen in Boston.
Sit back, relax, and be prepared to be amazed at the number of quality ramen shops there are in Beantown.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Opening in March 1988, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka started off as a small, family-style restaurant in Japan.
Hitoshi Hatanaka, the founder of the restaurant, perfected a savory pork bone soup that served as the basis for delicious ramen dishes.
The broth is carefully simmered for 20 hours and then mixed with a special ramen bowl chosen by Hatanaka himself. Located in Boston’s Back Bay, this family-friendly restaurant has a 30-year legacy of producing delectable ramen dishes seasoned with salt, vegetables, fish, and kelp.
Address: 1 Bow St, Cambridge, MA 02138; 66 Hereford St, Boston, MA 02115
Website: Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Ganko Ittetsu Ramen
Did you know that in Japan, the birthplace of ramen, you can find several different styles of ramen?
Ganko Ittetsu Ramen makes Sapporo ramen, which dates back to the 1940s and features a thicker pork broth as its base.
The featured dish on the eatery’s menu is miso ramen, a miso soup flavored with salt, soy sauce, and pork with Nishiyama Seimen noodles.
Let’s not forget that each dish is served with caramelized vegetables! Cooked in a wok, their ramen dishes are zesty with a distinct taste.
Zip on over to Brookline to try out the restaurant’s delicious menu.
Address: 318 Harvard St #3, Brookline, MA 02446
Website: Ganko Ittetsu Ramen
Shabu & Mein
Drop into Cambridge after hopping across the Charles River and you’ll find Shabu & Mein, a gem of a restaurant with an extensive menu, tasty drinks, and yummy ramen!
With creative dish names like “Bromance” or “Spicy Hell’s Ramen,” this spot offers easy conversation starters to help you and your friends enjoy a first-rate experience.
Shabu & Mein offers not one, not two, but six types of noodle options—including gluten-free and vegetable!
With reasonable prices and fair portions, Shabu & Mein should be on your ramen bucket list.
Address: 148 First St, Cambridge, MA 02141
Website: Shabu & Mein
Yoki Japanese Restaurant & Bar
A little over six miles northwest of downtown Boston, Medford is home to Yoki Japanese Restaurant & Bar, a chic eatery that’s guaranteed to please.
Yoki has a small ramen menu that offers add-ons such as bamboo shoots and chicken. Consider munching on some tofu ramen while you sip on a tasty cocktail.
Stop by Yoki’s today! Imbibe some cool drinks with your hot ramen and enjoy the ambiance of this hip establishment.
Address: 62 Station Landing, Medford, MA 02155
Website: Yoki Japanese Restaurant & Bar
Totto Ramen
Established in New York City, Totto Ramen has grown to eight locations, including three in the Boston area.
Whether dining in Allston, South Bay, or Assembly Row, you’re guaranteed some quality ramen.
If you’re in the mood for ramen and with a friend or two, consider ordering their Mega Paitan ramen dish.
All ramen entrees can be made as spicy as you like!
Best of all: You can get mouthwatering add-ons like fried garlic and spicy sesame oil!
Address: 463 Artisan Way, Somerville, MA 02145; 169 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134
Website: Totto Ramen
Sapporo Ramen
Another aficionado of Sapporo-style ramen, Sapporo Ramen has a simple yet tasty menu.
A short walk from the Porter Square MBTA station, this restaurant boasts 10 different types of ramen, homemade broth, and succulent chicken that’s slow-cooked for 10 hours.
You can get double the amount of noodles for less than $3.00 and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a dish more delicious than the spicy miso ramen. Drop into this lovely little lunchroom and don’t forget—cash only!
Address: 1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
Website: Sapporo Ramen
Wen’s Yunnan noodle and Ramen
If their sleek, easy-to-navigate website is any indication, you’re going to have a great experience at Wen’s Yunnan Noodle and Ramen.
Choose between two locations: The shop on swanky Newbury Street or the bistro on Tremont Street overlooking the historic Boston Commons.
Both locations have great hours, opening at 11 a.m. and closing at 9:30 p.m. seven days a week!
Maybe nibble on a dumpling while you chow down on the veggie miso ramen.
Address: 247 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116
Website: Wen’s Yunnan noodle and Ramen
Pikaichi
Another ramen restaurant in Medford, Pikaichi Ramen’s menu is guaranteed to make your mouth water.
You can’t go wrong with a spicy ramen dish with chili strings and spiced pork.
Aside from custom-made noodles, Pikaichi offers beautifully bubbly beverages straight from Japan!
Can you imagine yourself feasting upon a savory veggie miso ramen and washing it down with a melon cream soda? Um, yeah, we can too!
Address: 123 Boston Ave, Medford, MA 02155
Website: Pikaichi
One Ramen And Sushi
Ramen at this Cambridge restaurant is prepared in the Tonkotsu style with a pork broth and a noodle cooked with a hard center.
With options such as the Spicy Kimchi Miso Ramen and the brothless Cold Beef Ramen, One Ramen and Sushi provides plenty of choices to pamper your palate.
And for those of you health-conscious foodies who may have unique dietary restrictions or preferences, all ramen dishes have no MSG and low sodium and fat.
If sushi has suddenly caught your eye, you may want to check out one of the best sushi restaurants in Boston and then double back to One Ramen and Sushi soon!
Address: 1759 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
Website: One Ramen And Sushi
Red White Ramen
Located on Boston’s exclusive and exquisite Newbury Street, Red White Ramen is the brainchild of founder Tokuma Kobayashi, who opened the restaurant 12 years ago.
With names such as Dragon Breath and King & Queen, this eatery sets itself apart from other ramen shops because of its vegan ingredients.
Yep, that’s right. Not only are the dishes vegan-based, but they also date back to a 1300-year-old dining tradition practiced by Japanese monks.
Transcend to a new level of ramen with Red White Ramen!
Address: 294 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02115
Website: Red White Ramen
Soup Shack
Cambridge, Brookline, and Boston each serve as a home to a Soup Shack restaurant.
With an impressive array of add-on items, the pork and vegetable-based broths in these ramen meals look delectably delicious and promise to tantalize the taste buds.
Soup Shack’s success was a triple-punch to the Boston area with the Jamaica Plain store opening in 2018, the Brookline restaurant in 2019, and the Cambridge location in 2020.
With such a rapid succession of store openings, all signs point to there being a high demand for Soup Shack’s tasty ramen dishes.
Address: 779 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130
Website: Soup Shack
Tsurumen Davis
Nestled in Somerville, a suburb of Boston, Tsurumen Davis boasts three ramen dishes on its Signature Selections menu, so they must be scrumptious.
Situated in the young, hipster, and chic neighborhood of Davis Square, this small eatery has a small but tasty menu.
Do us a favor? Try not to get addicted to the Spicy Paitan Ramen.
Address: 420 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02144
Website: Tsurumen Davis
Isshindo Ramen
Translated as “One Heart One Ramen,” Isshindo Ramen calls Allston home and prides itself on being responsive to the tastes of its customers.
How’s that? Well, based on customer feedback, the eatery uses a yellow ramen noodle and cooks it so that it’s chewy to the taste.
Ramen dishes have a chashu pork base and are seasoned with soy sauce imported directly from Japan. The chefs have about 20 years of combined culinary experience and you’ll most certainly taste that in every bite!
Address: 1 Brighton Ave, Boston, MA 02134
Website: Isshindo Ramen
Ebisuya Japanese Noodle House
Malden, Massachusetts is one of the top five most diverse cities in the Commonwealth, so it totally makes sense that it’d have a happening cuisine scene.
Enter Ebisuya Japanese Noodle House, which has a curated selection of quality ramen dishes to please those with persnickety and particular palates.
Though open a limited number of hours each day, you owe it to your umami—yes, that little-known taste category other than sweet, sour, salt, bitter—to satiate your need for some savory sustenance!
Address: 64 Summer St, Malden, MA 02148
Website: Ebisuya Japanese Noodle House
Muku Ramen
How do you like your ramen? Spicy? Well, maybe go for the Red Devil. Not so spicy? Try the Signature Miso or the Shoyu.
But where can you grab these dishes? Well, Muku Ramen, of course! The eatery opened in January 2021 and isn’t even one year old!
It may be in its infancy, but reviews are looking pretty good for the newbie in Cambridge’s Central Square. Check it out!
Address: 411 Massachusetts Ave Retail #5, Cambridge, MA 02139
Website: Muku Ramen