Where to Find the Best Ramen in New York City

This Lower East Side shop focuses on two specialties. Its namesake tsukemen pairs thick, cold noodles with a rich chicken-and-fish broth for dipping. Those craving a more familiar bowl of ramen can order the TonTori, made with thin noodles in a pork-and-chicken broth and topped with a soft-boiled egg, scallions, and a choice of pork or chicken.

First opened in Tokyo in 1992, Tonchin makes a lighter take on tonkotsu inspired by the city’s dashi-based ramen tradition. The restaurant now has locations in Midtown and Williamsburg, where the menu spans classic, smoked-dashi, spicy tan tan, and vegan miso-ginger ramen, along with tsukemen dipping noodles and mazemen dry noodles.

Nakamura is a tiny Lower East Side ramen shop that isn’t afraid to experiment. Run by Shigetoshi Nakamura, hailed as one of Japan’s four “ramen gods,” the restaurant makes its noodles on site and uses them in inventive bowls like truffle miso with white truffle oil and XO miso made with a house blend aged for eight months.

From the team behind Ippudo, Gogyo is a sleek restaurant serving sashimi, karaage, vegetable tempura, and other Japanese dishes. Its signature Kogashi Miso ramen is made by charring a blend of five misos at 572°F, creating a smoky, bold flavor unlike any other bowl in NYC.

This Lower East Side ramen shop reached an even wider audience after chef-owner Ivan Orkin appeared on Chef’s Table, and for good reason. Ivan Ramen offers familiar styles like chicken paitan, but its more distinctive options include Tokyo-style shio topped with roasted tomato, truffled vegan shoyu, and spicy miso ramen made with 12 chiles and five miso pastes.

For a distinctly New York take on ramen, hit Ramen by Ra. Chef Rasheeda Purdie launched the concept as a pandemic-era pop-up before moving into a four-seat Bowery Market counter and opening a six-seat East Village restaurant in 2025. Her breakfast-inspired creations include bacon, egg, and cheese ramen finished with Parmesan and lox ramen topped with cream cheese foam.

Japan-born Ippudo has locations in the East Village and Midtown, where folks line up for the team’s expertly crafted ramen. Though it’s best known for tonkotsu ramen with an ultra-rich, unctuous broth, guests can choose from several bowls and appetizers like steamed pork buns, karaage, and crispy spheres of takoyaki.

With more than 80 locations in Japan, Ichiran has made eating ramen quick, convenient, and incredibly customizable. At its three NYC locations (Times Square, Bushwick, and Midtown), you’ll be guided to an individual tasting booth, where you use a paper form to customize your bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Choose your preferred richness, spice level, and even amount of garlic, then settle in with broth so delicious you’ll want to press the call button and order kaedama, an extra helping of noodles.

Among spots specializing in rich, fatty ramen, Afuri Ramen stands out. The Tokyo-born chain that landed in Williamsburg does offer creamy pork-based broths and Wagyu-topped bowls. But it’s perhaps most famous for the yuzu shio ramen, whose zing of citrus balances the pork chashu and savory chicken broth.

On the Upper East Side, NR reimagines ramen. Its offerings range from a decadent bowl served with roasted bone marrow that diners scoop over the noodles to seasonal specials like chilled duck ramen or a version topped with uni and salmon roe. And because NR operates more like an upscale restaurant than a traditional ramen shop, you’ll also find a long list of elaborate cocktails.