By: Kyrie Sismaet By: Kyrie Sismaet | August 10, 2022 | Food & Drink, Culture, Neighborhoods, Local,
Whether you crave the silkiness of tonkatsu, the unctuous tang of black garlic, or any of the other fresh components that go into ramen, this classic Japanese noodle soup makes for the most comforting meal during a chilly foggy day. When Karl the Fog happens to make an extended visit, here are the most inviting ramen restaurants all around San Francisco that serve up the tastiest broths with the most generous of toppings, all in affordable prices and within their delightful interiors.
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1581 Webster St Ste 235 / (415) 872-9786 / Website
Marufuku certainly has a presence in California and the Bay, with other nearby locations in Redwood City and Oakland. The sleek and trendy Japantown location opened in 2017 to a flock of hungry adoring fans, and since then they have had a consistent crowd ready to feast on their signature Hakata-style ramen. This is a rich umami broth made from stewed pork bones that is creamy and comes piled high with thin artisanal noodles and chicken paitan.
18 Yerba Buena Ln / (415) 348-1202 / Website
Ippudo is the perfect tucked-away stop near Market Street if you need some cozy and intimate rejuvination after a long day at the SFMOMA or at the Westfield. Highly awarded and revered in Japan, visit their Instagrammable San Francisco location for a true taste of authentic legacy with their Shiromaru Classic Tonkotsu, or their bold Akamaru Modern. For those daring, take on the challenge of their Karaka Spicy, which you can wash down with one of their many top-tier Sakes.
1382 9th Ave / (415) 702-6014 / Website
Ushi Taro in the Inner Sunset neighborhood specializes in beef broth ramen, which generates intriguingly ingenious variations for you to warm up with. While they also excel in the traditional Paitan, definitely do not miss out on their vibrant Ox Tail Tomato Ramen, which comes with king oyster mushrooms and arugula. This is a decadently unique spin that is sure to impress and become your next instant go-to.
237 Fillmore St / (415) 926-8173 / Website
If you happen to be sightseeing the Painted Ladies either with family or on a date, Iza is the only premier choice for comforting ramen afterwards in the Lower Haight. Relax in their intimate and contemporary atmosphere with a hot bowl of either their Iza Ramen with bbq pork, marinated egg, toasted crispy seaweed and more, or their Iza Tsukemen, which is a dipping-style ramen with thicker noodles. Both are adorned liberally with several various toppings to ensure you are fully nourished and taken care of.
1737 Buchanan St / (415) 757-0552 / Website
Hinodeya graciously has locations in both Japantown and the Financial District, so that everyone can get a scrumptious taste of their award-winning ramen! Here, their broth is Dashi-style, which lends a deeper savory complexity from its culturally traditional stock of bonito tuna, konbu seaweed. This is the ultimate choice for seafood ramen, with their House Ramen made with scallop broth and served with chasu pork, or their buttery Hamaguri Ramen with fresh littleneck clams and whole wheat noodles.
231 Franklin St / (415) 896-4587 / Website
Hayes Valley is chock-full of the most impeccably refined cultural bars and restaurants, and lavish Nojo Ramen Tavern is no exception. This bright and modern high-ceiling shop delivers the most creative and elevated variations of the humble soup. Try their Soy Sauce Ramen with black garlic oil and a whole slow-braised chicken leg, their gingery Shio (Salt) Ramen with light chicken tsukune meatballs and yuzu, or their enticing Tan Tan Spicy Miso.
3319 Mission St / (415) 648-7722 / Website
Coco's may look unassuming from the outside, but let the traditional large lanterns draw you inside to reveal a magical black and red room embodying a true izakaya. Feel transported right to the land of the rising sun as you indulge in their slow-cooked homestyle broth in eight distinct varieties of creamy Miso, Special Seafood, Classic Shoyu, Light Veggie, and more. Each of their ramens are fully customizable with spiciness levels and additions of black garlic, to truly make your meal feel at home.
672 Geary St / (415) 800-8345 / Website
Just a few blocks off of the Curran Theatre and Union Square, Mensho Tokyo's large open windows will draw you into their clean, minimalist atmosphere for a fully reviving bowl. The inside looks artfully cutting-edge, which perfectly matches their ramen options of their G.K.O. that promises a strong Garlic Knock Out, or their fiery Blaze Ramen with Chili Pork Chashu. Their Matcha Ramen with fried burdock root is also a novel choice, which is definitely worth the wait at this ever-popular hotspot.
Who knew ramen could have so many different varieties? These brilliant restaurants all perfectly capture the culinary creativity and trendy originality the city of San Francisco exudes.
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Photography by: Diego Lozano/Unsplash