Winter may be gone, but a great bowl of ramen is never a bad idea no matter the season. The gospel of ramen became mainstream across the country in the last decade, particularly after the rise of David Chang's Momofuku. In Denver, the popularity of ramen began with Bones, increased with Uncle, and was solidified with Osaka Ramen, Tokio, and Katsu Ramen.
Mile High City restaurants and ramen-yas (small eateries serving primarily ramen) are creating some beautiful iterations of the Japanese noodle soup dish. From the most traditional, time-tested versions to the more inventive approaches, ramen fans are sure to be matched with their perfect bowl of ramen in Denver.
Note: Restaurants featured are listed in alphabetical order, highlighting specific bowls of ramen from local kitchens. If we missed your favorite ramen dish, let us know by sending a message via the Eater tipline.
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In a fusion match made in heaven, this small but mighty eatery serves a green chili ramen that combines braised pork, hominy, Cotija cheese, green chili broth, and tops it all with a poached egg.
Brazen's popular ramen dish only comes out at night as the gem of the late night menu at the Berkeley/Highlands eatery. The dish is always done with savory shoyu broth and poached egg, but other accoutrements change nightly.
Domo's Japanese offerings are extensive but you can't miss the ramen sets. Dinner ramen is served with your choice of noodle soup, mini donburi bowl, and seven small sides. A favorite here is the spicy salmon ramen with savory dashi miso broth and grilled salmon.
Katsu Ramen in has been packed since its opening earlier this year. The Aurora spot has perfected traditional ramen. For an excellent chilled version of the noodle soup, order Katsu's hiyashi chuka with chilled egg noodles and finely shredded veggies. Add sweet corn and a boiled egg for optimal eating pleasure.
The hangover ramen, available on the lunch and brunch menu, is worth the buzz. Pork belly, duck confit, soft boiled shoyu egg, mushrooms, sesame, and condiments galore team up to turn your mid-day meal around.
The Englewood ramen spot does traditional ramen right. Try the negi tonkotsu, served with your choice of shio or shoyu tonkotsu broth, springy egg noodles, and finely shredded green onion.
Osaka Ramen approaches ramen from both a traditional and very non-traditional standpoint. The best of the bowls here is the tonkotsu, made with pork broth, bamboo shoots, pork belly, pickled ginger, black garlic oil, and topped with a soft egg.
For a traditional bowl of tantan-men ramen, head to Ototo. The dish combines egg noodles, spicy ground pork, bok choy, and bean sprouts in a 48-hour cooked spicy pork broth.
Tokio is one of the only Denver restaurants that serves ramen tsukemen style, meaning broth and noodles separately. It's a create-your-own ramen adventure with a bowl of pork broth, serving of insanely good pork dipping sauce, chilled noodles (served separately), pickled bamboo, carrot red pickled ginger, and bok choy.
The Momofuku-inspired ramen-ya serves an array of iterations on the Japanese noodle soup- it's hard to pick just one. Next time you're in order the duck ramen, done in shoyu broth with arugula, apple, togarashi, and soft egg. The kimchi ramen is also killer.
The ramen offerings at this hot spot in Uptown change periodically but you can always count on a hearty bowl like the current braised pork shank with bacon fried rice and sesame spinach.
Spicy Miso Rame at this gorgeous Cherry Creek restaurant combines a flavorful broth with pork belly, bamboo shoot, toasted chili, and a six minute egg.
Sandy’s matzo ball ramen at this new Boulder restaurant combines chicken bone broth, red miso, Sandy’s duckfat matzo ball, all topped with a Wisdom Farm duck egg.
This well-respected institution of Japanese cuisine serves a mean lobster ramen rich in miso-lobster stock, generously appointed with tender lobster, housemade lobster dumplings, and ears of baby corn. The noodles are made in-house.
In a fusion match made in heaven, this small but mighty eatery serves a green chili ramen that combines braised pork, hominy, Cotija cheese, green chili broth, and tops it all with a poached egg.
Brazen's popular ramen dish only comes out at night as the gem of the late night menu at the Berkeley/Highlands eatery. The dish is always done with savory shoyu broth and poached egg, but other accoutrements change nightly.
Domo's Japanese offerings are extensive but you can't miss the ramen sets. Dinner ramen is served with your choice of noodle soup, mini donburi bowl, and seven small sides. A favorite here is the spicy salmon ramen with savory dashi miso broth and grilled salmon.
Katsu Ramen in has been packed since its opening earlier this year. The Aurora spot has perfected traditional ramen. For an excellent chilled version of the noodle soup, order Katsu's hiyashi chuka with chilled egg noodles and finely shredded veggies. Add sweet corn and a boiled egg for optimal eating pleasure.
The hangover ramen, available on the lunch and brunch menu, is worth the buzz. Pork belly, duck confit, soft boiled shoyu egg, mushrooms, sesame, and condiments galore team up to turn your mid-day meal around.
The Englewood ramen spot does traditional ramen right. Try the negi tonkotsu, served with your choice of shio or shoyu tonkotsu broth, springy egg noodles, and finely shredded green onion.
Osaka Ramen approaches ramen from both a traditional and very non-traditional standpoint. The best of the bowls here is the tonkotsu, made with pork broth, bamboo shoots, pork belly, pickled ginger, black garlic oil, and topped with a soft egg.
For a traditional bowl of tantan-men ramen, head to Ototo. The dish combines egg noodles, spicy ground pork, bok choy, and bean sprouts in a 48-hour cooked spicy pork broth.
Tokio is one of the only Denver restaurants that serves ramen tsukemen style, meaning broth and noodles separately. It's a create-your-own ramen adventure with a bowl of pork broth, serving of insanely good pork dipping sauce, chilled noodles (served separately), pickled bamboo, carrot red pickled ginger, and bok choy.
The Momofuku-inspired ramen-ya serves an array of iterations on the Japanese noodle soup- it's hard to pick just one. Next time you're in order the duck ramen, done in shoyu broth with arugula, apple, togarashi, and soft egg. The kimchi ramen is also killer.
The ramen offerings at this hot spot in Uptown change periodically but you can always count on a hearty bowl like the current braised pork shank with bacon fried rice and sesame spinach.
Spicy Miso Rame at this gorgeous Cherry Creek restaurant combines a flavorful broth with pork belly, bamboo shoot, toasted chili, and a six minute egg.
Sandy’s matzo ball ramen at this new Boulder restaurant combines chicken bone broth, red miso, Sandy’s duckfat matzo ball, all topped with a Wisdom Farm duck egg.
This well-respected institution of Japanese cuisine serves a mean lobster ramen rich in miso-lobster stock, generously appointed with tender lobster, housemade lobster dumplings, and ears of baby corn. The noodles are made in-house.
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