Winner: Nama Ramen
6526 Babcock Road
(210) 641-2888
Known for a straightforward menu highlighting Japanese ingredients and for its ability to serve up scalding bowls of noodle soup rich with umami, it’s little surprise to see Nama Ramen score victory in this category. Especially since it’s won four times prior. The restaurant has been serving up slurp-able fare in 2015 and reopened in a larger digs in 2021 to accommodate its rapid following. Beyond ramen bathed in its creamy tonkotsu and earthy miso broths, Nama offers chopstick-friendly fare such as gyoza, karaage chicken, bao and sushi — all of which go down easy thanks to the spot’s easygoing vibes.
2. Kimura
1017 N. Flores St.
(210) 444-0702
3. Bakudan Ramen
Multiple locations
This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 8, 2023.