A meal in a bowl: ramen, an artful Japanese noodle soup boasting fresh veggies, beautifully done meats, maybe an egg, a complex broth loaded with umami. This tasty, convenient and affordable comfort food has surged in popularity in the States.
A growing Japanese population has helped, and so has the influence of social media and Japanese pop culture, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. Along the way, the number of ramen restaurants nearly doubled from 2010 to 2025, according to The Story of Ramen, a ramen cooking school in San Francisco.
Hampton Roads has no shortage of ramen restaurants, and our readers had no problem nominating nearly a dozen places with tasty ramen for this Taste Test. On a recent Monday, three taste testers volunteered their time to try shoyu ramen — which features a soy sauce-based broth — from the three most-nominated restaurants.
We opted for takeout and reheated the broth only from the first two. From the last, the broth and toppings were reheated, which affected its score only slightly.
Ramen earned points in five categories: broth, noodles, toppings, overall taste and value. Testers’ scores were added and averaged to arrive at the final score.
Here’s what they liked. Comments have been lightly edited.
___
Winner
Ichran Japanese Ramen
5720 Hoggard Road, Norfolk, 757-461-8630
This Japanese restaurant serves more than a dozen ramen dishes in an unassuming strip center near the former Military Circle mall. It opened in 2015, according to its Facebook page. Two years later, a Virginian-Pilot correspondent recommended the tonkotsu ramen (white broth with thin noodles).
Price: $12.95
Ramen score: 79
What they said:
“The perfect balance between broth, noodles, and a mix of traditional ramen toppings.” — Ben
The broth: “Well flavored. Not overly oily. It had a nice aroma — a good umami flavor.” — Carol
“The toppings offered a good mix of textures from chewy to crunchy. It was heavy on the bean sprouts.” — Kendall
___
Second place
Kappo Nara offers a good amount of protein for the price in its shoyu ramen. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Kappo Nara Ramen
989 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, kapponararamenva.com, 757-467-1102; 2000 Colonial Ave., Norfolk, kapponararamen.net, 757-222-6700
Kappo Nara offers a selection of ramen, rice dishes, Japanese curry and bubble tea. The restaurant started as a sushi bar 30 years ago in Newport News; that site is now closed. Later, it expanded to the Ghent and Kempsville areas as ramen shops, according to its website.
Price: $13
Ramen score: 77
What they said:
“The broth was a little thinner than expected but made the ramen easy to eat with no harsh aftertaste.” — Ben
“Nothing exceptional about the noodles. They were firm, not limp.” — Carol
“I think this is a good amount of food with a great protein portion for the price.” — Kendall
___
Third place
People rave about The Stockpot’s ramen, served only on Mondays. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
The Stockpot
215 E. Plume St., Norfolk, 757-227-3337; 700 19th St., Virginia Beach, 757-995-7197; 1296 S. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake, 757-609-2962; stockpotsoups.com
The Stockpot is known for its soup, stews and salads. People also rave about its ramen, served on Mondays only at its three locations. Our testers tried the shoyu from Norfolk, in Selden Market.
Price: $18.75
Ramen score: 57
What they said:
“A different take on ramen, bringing with it a different offering in toppings. A drawback for me is the cost, as this one comes in higher than what I normally try to pay for a bowl of ramen.” — Ben
“Acceptable ramen. Good but didn’t expect the kimchi topping which normally isn’t in the ramen bowl.” — Carol
“The broth had a deep red color to it with a slight spice. It looked appealing and made me curious to try. It had a sweet flavor because of the kimchi topping.” — Kendall
Honorable mentions
Alkaline in Norfolk, Misako Asian Cuisine in Virginia Beach, Osaka Ramen & Sushi in Virginia Beach, and Tanpopo Ramen in Newport News
___
Our testers
Ramen taste tester Ben Miller. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Ben Miller, 49, Virginia Beach
Occupation: Retired Navy
Nominated: Misako Asian Cuisine, 4701 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach
On ramen: I lived in Japan for four years and consider myself spoiled by good authentic ramen.
___
Ramen taste tester Carol VanDeventer. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Carol VanDeventer, Poquoson
Occupation: Retired teacher
Nominated: Alkaline, 742 W. 21st St., Norfolk
On ramen: Outstanding ramen must have a depth of flavor beginning with the broth to the texture of the noodles.
___
Ramen taste tester Kendall Warner. (Rekaya Gibson/The Virginian-Pilot)
Kendall Warner, 29, Norfolk
Occupation: Photojournalist
On ramen: I am by no means a ramen expert but rather am a thorough enjoyer of the dish, especially on a crisp winter night.
___
Next up: Carrot cake
We’re springing forward early with carrot cake.
Nominate your favorites by contacting us with the names of the Hampton Roads bakeries or restaurants and the cities where they are located.
If you’d like to be a tester, tell us why and include your name, age, city of residence, phone number and an email address, if you have one.
Nominations and applications will be accepted through March 8. Send your nominations and applications to taste.test@pilotonline.com.
Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com
Dining and Cooking