Best Ramen in Bergen County — 5 Shops Worth a Steamy Bowl

 

When the temperature drops, nothing beats a bowl of ramen — and Bergen County quietly has one of the best ramen scenes in New Jersey, from a pioneering Fort Lee shop that has been serving noodles since 2003 to a Hokkaido-born counter inside a Japanese market in Edgewater. Here are five shops worth the drive, all family-friendly and all serving real, broth-first ramen.

The Shops: Batten Ramen, 243 Main Street, Fort Lee — one of the first ramen restaurants in America, serving noodles since 2003; signature Shiawase Aori Miso Ramen (vegetables and pork flambeed and simmered to mellow the miso); roomy interior with manga to read. Menya Ramen House, 76 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood — spicy miso tonkotsu and fried chicken karaage are the regulars' picks; takeout available. KOKORO House of Ramen, 235 Rock Road, Glen Rock — cozy shop praised for rich tonkotsu, creamy chicken ramen, and vegan ramen; chicken mazemen (brothless, with fried chicken) is a fun pick for kids who prefer noodles without soup. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, inside Mitsuwa Marketplace, Edgewater — born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido in 1988 with nine seats and one menu item (shio ramen); still serves its mild, rich white tonkotsu soup in thick bowls designed to keep the broth hot to the last drop. Blackbeard Ramen, Cliffside Park — alongside classic bowls, Thai-Japanese bowls including red and green curry ramen and tom yum, a spicy, sour Thai-style broth with shrimp and lime.

Kid-Friendly Notes: Most shops will make a milder bowl on request; mazemen (brothless) bowls are a smart toddler pick (less splashing, easier with a fork); Mitsuwa's food court setup means picky eaters can pair ramen with something else; weekend lunch is calmer than weekend dinner at the smaller shops.

What to Order: First-timers — tonkotsu or shio. Spice lovers — spicy miso, or the tom yum at Blackbeard. Non-soup fans — chicken mazemen at KOKORO, or a chashu don rice bowl. Sides worth sharing — gyoza, karaage, and a soft egg in the bowl.

Make a Day of It: Pair a Fort Lee ramen stop with a Hudson waterfront walk, a Ridgewood bowl with a stroll down East Ridgewood Avenue's shops, or an Edgewater visit with a Mitsuwa grocery run for Japanese snacks to take home.