It’s soup season—slurp on a bowl of comfort at these restaurants across India

The best part about winter, inarguably, is digging into indulgent food that is a hug to the soul, and nothing is more nourishing than a bowl of piping hot soup that warms you up from the inside. Ahead, read through our curated list and bookmark these places for the next time you need a bowl of comfort on a crisp winter evening (or morning). 

Mumbai

Milliways Broth Noodle and Bao

If you’re craving for a hearty bowl of ramen but don’t feel like stepping out, then Milliways Broth Noodle and Bao is here to the rescue—their shoyu ramen is one of the best in the city. Choose from either braised chicken or braised Belgian pork belly which gets added to a rich broth along with Japanese ramen noodles, seaweed, spring onions, bean sprouts, corn, bakchoy, and the finishing flourish—a soy-cured soft-yolk egg. Want something with a zingier flavour profile? Go for the Vietnamese vegan pho—it has flat rice noodles in a clear vegetable broth with veggies, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, onion and chillies. 

Copper Chimney

Sometimes all you want is to sip on bowl of good ol’ tomato soup—there is something about the sweet-sour flavour combined with the richness of cream that warms you up! Copper Chimney’s herbed tomato soup does just that—expect an indulgent soup flavoured with herbs for a slight kick and garnished with wheat crisps (instead of the usual croutons). For a lighter option, pick their signature Ab-e-hayat, which is a light vegetable and coconut water soup fortified with turmeric and celery for a unique outcome that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Delhi-NCR

Jade, The Claridges

Jade, The Claridges’ in-house Asian restaurant, is known in the city for serving some of the best soups. The soup section on the menu stars favourites like wonton clear soup, which you can get with either seasonal veggies, chicken, or prawns, while the sweet-tart tomato and egg drop soup has shiitake mushrooms for a hit of umami. If you’d like to stick to your usual soup order, then you can’t go wrong with the lemon and coriander, or the sweet corn. Try out your soup with their dim sums, which make for the ultimate treat.

Yum Yum Cha

Yum Yum Cha is a Delhi institution for Asian food, and for good reason—there are very few places that get their dim sums and soups as spot on as them. They have an extensive soup section on the menu, from classics like lemon and coriander, to tom yum and the garlic pepper. There’s a spicy veg ramen too, in case you’d like to try a plant-based version of the popular dish. 

Bengaluru 

Phobidden Fruit

While Vietnamese food is still trying to find its footing in India, pho is something that is universally loved—there are very few who can resist a hot wholesome bowl of the soup-noodles combo. The beef pho at Phobidden Fruit is just irresistible with chewy meat in slow-simmered broth, topped with a smattering of fresh herbs and chillies. Want to enjoy your soup from the comfort of your couch? (we relate!), then order in. 

Naru Noodle Bar

If you’re on the lookout for the best ramen in Bengaluru, don’t think further than Naru Noodle Bar, which is chef Kavan Kuttappa’s brainchild. The tiny eatery will instantly transport you to a small alleyway in Japan as you watch your steaming bowl of ramen being made. There are ample options to choose from—there’s a Tokyo-style shoyu ramen that features an unctuous chicken and dashi broth along with chicken, bamboo shoots, scallions, spinach, and nori (roasted seaweed sheets). The tonkatsu is a must-try too—it has braised pork, scallions, soy-marinated egg (ajitama) and red pickled ginger (beni shoga) floating in a rich and creamy pork broth. All ramen bowls of course come with a hefty portion of springy ramen noodles. 

Lead image: Sanskriti Bist/Instagram