9 Slurp-Worthy Ramen Stops in Charleston

If you’re located in West Ashley, downtown, Mount Pleasant, or beyond, chances are that there are noodles near you. We’ve selected a few of the top spots offering varieties of toppings and broths.

These stops are not listed by rank…

Funky Folly shack Chico Feo serves up noodle bowls in the evenings. It’s a porky broth with slices of meat, bok choy, an egg, and other glorious accoutrements. Look for the Wu-Tang bowl once the weather gets cold.

Craft beer and Asian/Indian comfort food stop Jack of Cups Saloon recently released its fall menu with a new black noodle ramen bowl. The colorful creation stacks mushrooms, herbs, seasonal produce, and a hard boiled egg over vegetarian broth.

Ramen pop-up 2 Nixons doesn’t have a set location, but it’s a good bet you can find chef Jeffrey Stoneberger and his bowls at a brewery near you. The combinations are always changing, so once week you might get Benton’s bacon and local shrimp shio ramen and the next week it will be blue crab ramen.

Korean restaurant Ko Cha sits in a gas station with about seven tables and a very extensive menu of bulgogi and bibimbap, but if you’re looking for noodles, the kitchen can satisfy those cravings. The presentation is unfussy with chicken broth and instant noodles, but you can dress it up with extra cucumber and cabbage kimchi.

Tuesdays are ramen nights at West Ashley’s Ms. Rose’s Fine Food & Cocktails. The kitchen serves toasted rye ramen with shoyu broth, and guests can opt to add chicken feet, pork belly, brisket, shrimp, mushrooms, kimchi, or a poached egg.

Sushi spot O-Ku offers bowls of warmth and noodles on Tuesdays. Stop in or check social media for specials like pan-seared duck breast ramen with roasted oyster mushrooms, pickled green beans, and mango chutney.

One of the last holdouts for noodle bowls downtown, CO offers a Vietnamese ramen with pork belly, shredded pork, poached egg, bok choy, and egg noodles in a pork broth. Cozy up to the counter, order a bowl, and watch the crowds on Lower King go by.

Last year, Mount Pleasant eatery Aya Cookhouse introduced $5 ramen nights on Wednesdays (it’s off menu, so you have to ask). Housemade noodles come with a variety of broths (tonkotsu, red miso, shoyu, shio, and shiitake kombu) and a large selection of proteins and produce add-ons. During the rest of the week, Aya serves a choice of pork, fried chicken, or tofu ramen.

Most patrons go to Kanpai for the sushi, but the Mount Pleasant restaurant also offers a variety of ramens. Choose from soy, chashu, tonkotsu, and miso bowls from chef Sean Park.