Food

10 Downtown DC Soup Spots to Keep You Cozy This Winter

Warm up with a bowl of udon or avgolemono.

Daikaya and sister spot Bantam King both serve vegetarian ramen. Photo by Scott Suchman

Whether you’re battling a cold or shivering while you await the next snow forecast, a hot bowl of soup is a winter survival necessity. These downtown spots ladle hearty stews, comforting noodle soups, and soothing bowls of broth.

Greek Deli 
1120 19th St., NW 
Lunchtime crowds line up for Kostas Fostieris‘s orzo-dotted avgolemono soup, which comes with a slice of fresh bread for dipping. The rich elixir of chicken and eggs calls to mind curling up in a thick blanket, and the bursts of lemon brighten chilly days.

Teaism
400 Eighth St., NW; 2009 R St., NW; 800 Connecticut Ave., NW, 1309 Fifth St., NE
Go for double the warmth with both spoonfuls of soup and a cup of tea. Offerings include curried lentils, gingery udon, and restorative coconut-miso broth.

Daikaya/Bantam King 
705 Sixth St., NW; 501 G St., NW 
Katsuya Fukushima’s ramen shops—around the corner from one another—have their own specialties. Bantam King focuses on chicken-based ramen while Daikaya’s Sapporo-style soup is laden with roast pork. Both serve spicy miso broth and vegetarian versions, among others.

Soupergirl 
1829 M St., NW; 314 Carroll St., NW 
The Dupont Circle/Takoma shop ladles vegan-friendly plant-based soups. There’s cream- of- mushroom made velvety with homemade cashew cream, and a stew-like mix of chickpeas and lentils.

Rice Bar 
Multiple DC locations 
This Korean fast-casual joint lets you DIY your bowl. Pick from an array of noodles, fresh vegetables, and proteins (options include bulgogi and barbecue beef ribs) and then pour clear broth or miso over top.

Reren Lamen
817 Seventh St., NW
Slurp noodle-filled lamen — Chinese-style ramen —with toppings like shrimp tempura, pork belly, and soy sauce-marinated tea eggs. Also on the menu: wontons and dumplings folded into savory scallion-pork broth.

Momofuku CCDC 
1090 I St., NW
David Chang’s restaurant may have shaken off it’s former identity as a ramen spot, but you can still grab a bowl of noodle soup at lunch. The chicken broth is jazzed up with herbs and jalapeños.

Noodles On 11 
1100 New York Ave., NW
This noodle place features a roster of pho and tom yum soups. Top aromatic pho with well-done brisket, eye round steak, or beef meatballs. Zesty tom yum comes with your choice of noodles swimming in creamy lemongrass-scented soup.

Oyamel
401 Seventh St., NW 
The kitchen at José Andrés’s Mexican eatery spoons smoky chipotle sauce into chicken soup and tosses crispy chicharrones onto guajillo-chili-laced hominy soup.

Prescription Chicken 
Delivered by Uber Eats, Caviar, ChowNow, and Postmates.
The delivery-only outfit covers sick-day favorites like chicken noodle and matzo ball. A rotating line of seasonal soups currently includes spins on chicken pho and ramen.

Daniella Byck
Lifestyle Editor

Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.