Albuquerque, NMRamen

Naruto near UNM on Central Avenue SE comes from the Fukuda family, who opened New Mexico's first sushi bar in 1975. Ramen is the draw. Gil Garduno rated it Excellent and called the super rich tonkotsu ramen porcine perfection, an intensely porky elixir, with a miso ramen that runs thick, nutty, and hearty and a lighter clear shoyu. The house noodles are made to Naruto's own specifications. Order the tonkotsu ramen, then try the miso on a return visit.

Aji Ramen opened in November 2025 on San Mateo Boulevard NE, in the former Budai Gourmet Chinese space, around a small sushi bar. Gil Garduno noted that Aji will remind you how much better restaurant ramen is than the instant kind. The kitchen also turns out sushi rolls alongside the bowls. Order a bowl of ramen, and add the lion king roll if you want sushi on the side.

Oni Noodles downtown on Central Avenue SW comes from chef Gaspar de Alba, formerly of Portland's Yakuza, and sources most ingredients from local farms and ranches. Gil Garduno rated it Outstanding for its pecan dashi ramen, a bowl of smoked tofu, red chile tare, pecan broth, daikon, squash, cabbage, shiitake, and a slow egg that he called a swoon-inducing, cohesive whole. Order the pecan dashi ramen, and add smoked bone marrow to it.

O Ramen and Curry House near UNM on Central Avenue SE serves Japanese ramen and curry. Gil Garduno rated it Excellent and praised a pork curry with a light panko crust and grease-free pork, and the restaurant won a Hot Plate Award in Albuquerque The Magazine in 2017 for its Mini Pot dessert. Best bets include the tonkotsu spicy miso ramen and the curry with pork and rice. Order the tonkotsu spicy miso ramen and a side of takoyaki.

Nagomi on Juan Tabo Boulevard NE is run by Masahito Sano, whose family has run a Tokyo restaurant for a century and who cooked at Japanese Kitchen before opening here. Its tonkotsu ramen captures the essence of pork through hours of bone broth reduction, served in a room built around eating with your eyes. Order the tonkotsu ramen, and start with the assorted tempura in its light golden batter.