clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
More Maps

The Best Sandwiches Around Boston

The Best Doughnuts in New England

The Best Tasting Menus Around Boston

More in Boston See more maps
A individual-sized crock of French onion soup with cheese dripping down the sides of the plateware.
Blue Ribbon’s French onion soup.
Blue Ribbon Brassiere

Boston’s Best Soups

As the days get colder, cozy up with a warm bowl of soup, from tom yum to pozole to borscht

by Tanya Edwards and Rachel Leah Blumenthal Updated
View as Map
Blue Ribbon’s French onion soup.
| Blue Ribbon Brassiere
by Tanya Edwards and Rachel Leah Blumenthal Updated

Whether the weather outside is frightful, or there’s just a crisp breeze in the air, we’re here to stake the claim that any season can be soup season if you want it enough.

Boston has made its mark as the town for the best clam chowder (you can find the greatest options here), but we’re not limited to clams and cream sauce. Across the Boston area, you’ll find comforting soups such as French onion and matzoh ball, along with classic stand-bys from cuisines around the globe. Try them all, fall in love with them, and return to them again and again when the weather is depressing (and even when it’s not).

Want to focus solely on ramen? Good, because Boston has a lot of great ramen. Find Boston’s best on this map.

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Sugidama Soba & Izakaya

Copy Link

Look for this Davis Square spot in its new-ish home on Elm Street (a few doors down from the original location on the same street). The sukiyaki soba is a giant, hearty bowl of soup packed full of soba, enoki mushrooms, tofu, scallions, and a perfectly poached egg.

234 Elm Street, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
(617) 764-5770
(617) 764-5770
A large white bowl filled with a brown broth, soba noodles, and green lettuces.
Hot soba at Sugidama.
Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Also featured in:

Dakzen

Copy Link

Feel the heat with the spicy tom yum noodle soup at Dakzen in Davis Square (not for the heat and spice adverse). It’s funky, it’s fishy, it’s fiery, and it may make you cry. It’s also delicious. And that’s not all for excellent soup options at Dakzen: The khao soi is also one of the best around. Pair either with a Thai iced tea with lime, cha manao, and an order of the northern Thai sausage sai ua.

195 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 718-1759
(617) 718-1759
Khao soi — a yellow curry with chicken, egg, lime, crispy noodles, and more — is served in a traditional Thai-style bowl decorated with a rooster. The bowl sits on a yellow surface.
Dakzen’s khao soi.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Also featured in:

Sugar & Spice

Copy Link

Sugar & Spice’s massive menu highlights a variety of regional cuisines of Thailand; try something you haven’t seen before, and you’re sure to find a new favorite. The guay jub is a standout, a soup featuring a five-spice soy broth that you’ll want to drink on its own — but don’t, because all the other ingredients are excellent as well. The complex broth is full of wide, flat rice noodles rolled into cigar-like shapes, as well as crispy pork, tofu, and an egg.

1933 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 868-4200
(617) 868-4200

Also featured in:

Yume Ga Arukara

Copy Link

Yume Ga Arukara is hyper-focused on udon, serving just a hot and a cold version and nothing else, aside from occasional specials. Both are incredible, but in cold weather, you’ll probably want to go with the hot version, which is also substantially more brothy. The cold version has a bit of broth, but the hot version is much more of a soup. Double up on the beef and add an egg. There’s likely to be a line at this and Yume’s new Seaport location, but it moves fast and is worth it.

1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
Thick, white noodles, a poached egg, and a scoop of chile crisp in a blue ceramic bowl set on a light wooden countertop.
Yume Ga Arukara’s famous udon.
Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Also featured in:

Angela's Cafe

Copy Link

This East Boston favorite for Mexican — with a focus on Puebla cuisine — has locations in both Eagle Hill and Orient Heights. The hearty sopa de pozole, made with hominy, is perfect in any weather, made with a choice of shredded pork or chicken; topped with lettuce, onions, radish, oregano, and chile powder; and served with corn tortilla layered with queso fresco and refried beans.

131 Lexington St, Boston, MA 02128
(617) 567-4972
(617) 567-4972

Also featured in:

Muqueca

Copy Link

Muqueca has been serving Brazilian food in Inman Square for nearly 25 years, with a focus on the flavor-packed seafood stew moqueca, cooked in a clay pot. The coconut milk-based broth is flavored with cilantro, tomatoes, onions, and more, and diners can choose among various seafood combinations. Always live large with the fish, shrimp, and mussels combo.

1008 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02141
(617) 354-3296
(617) 354-3296

Also featured in:

Antico Forno

Copy Link

Ribbollita, a classic Tuscan bean and vegetable soup that’s thickened with stale bread, could be the ideal snow day slurp. Head to Antico Forno in the North End, beg for a seat near the fireplace and warm your soul.

93 Salem St (Wiget St), Boston, MA 02113
(617) 723-6733
(617) 723-6733

Also featured in:

Somenya

Copy Link

The relatively new Somenya, a Japanese restaurant specializing in soba noodles, has quickly become a Chinatown favorite. All of the hot soba on the menu is worth a slurp, but the spicy snow crab hot soba is a refreshing and savory dish you won’t find elsewhere.

23 Hudson St, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 993-3368
(617) 993-3368

Blue Ribbon Brasserie

Copy Link

We’re not always fans of New York restaurants opening in Boston, but we’ll make an exception for Blue Ribbon, a late-night industry favorite with a classic bistro menu If a craving for rich, hearty French onion soup hits, head under the shadow of the Citgo sign for a beautiful bowl of cheese, bread, and beef broth.

528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
(617) 634-0404
(617) 634-0404
A individual-sized crock of French onion soup with cheese dripping down the sides of the plateware. Blue Ribbon Brassiere

Yankee Lobster

Copy Link

There is way more to seafood soup than chowder, and one of the greats in the soup pantheon (it exists!) is lobster bisque. Yankee Lobster, just a short walk from Boston’s working fish pier, has the freshest, most lobster-packed version in town. Just be ready to wait on a weekend.

300 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 345-9799
(617) 345-9799

Also featured in:

Zaftigs Delicatessen

Copy Link

This cozy delicatessen serves an array of warming foods, and when the matzoh ball soup craving hits, this chicken broth soup is our favorite in the area. Purists be warned, Zaftig’s in-house version comes with noodles, however for takeout noodles and matzoh are packaged on the side. There’s also a Natick location.

335 Harvard St (at Babcock St), Brookline, MA 02446
(617) 975-0075
(617) 975-0075

Also featured in:

Little Big Diner

Copy Link

As the name implies, Little Big Diner is pretty small. As for the big part of the equation? The flavors of the ramen. Try one of the noodle-filled soups, such as this spicy miso ramen with pork, an egg, bean sprouts, sweet corn, scallions, nori, and mayu (black garlic oil) with optional add-ons such as a butter cube, smoked honey corn, or a “wicked hot bomb.” (For more excellent ramen choices, check out our dedicated ramen map here.)

1247 Centre St, Newton, MA 02459
(857) 404-0068
(857) 404-0068

Also featured in:

Cafe Polonia

Copy Link

Part of Dorchester’s Polish Triangle, Cafe Polonia has been serving traditional Polish food for over two decades, from pierogi to stuffed cabbage. The famous Eastern European beet soup, borscht, is always available, filled with mushroom- or meat-stuffed ravioli, and other soups rotate. If dill pickle soup is available, absolutely order it.

611 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02127
(617) 269-0110
(617) 269-0110

Also featured in:

Pho Le Restaurant

Copy Link

For excellent Vietnamese food, Bostonians know to head to Dorchester. For classic pho, made with rice noodles, broth and a protein, stop into Pho Le for their special beef noodle soup with thinly sliced rare eye round, well-done flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe.

1356 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02122
(617) 506-6294
(617) 506-6294

Also featured in:

More in Maps

© 2025 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Link copied to the clipboard.

Sugidama Soba & Izakaya

234 Elm Street, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144

Look for this Davis Square spot in its new-ish home on Elm Street (a few doors down from the original location on the same street). The sukiyaki soba is a giant, hearty bowl of soup packed full of soba, enoki mushrooms, tofu, scallions, and a perfectly poached egg.

234 Elm Street, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
(617) 764-5770
(617) 764-5770
A large white bowl filled with a brown broth, soba noodles, and green lettuces.
Hot soba at Sugidama.
Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Dakzen

195 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144

Feel the heat with the spicy tom yum noodle soup at Dakzen in Davis Square (not for the heat and spice adverse). It’s funky, it’s fishy, it’s fiery, and it may make you cry. It’s also delicious. And that’s not all for excellent soup options at Dakzen: The khao soi is also one of the best around. Pair either with a Thai iced tea with lime, cha manao, and an order of the northern Thai sausage sai ua.

195 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 718-1759
(617) 718-1759
Khao soi — a yellow curry with chicken, egg, lime, crispy noodles, and more — is served in a traditional Thai-style bowl decorated with a rooster. The bowl sits on a yellow surface.
Dakzen’s khao soi.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Sugar & Spice

1933 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

Sugar & Spice’s massive menu highlights a variety of regional cuisines of Thailand; try something you haven’t seen before, and you’re sure to find a new favorite. The guay jub is a standout, a soup featuring a five-spice soy broth that you’ll want to drink on its own — but don’t, because all the other ingredients are excellent as well. The complex broth is full of wide, flat rice noodles rolled into cigar-like shapes, as well as crispy pork, tofu, and an egg.

1933 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 868-4200
(617) 868-4200

Yume Ga Arukara

1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

Yume Ga Arukara is hyper-focused on udon, serving just a hot and a cold version and nothing else, aside from occasional specials. Both are incredible, but in cold weather, you’ll probably want to go with the hot version, which is also substantially more brothy. The cold version has a bit of broth, but the hot version is much more of a soup. Double up on the beef and add an egg. There’s likely to be a line at this and Yume’s new Seaport location, but it moves fast and is worth it.

1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
Thick, white noodles, a poached egg, and a scoop of chile crisp in a blue ceramic bowl set on a light wooden countertop.
Yume Ga Arukara’s famous udon.
Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Angela's Cafe

131 Lexington St, Boston, MA 02128

This East Boston favorite for Mexican — with a focus on Puebla cuisine — has locations in both Eagle Hill and Orient Heights. The hearty sopa de pozole, made with hominy, is perfect in any weather, made with a choice of shredded pork or chicken; topped with lettuce, onions, radish, oregano, and chile powder; and served with corn tortilla layered with queso fresco and refried beans.

131 Lexington St, Boston, MA 02128
(617) 567-4972
(617) 567-4972

Muqueca

1008 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02141

Muqueca has been serving Brazilian food in Inman Square for nearly 25 years, with a focus on the flavor-packed seafood stew moqueca, cooked in a clay pot. The coconut milk-based broth is flavored with cilantro, tomatoes, onions, and more, and diners can choose among various seafood combinations. Always live large with the fish, shrimp, and mussels combo.

1008 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02141
(617) 354-3296
(617) 354-3296

Antico Forno

93 Salem St (Wiget St), Boston, MA 02113

Ribbollita, a classic Tuscan bean and vegetable soup that’s thickened with stale bread, could be the ideal snow day slurp. Head to Antico Forno in the North End, beg for a seat near the fireplace and warm your soul.

93 Salem St (Wiget St), Boston, MA 02113
(617) 723-6733
(617) 723-6733

Somenya

23 Hudson St, Boston, MA 02111

The relatively new Somenya, a Japanese restaurant specializing in soba noodles, has quickly become a Chinatown favorite. All of the hot soba on the menu is worth a slurp, but the spicy snow crab hot soba is a refreshing and savory dish you won’t find elsewhere.

23 Hudson St, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 993-3368
(617) 993-3368

Blue Ribbon Brasserie

528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215

We’re not always fans of New York restaurants opening in Boston, but we’ll make an exception for Blue Ribbon, a late-night industry favorite with a classic bistro menu If a craving for rich, hearty French onion soup hits, head under the shadow of the Citgo sign for a beautiful bowl of cheese, bread, and beef broth.

528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
(617) 634-0404
(617) 634-0404
A individual-sized crock of French onion soup with cheese dripping down the sides of the plateware. Blue Ribbon Brassiere

Yankee Lobster

300 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210

There is way more to seafood soup than chowder, and one of the greats in the soup pantheon (it exists!) is lobster bisque. Yankee Lobster, just a short walk from Boston’s working fish pier, has the freshest, most lobster-packed version in town. Just be ready to wait on a weekend.

300 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 345-9799
(617) 345-9799

Zaftigs Delicatessen

335 Harvard St (at Babcock St), Brookline, MA 02446

This cozy delicatessen serves an array of warming foods, and when the matzoh ball soup craving hits, this chicken broth soup is our favorite in the area. Purists be warned, Zaftig’s in-house version comes with noodles, however for takeout noodles and matzoh are packaged on the side. There’s also a Natick location.

335 Harvard St (at Babcock St), Brookline, MA 02446
(617) 975-0075
(617) 975-0075

Little Big Diner

1247 Centre St, Newton, MA 02459

As the name implies, Little Big Diner is pretty small. As for the big part of the equation? The flavors of the ramen. Try one of the noodle-filled soups, such as this spicy miso ramen with pork, an egg, bean sprouts, sweet corn, scallions, nori, and mayu (black garlic oil) with optional add-ons such as a butter cube, smoked honey corn, or a “wicked hot bomb.” (For more excellent ramen choices, check out our dedicated ramen map here.)

1247 Centre St, Newton, MA 02459
(857) 404-0068
(857) 404-0068

Cafe Polonia

611 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02127

Part of Dorchester’s Polish Triangle, Cafe Polonia has been serving traditional Polish food for over two decades, from pierogi to stuffed cabbage. The famous Eastern European beet soup, borscht, is always available, filled with mushroom- or meat-stuffed ravioli, and other soups rotate. If dill pickle soup is available, absolutely order it.

611 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02127
(617) 269-0110
(617) 269-0110

Pho Le Restaurant

1356 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02122

For excellent Vietnamese food, Bostonians know to head to Dorchester. For classic pho, made with rice noodles, broth and a protein, stop into Pho Le for their special beef noodle soup with thinly sliced rare eye round, well-done flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe.

1356 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02122
(617) 506-6294
(617) 506-6294

Related Maps