The 8 Best Ramen Bowls of 2023

If you’re a ramen fan, you know it requires the right size and shape bowl. Bowls designed for serving side dishes, cereal, or appetizer portions of soup or salad are far too small to hold all the noodles, toppings, and broth for a serving of ramen, while mixing bowls or salad bowls are too large. If you serve noodle soup in a bowl that’s too shallow, it will get cold quickly, while a bowl with sharply angled walls or a wide, flat base makes it difficult to fish out all the last tasty bits with your chopsticks. A good ramen bowl must also be large enough to have some empty space on top, even when filled, so you avoid splashing and spilling broth everywhere as you eat.

Of course, large serving bowls are not just for ramen. They’re also perfect for serving other Asian noodle soups like udon and pho, Thai-style boat noodles, rice-bowl dishes like donburi, hearty meal-sized salads, smoothie bowls, popcorn, noodle salads, or any other noodle dish. Traditionally, noodle bowls have been made of ceramic, but these days they’re available in many different shapes and materials.

To help you find the best ramen bowls for all of your favorite noodle soup recipes, we researched the top-rated brands available. We paid special attention to important features like material, durability, size, and shape to give you the best ramen-eating experience.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Villeroy & Boch Soup Passion Asia Bowl at Amazon

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Best Budget:

Ozeri Earth 6-Piece Ramen Bowl Set at Amazon

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Best Melamine:

Melange Marche Japanese-Style Melamine Noodle Bowl at Etsy

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Best with Lid:

Urban Tokyo Kamameshi Style Noodle Bowl with Bamboo Lid at Etsy

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Best Metal:

Qualizon Double-Layer Stainless Steel Ramen Bowl at Amazon

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Best Set:

Farielyn-X Porcelain Ramen Bowls at Amazon

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Best Handmade:

Larrabee Ceramics Handmade Noodle Bowl with Chopsticks at Amazon

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Best Large:

Crate & Barrel Kai 11-Inch Noodle Bowl with Chopsticks at Crate & Barrel

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for
FAQs
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Amazon

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What We Like

Coordinating pieces available
Large capacity
Durable
Built-in chopstick/spoon rests

What We Don't Like

Expensive
A bit heavy
Only available in white

This noodle bowl is made of creamy white vitrified porcelain, fired at a very high temperature to make it stronger and more resistant to chipping and breakage. Sourced from a venerable German ceramics manufacturer, the bowl holds a little over 47 fluid ounces (or nearly 6 cups), so it’s perfect for restaurant-sized portions of noodle soup. Its top edge features two indentations, which can be used for either resting a pair of chopsticks horizontally across the bowl or for propping up chopsticks and a soup spoon to prevent them from slipping down into the broth.

The Soup Passion Asia Bowl is part of a range that includes optional, coordinating accessories like matching porcelain chopsticks or soup spoons, a serving tray that can hold both the bowl and some toppings, a lid that keeps steaming soups hot but also has indentations for holding garnishes and dipping sauces, and a stone base designed to keep soups warm.

Price at time of publish: $37

Material: Porcelain | Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 4 inches | Capacity: 43.75 ounces | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Amazon

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What We Like

Lightweight
Practical handles that double as spoon/chopstick rests
Dishwasher-safe

What We Don't Like

Only sold as a set of 2
Not microwave-safe

For a more environmentally friendly option that won't break the bank, this ramen bowl set is made only from plant-based materials and is BPA-free. It's lightweight, durable, heat-resistant, and even dishwasher-safe, but it's not recommended for use in a microwave. The set is available in either a red-and-black or beige-and-black color scheme, and each set includes two noodle bowls with matching soup spoons and chopsticks.

The bowls have cleverly designed handles, which make them easy to carry even when they're full of steaming hot liquid and also double as holders/rests for the spoon and chopsticks, so you can set your utensils down while eating without getting soup all over the tabletop. The bowls hold 33.5 fluid ounces or a small serving of ramen noodles.

Price at time of publish: $24

Material: Bioplastic | Dimensions: 8.94 x 6.56 x 4.38 inches | Capacity: 33.5 ounces | Dishwasher safe: Yes

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What We Like

Lightweight
Durable
Dishwasher-safe

What We Don't Like

Not microwave-safe
Shouldn’t be used with acidic foods

Melamine is a type of plastic that’s harder and more durable than other plastics, and it’s often used to make Asian restaurant tableware. Its advantages are that it’s lightweight, affordable, and sturdy. Its biggest drawback, though, is that it’s not microwave-safe and should not be used with highly acidic foods (for example, dishes containing tomatoes, vinegar, or lots of chili peppers).

Another appealing characteristic of melamine is that it looks more like ceramic than other plastics. This attractive option from Japan features a textured, matte outer surface and a traditional Japanese blue-and-white wave design on the interior. At first glance, it looks like porcelain, but it’s actually shatterproof and chip-resistant. It has a generous 47-fluid-ounce capacity—enough for a large portion of ramen with broth and toppings—and is also available in an extra-large size that holds 74 fluid ounces and a smaller size that holds 14 ounces.

Price at time of publish: $17 for 48-ounce bowl

Material: Melamine | Dimensions: 5.5 x 2.5 inches, 8.25 x 4 inches, or 9.25 x 4 inches | Capacity: 14, 48, or 74 ounces | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Urban-tokyo-kamameshi-style-noodle-bowl-with-bamboo-lid

Etsy

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What We Like

Includes wooden trivet
Handcrafted with multiple designs available
Notch to hold chopsticks and spoon built into lid
Hand-painted, matching porcelain spoon

What We Don't Like

Pricey

A ramen bowl with a lid can come in handy when you want to keep your soup nice and hot in between bites or while transporting it from the kitchen to the table. This one from Urban Tokyo is handmade of porcelain and hand-painted with a beautiful cherry blossom scene, though the brand also offers several other designs (including a popular wave design and koi fish design). Each bowl comes with a matching bamboo lid, a pair of chopsticks, a trivet, and a porcelain spoon that's hand-painted to match the bowl. The bamboo trivet is especially useful both to protect your table surface from the hot liquid and to carry your soup using the carved handles on the side.

Apart from ramen, this bowl also works great for dumplings and rice because of its rounded shape. It is also safe to use in the microwave and dishwasher. Overall, this set is just a lovely, well-organized, and convenient addition to any ramen-lover's kitchen.

Price at time of publish: $33

Material: Porcelain | Dimensions: 6 x 3.25 inches | Capacity: 24 ounces | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Qualizon-double-layer-stainless-steel-ramen-bowl

Amazon

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What We Like

Keeps foods hot or cold
Unbreakable
Dishwasher-safe
Lightweight

What We Don't Like

Not microwave-safe

This unusual, modern-looking bowl is made of sturdy stainless steel and features double-wall construction that acts as insulation. It keeps your soup steaming hot while remaining cooler to the touch on the outside. The ridged outer wall also gives it a firm grip, so you can carry it to the table without it slipping out of your hands.

At about 8.7 inches in diameter, it has a generous capacity of 45 fluid ounces, enough for a restaurant-size serving of ramen noodles. Because it’s made of metal, though, it can’t be used in a microwave for reheating.

Price at time of publish: $20

Material: Stainless steel | Dimensions: 10.2 x 4.1 x 3.5 inches | Capacity: 45 ounces | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Farielyn-x-porcelain-ramen-bowls-set-of-2

Amazon

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What We Like

Great value
Holes for chopsticks on bowl edges
Unique, hand-painted porcelain
Includes large sauce dishes

What We Don't Like

Spoon and chopsticks are hand-wash only

This ramen bowl set comes with two pairs of chopsticks, soup spoons, extra-large sauce dishes, and hand-painted porcelain bowls. The bowls are deep enough to hold 28 ounces of soup—plenty of room for ramen, udon, or other types of Asian noodles. They also have a set of holes around the rim to hold your chopsticks in place. We love the long-handled wooden spoon that you'd find in an authentic ramen shop, as well as the matching sauce dish—which is great for shoyu and dipping sauces but also large enough to hold sides like kimchi or act as a spoon rest.

The porcelain bowls and sauce dishes use a reactive glaze technique with a non-porous layer to make them impermeable to stains and odors. Because they are hand-painted, each piece is unique. Everything is dishwasher and microwave safe apart from the wooden spoons and chopsticks, which should be hand washed to avoid warping. Considering the quality, quantity, and look of the pieces, the price is hard to beat for this ramen bowl set.

Price at time of publish: $25

Material: Porcelain | Dimensions: 8 x 3.2 inches | Capacity: 28 ounces | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Larrabee-ceramics-handmade-noodle-bowl-with-chopsticks

Amazon

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What We Like

Dishwasher-safe
Built-in chopstick rests
Comes with chopsticks

What We Don't Like

Smaller capacity

These high-fired clay noodle bowls, handmade by Bruce Larrabee in Utah, have a rustic, earthy look and are cleverly designed with notches and holes to hold chopsticks off the table. The bowls come with a pair of plastic chopsticks and each handcrafted piece, available with either a red or brown glaze, is unique. The only caveat is that they are somewhat smaller than our other picks. Though their capacity is not specified, other bowls with similar dimensions (about 7 inches in diameter by 4 inches tall) are advertised as holding 9 fluid ounces, or about 1 cup, so these bowls would be best suited for smaller portions.

Price at time of publish: $30

Material: Porcelain hybrid clay | Dimensions: 7.25 x 4.25 inches | Capacity: 9 ounces | Dishwasher safe: Yes

crate--barrel

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What We Like

Stylish
Comes with chopsticks
Has handles/chopstick rests
Dishwasher- and microwave-safe

What We Don't Like

Pricey

This design-forward noodle bowl has a sleek, contemporary look and minimalist angles, but the design is practical as well as stylish. The bowl has two round, cut-out holes that function as handles, so you can carry a bowl of boiling-hot soup without burning your fingers, but also as holders/rests for the bamboo chopsticks that come with the bowl. The bowl is both microwave- and dishwasher-safe and is generously sized at 11 inches in diameter and nearly 10 inches tall, big enough for super-sized helpings of noodles and broth.

Matching pieces are also available in the same range, including a smaller noodle bowl and a porcelain soup spoon.

Price at time of publish: $25

Material: Porcelain | Dimensions: 11 x 9.75 x 5 inches | Dishwasher safe: Yes

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Final Verdict

Our overall pick for the best ramen/noodle soup bowl is the Villeroy & Boch Soup Passion Asia Bowl, a durable porcelain bowl with notches in the rim for resting chopsticks or a soup spoon. It’s dishwasher- and microwave-safe and is part of a line of coordinating pieces. For a more affordable option, the Ozeri Earth 6-Piece Ramen Bowl Set includes two generously-sized noodle bowls for a lower price.

What to Look for in a Ramen Bowl

Size/Capacity

Noodle bowls come in many different shapes and sizes, but in general, look for deeper bowls with rounded or gently sloping sides. Bowls that are too shallow might not hold enough broth to cover your noodles and will let the soup cool off quickly. Walls that are too steep or sharply angled might make it difficult to reach the bottom of the bowl with a pair of chopsticks.

A bowl sufficient for a small portion of noodle soup (such as a package of instant ramen) should be able to comfortably hold at least 35 fluid ounces (about 4.25 cups or 1 liter). Unfortunately, many sellers don’t specify capacity, especially in online listings, but generally, a bowl that’s about 7.5 inches wide and 3 inches high should be large enough.

For bigger servings or noodle soups that will have lots of broth and be loaded with plenty of toppings, look for a bowl with a capacity of at least 44 fluid ounces (5 1/2 cups or 1,250 milliliters). This is the average size of bowls used in ramen restaurants. It should be at least 8 inches in diameter and about 3 1/2 to 4 inches tall.

For extra-large servings, look for bowls that can hold at least 57 to 60 fluid ounces—these will usually start at about 9 inches in diameter.

Material

Traditionally, noodle bowls were usually made of some type of ceramic (porcelain, stoneware, or bone china), and most options still are. Ceramic bowls have the advantage of being elegant and stain resistant and help to keep soups piping hot, but on the downside, some are prone to chipping, cracking, or breakage. Plus, they can be quite expensive or heavy, and not all are dishwasher-safe. When buying ceramic bowls, make sure they have a lead-free glaze.

Plastic bowls are a more affordable and lighter option, but they’re less durable and tend to retain stains and odors. Melamine is a much harder, sturdier, and stain-resistant type of plastic, but it can’t be used to heat food in a microwave and so might be better suited for salads and other cold dishes than hot soups.

Extras

These days, many noodle bowls have clever features like a built-in chopstick rest or come with accessories like a lid, spoon, or matching chopsticks. Whether or not these add-ons are important depends mostly on your personal preferences, but since these included pieces are not always of the highest quality, sometimes it might be better to buy the other parts separately.

FAQs

What is a ramen bowl called?

The general Japanese term for a ramen bowl is ramen bachi. Among the many types of Japanese soup bowls that vary in size and shape, menbachi is a deep and wide bowl especially suitable for ramen.

What is in a typical ramen bowl?

In addition to the seasoned broth, such as miso, the dish includes lots of toppings: chopped green onions, soft- or hard-boiled egg, bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, pickled bamboo shoots, seaweed, boiled spinach, garlic, and more.

What bowl is ramen served in?

Ramen is served in a traditional ramen bowl with chopsticks and a spoon. A ramen bowl should hold at least 34 ounces or more to fit the broth, which makes up about half, plus the noodles and toppings.

What is the red stuff in ramen?

Benishoga are strips of red pickled ginger. The ginger is cut into matchsticks and pickled in salt and vinegar or a brine, usually a byproduct from pickled plums. The vibrant red color comes from the red shiso leaves (perilla) that are added to the pickling liquid.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

This article was written by Danette St. Onge, a food writer and former features editor at Cook’s Illustrated magazine (part of America’s Test Kitchen). Raised on noodle soups from a young age, she’s eaten countless servings of ramen, pho, and Thai noodles and is always on the lookout for a better bowl to hold them. Even though several international moves have reduced her dishware to a bare minimum, two noodle bowls follow her wherever she goes.

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