The Best Noodle Shops in Denver

1. James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Tommy Lee
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The strip mall on 38th Ave gives nothing away, but inside this ramen shop, charcoal walls, dark wood, and a ceiling full of mismatched colored lanterns set a tone the exterior has no interest in hinting at. The menu runs from miso bacon broth to brothless noodles to a spice-forward bowl called Death Wish, which commits to the bit. The Michelin Guide has given it a Bib Gourmand, and the room fills up fast enough to make that feel predictable.

1. Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand

The broths here spend serious time extracting collagen and fat from pork and chicken, and you can taste the commitment. Tokio is a ramen shop that also does sushi and small plates, but the noodle bowls are the main event. The chef trained in Japan specifically for this, and the menu runs from traditional to a cream-and-cheese Cremoso Diablo that sounds dubious until it doesn't. Westword has named it Denver's top ramen two years running.

1. Westword 2026 · Best Ramen · Best of Denver
2. Westword 2023 · Best Japanese Restaurant · Best of Denver

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2. Westword 2023 · Best Shrimp · Best of Denver

Noodles pulled and cooked in-house is a rarity in Colorado, and Dragonfly Noodle makes them on the premises, which gives the ramen a texture that dried product simply can't fake. This casual noodle shop on the 16th Street Mall works its way across Asia, moving from Japanese ramen to Singaporean, Vietnamese, and Taiwanese dishes. The broths run deep and traditionally built, with just enough tinkering to keep things interesting.

1. Westword 2023 · Best Ramen · Best of Denver

The broth simmers for twelve hours, which tells you everything about how seriously this Vietnamese noodle shop takes its pho. Sixteen variations run from the classic stacked beef bowl to seafood versions with shrimp and fish balls. The room is no-frills and the portions are generous, the kind of place where the soup does the talking and nobody feels the need to narrate it.

1. Westword 2023 · Best Pho · Best of Denver