Whether you’re looking to shake off the last chill of winter or just need a bowl or something cozy and warm, soup really hits the spot. It’s easy to make your own, but sometimes you treat yourself to a hearty bowl of soup made by someone who does it for a living. We pored over menus, review sites, and writeups from food critics to find locally owned, locally loved spots across the country with delicious house-made soups, with bonus points for a cozy atmosphere.
Read on for the best place for hearty soup in every state and Washington D.C., whether you’re dining out or ordering a hearty bowl to take home.
Alabama: Chez Lulu
Birmingham Chez Lulu, with its fresh soups and European tarts, is a Birmingham favorite. Reviewers love its “creative, fresh and enticing menu options” and Parisian bistro feel. The soup of the day rotates, and highlights have included carrot soup, garlic soup, and mushroom soup. Bonus: The stock used for the soup is always vegetarian.
Related: The Best Spot for Comfort Food in Every State
Alaska: Hangar on the Wharf
Juneau Should you find yourself peckish, head over to Hangar on the Wharf. This light-filled converted airplane hangar offers a host of classic dishes, including Crab Oscar, Fettuccine Alfredo, Jambalaya, and Duck a L’Orange. Its Halibut Chowder, which reviewers say is “spectacular” with “generous” amounts of halibut, is rich and comforting, and there’s a rotating soup of the day. Try the bread bowl combo, featuring freshly baked sourdough, naturally.
Related: The Best Seafood Restaurant in All 50 States
Arizona: Wildflower Bread
Several LocationsWildflower Bread is a much-loved lunch spot with 12 locations throughout the state. Reviewers especially recommend the potato soup and mushroom soup among a diverse menu. On any given day, there will be up to six kinds of soup, with at least one vegetarian selection.
Arkansas: Neighbor’s Mill
Several Locations Neighbor’s Mill, in Harrison and Rogers (and a couple locations in Missouri) is lauded for its charm, excellent customer service, and as a great date spot option — maybe even more romantic now that the coronavirus has limited the number of people who can be seated for dining. Its “famous” tomato-basil and potato-bacon soups are always on, along with a daily rotating option. After you’ve had a sensible cup of soup, treat yourself to one of their many baked goods.
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California: Grubstake Diner
San Francisco Grubstake has established itself as a destination with its wide-ranging food options, including several Portuguese favorites. The restaurant is famously housed in a 1927 cable car. One of its most famous dishes is the Caldo Verde, a Portuguese soup with potatoes, kale, and linguica sausage. Reviewers call it “delicious” and great “on a cold night.” The diner stays open daily until 2 a.m., so it’s a great spot to reset after an evening out.
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Colorado: Blackbelly Market
Boulder
While this restaurant may be most famous for its use of pork, reviewers rave about the soup selection, which includes polenta, tomato, and butternut squash.Connecticut: The Soup Girl
Hamden Small but mighty, The Soup Girl has been heralded for having “the best soups around.” It offers delivery to nearby cities and sells at a local farmers market. There is always a vegetarian and/or vegan option, and often a gluten-free option as well.
Delaware: Pho Viet
Dover Located in Dover since 2019, Pho Viet has quickly become known for its generous portions and flavorful pho. Reviewers also lavish praise on the restaurant’s spring rolls and other appetizers.
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District of Columbia: Soup Up
Soup Up looks like a very humble spot, but reviewers rave about the quality of the soups, which are low-sodium, made with organic vegetables, and always made from scratch. One fan gushed, “The soup I ordered was the Jamaican-Style Peanut Chowder, which is both vegan and gluten free. It had a tiny kick, with lots of veggies and you can tell that’s it’s homemade with a lot of love.”
Florida: Mr. and Mrs. Bun
Miami The motto of Mr. and Mrs. Bun: “Life is like a sandwich, you have to fill it with the best ingredients.” The menu is wide-ranging and has a Peruvian focus with empanadas, sandwiches, appetizers, and a daily soup. Reviewers have enjoyed the lentil soup and corn soup, though the tomato-and-basil cream soup, available daily, is also a staple.
Georgia: Souper Jenny
Several LocationsSouper Jenny‘s four locally owned cafes are known for soups and salads. Its signature “My Dad’s Turkey Chili” gets a lot of praise online, but it sounds like just about everything it makes is well-received. There are gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options, and if you go at lunch, you should probably expect a line.
Related: 23 Restaurants with Crazy Lines That Are Still Worth the Wait
Hawaii: O’ahu Grill
Honolulu For some proper Hawaiian soup, head to O’ahu Grill in Honolulu — which has been called a “household name” — for the Salt Meat with Watercress Soup, featuring fresh local watercress. Head over on a Monday for some pork squash soup.
Idaho: Soup Kettle Grille
Meridian For hearty Idaho comfort food, head to Soup Kettle Grille. The restaurant serves seven kinds of soup in bread bowls, including Thai curry and baked potato. If soup doesn’t fill you up, consider a jalapeño popper grilled cheese or an Italian meats sandwich.
Illinois: Birria Zaragoza
Chicago Andrew Zimmern of The Travel Channel said Birria Zaragoza served him “one of the best pieces of goat I’ve eaten domestically.” This tiny family-run Mexican spot specializes in locally raised (and then oven-roasted) goat in tacos, quesadillas, and in its house-made tomato and garlic broth (made with no meat drippings, so technically vegetarian-friendly without the goat).
Related: 27 Tasty Taco Places Across the Country
Indiana: Subito
IndianapolisSubito is a takeaway restaurant (“subito” means “immediately” in Italian) with comfort food made from scratch: sandwiches with bread baked in-house, salads, and of course a wide range of soups that rotate from a classic beef stew and tomato basil to the slightly wilder Buffalo chicken and “Chicken Velvet.” Keep an eye out for the Korean Brisket Stew, which wins praise as “so unique … hearty and savory without feeling heavy.”
Pho Real Kitchen and Bar
Des MoinesWho can say no to a bowl of pho? The good news is that at Pho Real there’s no reason to, as there are both vegetarian and keto options.
Kansas: Tanya’s Soup Kitchen
WichitaDrawing long lines in the super cool Douglas Design District, Tanya’s Soup Kitchen serves vegetarians, vegans, and carnivores (gluten-free available upon request too) with sandwiches, salads, and soups such as Tomato Basil Bisque and Creamy Artichoke Gorgonzola. Maybe the best option is what’s on the stove that day, but try the Mediterranean Red Lentil Stew and “you won’t regret it,” reviewers say.
Kentucky: Soupy’s
Louisville Locals love Soupy’s for its “great value” and menu of homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. The everyday menu features eight soups — including veggie, chicken n’ dumplins, cheesy potato, and chicken tortilla — not including the chili options. (In the style of nearby Cincinnati, you can order spaghetti with that chili.) There are rotating soups of the day, and a drive-through option.
Louisiana: Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop
Metairie There are few foods more associated with Louisiana than gumbo, and Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop offers many. Chef Ron’s Classic Seafood Gumbo with crawfish, shrimp, crabmeat, okra, and tomato has won local awards, but you can also try variations such as the Mumbo Gumbo with chicken, shrimp, crabmeat, crawfish, sausage, okra, and tomato, or Gumbo Monceaux — the Mumbo Gumbo with poached egg. TripAdvisor reviews rave that it’s “awesome” and a “great place for a relaxed meal.”
Related: 20 Amazing Seafood Shacks Across America
Maine: Helen’s Restaurant
Machias If you’re looking for a proper Maine seafood chowder, head to Helen’s Restaurant, a mainstay since 1950. The Famous Fish Chowder, which reviewers say has “huge chunks” of fresh haddock, is made simply, with potatoes, onions, butter, dill, and cream. The secret? The broth comes from the haddock being cooked in the potato water.
Maryland: Soup’s On
Baltimore Located in a charming historic building, Soup’s On boasts vegan and organic soup, vegetarian and organic soup, meat soup, and seafood soup. It wouldn’t be Baltimore if there wasn’t a crab option, so there’s Maryland Crab Soup. But reviewers also recommend the French onion soup with Jarlsberg cheese.
Massachusetts: Ella’s Wood Burning Oven
Wareham There is some serious online debate happening on the best chowder on Cape Cod, and while Wareham doesn’t technically count as the Cape, chowder at Ella’s Wood Burning Oven is known and loved by locals. Each bowl is made to order, with freshly steamed clams served in the shell. One review starts “Damn! Why haven’t we been here before?”
Michigan: Zingerman’s Delicatessen
Ann ArborZingerman’s rotating soup options include classics such as creamy tomato, matzo ball, and a Carolina Gold rice soup. (We also consider Zingerman’s to be one of the Best Delis Across America.) Reviews acclaim its charming setting and large portions.
Minnesota: My Huong Kitchen
MinneapolisThere are eight soups on the menu of My Huong Kitchen, a family-owned Vietnamese eatery, but it’s the curry noodle soup it claims “helps you battle winter like a champion.” With a swinging takeout business, it offers soups for all — including vegetarians, vegans, and the gluten-free — with many under $9. Customers love this “little Minneapolis gem.”
Mississippi: Strawberry Cafe
Madison Strawberry Cafe, which claims to be the first restaurant in Madison, is known for its homey food and setting (a historic train depot). A Cream of Crab soup is famed online for its flavor and generous amount of crab.
Missouri: Thelma’s Kitchen
Kansas City Thelma’s Kitchen is a donation-based restaurant where diners pay what they can. While the menu changes daily, the Fancy Shredded Potato Cheddar Soup is a staple. Reviewers also love the creamy squash soup.
Montana: I-Ho’s Korean Grill
Bozeman
While the woman who grew this restaurant from a food cart, I-Ho, passed away this year, her delicious Korean meals live on. Reviewers rave about the seafood soup, but if you want something more substantial, the Korean barbecue (which requires reservations) is worth trying.
Nebraska: Le Quartier Bakery & Cafe
LincolnThis three-location chain has sandwiches and salads, but don’t overlook the soup of the day (in addition to being able to order soup with sides, you can also add a cup of soup to your sandwich order for $2). Choices range from jambalaya, Hungarian mushroom, harvest potage, and fire roasted tomato bisque. If you like your soup, get a pint or quart to enjoy at home later.
Nevada: E Jo Korean Soup
Las Vegas This little hole-in-the-wall joint has been called “a pit stop must-go,” where diners should not be discouraged by a modest appearance. Reviews extol options ranging from oxtail soup and rice cake soup to beef brisket soup and beef tongue soup.
Related: Where To Find Best Korean Food in Every State
New Hampshire: Newick’s Lobster House
Dover Looking for a seafood fix? Newick’s has just about everything you could ask for. There is a whole menu of chowders, cutely identified as an Original Clam Chowdah, Thick Clam Chowdah, Thick Seafood Chowdah, and more. For an extra treat, ask for added “lobstah.” Reviews call this place “great” and a “winner” of a choice.
New Jersey: Bamboo Leaf
Asbury Park
While it’s possible to get all the Thai food classics here, don’t sleep on the soup. While fried pineapple and panang curry have their fans, everyone seems just as adoring of the noodle soups. One reviewer raved, “Their soup is the best I have ever had!”
New Mexico: Jambo Cafe
Santa FeConsidering Jambo Cafe’s fare is award-winning, with a soup hailed by Gil Garduño of Gil’s Thrilling (And Filling) Blog as the “perennial winner of Santa Fe’s annual Souperbowl,” it’s a good thing it’s so accessible, served up by two food trucks and at a bricks-and-mortar location. Look for that perennial best Ginger Peanut Butternut Squash Soup or a Curried Black Bean-Sweet Potato Soup that is “so good it’ll make grown men swoon.”
New York: The Original Soupman
New YorkNo surprise here, at least for fans of 1990s sitcoms: The joint that became infamous as the bunker of the “Soup Nazi” from “Seinfeld” might have won this slot even if its soups weren’t so good — but there’s a reason the gang goes through such trouble to keep the soup coming, and that didn’t change even after business trouble shut down the original location. “The soup, while expensive, is so tasty you will be wanting more,” reviewers say, noting Lobster Bisque “brimming with lobster meat” and a range of other treats that “completely live up to the hype.” Just head to 259A W. 55th St., between Broadway and Eighth Avenue.
North Carolina: HomeGrown
AshevilleHomeGrown’s motto is “slow food right quick.” The homey menu at locations in North Asheville and West Asheville includes several soup options, including tomato basil, old-fashioned vegetable, and Trout, Sausage & Chicken Gumbo. Reviewers praise the affordability and especially a “delicious” tomato soup.
North Dakota: Cracked Pepper
Fargo This comfort-food driven lunch spot offers “amazing” service, atmosphere, and food. Cracked Pepper also gets a shout-out for its “very ‘North Dakotan’” menu, which changes daily. Try the curried vegetable soup, a house favorite, or chunky tomato soup.
Ohio: Souper Market
Several Locations With five locations around Ohio, Souper Market specializes in made-from-scratch soups and fresh salads with house-made dressings. It also makes and sells its own stock and promises to never use commercial bases. Yelp reviewers laud this “Cleveland institution” for its quality and many options; a few favorites are the loaded baked potato soup and chicken paprikash soup.
Oklahoma: Soup Soup
Oklahoma CityIt’s all in the name. While you can get chicken enchilada soup or tomato basil, you may want to try the stew, which has gotten rave reviews from some diners (who also praise the strawberry cake and pecan sandies for dessert).
Oregon: Portland Kettle
Portland Portland Kettle, where the motto suggests you “experience comfort food,” has a range of soups, salads, and sandwiches and is a “go-to lunch spot” according to many reviewers on Yelp. The soup menu features lemon chicken and rice soup, gumbo, and two options for chili: vegetarian and carnivorian.
Pennsylvania: Xiandu Thai
Philadelphia This Thai spot, conveniently in Philadelphia’s Midtown Village, draws review love for the tom yum soup, which features shrimp, mushroom, onion, tomato, cilantro, bell pepper, and scallion in a kaffir lime lemongrass broth. There’s more praise for the noodle and curry soups.
Rhode Island: Matunuck Oyster Bar
South Kingstown Overlooking Potter Pond, Matunuck Oyster Bar sources its raw bar onsite and uses locally sourced produce and wild-caught seafood. Rhode Island chowder traditionally has clear broth, rather than creamy, though Matunuck offers both varieties. The exact kind of seafood that goes in depends on what’s freshest that day. If you’re not a chowder person, the oyster stew is another house favorite, featuring parsnips, sweet potatoes, and leeks simmered in a rich rosemary cream, with herb-butter poached oysters. Reviewers praise the knowledgeable staff and the extra-fresh, flavorful food.
South Carolina: Ladles Homemade Soups
Multiple locations
The soup of the day can range from Spicy Cranberry Chili to Beef Stroganoff or Curried Lentil, but if you want to try a few consider ordering a flight of soup. Reviewers praise the quality and price, and the chicken noodle soup is a feel-better favorite.
South Dakota: The Cookie Jar Eatery
Sioux Falls The Cookie Jar Eatery, known for its “eats and sweets,” makes all of its bakery items from scratch using family recipes. It offers soup by the quart, which in the past has included chicken tortilla, cheeseburger soup, broccoli cheese soup, and chicken and wild rice soup. One reviewer called the chicken and dumpling soup “the best soup I have ever had.” It also bakes the bread for sandwiches fresh daily.
Tennessee: Kami Ramen Bar
MemphisThe ramen trend has made its way to Memphis with Kami Ramen Bar, which stands out for its tonkotsu (pork bone) broth as well as more traditional flavors. Reviewers praise the restaurant for nailing the noodles and the soup base: “Highly recommend for anyone with vegan friends, or a craving for noodles and soup, possibly even a dinner with someone you need to impress.”
Related: This Is the Best Ramen in Your State, According to Customers
Texas: Cuchara
Houston In a brick building built in the 1940s, Cuchara is a Mexico City bistro with a modern, open aesthetic. The rainbow-colored plates and bowls and the half-aprons worn by the servers allude to the Mexico City inspiration. The Pozole Verde, featuring chicken and hominy in spicy green broth, is a highlight of the brunch menu, and if you’re there for dinner, try the Chilatole, creamy corn masa soup with serrano pepper. Reviewers love the Instagrammable aesthetic as much as the authentic and delicious food. One reviewer calls the Pozole Verde “almost as good as my tia’s.”
Utah: The Dodo
Salt Lake City The Dodo, which has been going strong for 35 years, is an upscale casual spot with views of the nearby Wasatch mountains. The soups, listed on a blackboard, change daily, but reviewers especially love the butternut squash curry soup.
Related: The Restaurant With the Best View in Every State
Vermont: Zabby and Elf’s Stone Soup
BurlingtonPraised by diners as “the best food in the city, hands down,” this restaurant has not only an adorable name but an array of soups, including split pea and cream of mushroom. There are plentiful vegetarian options, too.
Virginia: Revolutionary Soup
CharlottesvilleReferred to fondly as “Rev Soup” by locals, Revolutionary Soup promises soups, sandwiches, salads, and wraps made from sustainably raised, local ingredients. A rotating soup menu includes staples such as Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu, Lamb Curry, Tomato Basil Bisque, and Classic Miso. There are always vegan and gluten-free options available. Reviewers admire a delicious range of soups.
Washington: Morfire
Seattle Morfire, a Thai spot in the Capitol Hill area, offers hot pot with pasture-raised meats, fresh vegetables, and many broth options. The many glowing online reviews call it a great date spot with an “excellent” price point, and rave about the “amazing hot pot broth.”
West Virginia: Later Alligator
WheelingWhile all the food (and the cocktails) get praise at the New American eatery (especially the crepes), the homemade soup also gets props. Try the tomato basil, which gets the most.
Wisconsin: Loup
MilwaukeeThis soup and sandwich spot gets high praise for vegetarian and vegan soups, as does the soup flight that delivers a variety of edible options. But Loup offers a great dining experience, too, as one reviewer pointed out: “The soups and the sandwiches are absolutely delicious! And to top it off, the staff is super friendly and efficient!”
Wyoming: Trio American Bistro
Jackson This bistro is praised for being “gourmet in every sense,” but reviewers call out the BLT Soup for being one of the tastiest items on the menu. If that doesn’t fill you up, though, the blue cheese waffle fries and shrimp risotto are also reportedly tasty.
