I don’t really care what season it is: I’m always on the hunt for the best soup in Seattle. Sure, cold weather calls for a warm bowl of delicious soup and it’s super comforting if you’re not feeling well, but even in summer, I find myself hankering for that simmering pot of goodness.
If you’re like me and love soup year-round, this post is for you. Seattle has an excellent soup scene, where you’ll find everything from broth soups, noodle soups, creamy soups, stews, and more.
So read on to learn where you can find the best soup in Seattle no matter the season.
Best Soup in Seattle
I’ll keep adding to this list as I discover more of Seattle’s best soups, so save this to Pinterest for later!
Arashi Ramen
website | locations: Ballard (get directions) and Tukwila (get directions) | cuisine: Japanese
There are a lot of great ramen places in Seattle that have cult followings, but Arashi Ramen is still my favorite of all the ones I’ve tried. I find their broths so flavorful and the service reliably quick. Plus their button-size shop creates steamy windows when it’s cold, making for a super cozy vibe.
Soup to try: My go-to is the black garlic ramen. It’s super garlicky and has a deep, umami bomb of a broth. Their chashu pork is always the best consistency, too.
Oriental Mart
website | address: 1506 Pike Pl (get directions) | neighborhood: Downtown | cuisine: Filipino
Oriental Mart is a hole in the wall right in Pike Place Market across from the iconic sign. You may blow right by it because it looks more like a convenience store than a restaurant, but insiders know the counter in the back of the shop is one of the best places to stop for low-brow Filipino food.
Soup to try: The must-get here is the salmon sinigang. This Filipino stew is served with a lighter broth that has a super interesting sour flavor thanks to tamarind. It’s really comforting eating it in a takeout container, street food-style as you eat your way around Pike Place Market.
CrackleMi
website | locations: Ballard (get directions) & Fremont (get directions) | cuisine: Vietnamese
This casual Vietnamese grill is owned by the same people as Sizzle&Crunch in the U-District. It’s one of Seattle’s healthy restaurants best-known for rice bowls and banh mis. But it’s low-key making some of the best soup in Seattle.
Soup to try: This is not a soup place, so there’s only one soup to get…the daikon soup. It’s served as a side, so make sure you don’t miss adding it to your order.
The broth simmers with meat and daikon for hours to create really pronounced flavors. Sometimes they make it with short rib, other times chicken. Either way, it’s amazing.
Secret Congee
website | address: 6301 Seaview Ave NW (get directions) | neighborhood: Ballard | cuisine: Asian
Not nearly enough people are talking about Secret Congee. This is probably because they used to be in Wallingford with only a small window on a bustling street. And now they’re in an area of Ballard by Golden Gardens that doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic. But they’re worth seeking out because they’re making this traditionally subdued rice porridge with bold Southeast Asian flavors.
Soup to try: They have a ton of creative, ever-changing congees, but my favorite is the pork belly congee when available. The pork falls apart in your mouth and adds so much depth to the bowl.
Rubinstein Bagels
website | locations: SLU (get directions) and Capitol Hill (get directions) | cuisine: Jewish
Even though the original founder sold is namesake to start another venture, Rubinstein is best known for making some of the best bagels in Seattle. You can get them delivered to you. Or you can pick them up in their shop along with schmears, sandwiches, and other goodies.
Soup to try: They only serve one soup, duck fat matzo ball soup. Their spin on the classic version has a much deeper, intensely-flavored broth. Plus their matzo balls are the perfect consistency: not too dense and not too fluffy.
Pho Bac
website | locations: Chinatown-International District (get directions) and Downtown (get directions) | cuisine: Vietnamese
This may be controversial, but I like Pho Bac’s pho better than Ba Bar (the popular spot that got started on Capitol Hill’s 12th Ave). I know Ba Bar has a cult following for their pho. But I prefer other dishes there and turn to Pho Bac when I need my fix of the classic Vietnamese noodle soup.
Soup to try: While I typically always get pho ga (chicken), Pho Bac is best known for their short rib pho. It’s served with a Flintstone-like bone that makes for pretty photos and adds a lot of extra flavor to the broth.
Pho Than Brothers
website | multiple locations | cuisine: Vietnamese
While Pho Bac is one of the best pho shops in Seattle, I frequent Pho Than Brothers more. It’s one of my go-to Seattle restaurants because it’s super convenient, quick, cheap, and consistent at pushing out comforting bowls of the Vietnamese classic.
Soup to try: I always get the pho ga chicken soup. I love how the broth has that deep chicken-y flavor, but it still feels light. It makes the perfect vessel for mixing in sriracha, tamarind, lime, and Thai basil.
Seattle Fish Company
website | address: 4435 California Ave SW (get directions) | neighborhood: West Seattle | cuisine: seafood
Seattle Fish Company is one of the best places to buy seafood in Seattle given it’s a fishmonger. But what many people don’t realize is that it has a grill serving classic sea shack dishes like fried shrimp, clam strips, chowders, and more.
Soup to try: While they make a few different chowders, I recommend getting the smoked salmon chowder. It’s chunky, herbaceous, creamy, and perfectly seasoned. In fact, I think it’s one of the best clam chowders in Seattle.
Pro tip: You can also get their clam chowder over fries in a Pacific Northwest-style poutine!
Dahlia Bakery
website | address: 2001 4th Ave (get directions) | neighborhood: Downtown | cuisine: American
I used to go to Dahlia Bakery way too much when I worked downtown. I’d always get whatever turkey sandwich they had on the menu. And my beloved peanut butter cookie (which is a one of my top recommended must try dishes in Seattle). If I was feeling extravagant, I’d also add a cup of soup to my order.
Soup to try: Don’t miss Tom’s Tasty Tomato Soup. It’s honestly one of the best tomato soups I’ve ever had. The texture is creamy, but not cloyingly so, and it has amazing tomato flavor without being too acidic.
Pike Place Chowder
website | locations: Pike Place Market (get directions) and Downtown (get directions) | cuisine: seafood
This is one of the quintessential Seattle foods, and luckily it’s not just a tourist attraction. The clam chowder really does live up to the hype! However, it can be annoying to get your hands on, especially if you go their popular 1530 Post Alley location in Pike Place Market.
Pro tip: Luckily you can get their chowders at their less crowded location inside Pacific Place or shipped right to your door.
Soup to try: They have a bunch of different chowders, but the best is the OG New England clam chowder. It’s creamy, but not too thick, and has a pronounced bacon-y and briny flavor that bounces across your palate.
Midnite Ramen
website | address: 3513 Stone Way N (get directions) | neighborhood: Fremont | cuisine: Japanese
Midnite Ramen used to be a tiny food cart rotating between different breweries like Figurehead Brewing in Magnolia and Obec Brewing, one of my favorite Ballard breweries. However, they’ve since opened a permanent spot inside Figurehead’s Fremont brewery where they dole out some of the best soup in Seattle for those who love ramen.
Soup to try: I love their brisket ramen. It’s super flavorful and the brisket falls apart in your mouth.
Pro tip: Don’t forget to add a one bite chicken or two to your order. It seems plain but the ginger scallion sauce is so addictive.
Kamonegi
website | address: 1054 N 39th St (get directions) | neighborhood: Wallingford | cuisine: Japanese
Chef Mutsuko Soma has won a ton of awards for her ability to make soba noodles in the United States using traditional Japanese techniques. You can try those noodles in a few different soup options at Kamonegi, ranging from cold noodles in cold broth to hot noodles in hot broth. Given Soma’s training and accolades, it’s obvious she’d make some of the best soup in Seattle.
Soup to try: Hot noodles and hot broth served together in a bowl are my jam. So I often go for the kamo-nanban soba with duck breast and duck meatballs. I love the rich umami flavor the duck adds without overpowering the earthy buckwheat notes in the soba.
Dingfelder’s
website | address: 1318 E Pine St (get directions) | neighborhood: Capitol Hill | cuisine: Jewish
Dingfelder’s is an old school-style Jewish deli known for making some of the best sandwiches in Seattle piled high with pastrami and corned beef. But like any good Jewish deli, they make a mean version of one of the most comforting soups of all time.
Soup to try: That obvious answer is matzo ball soup. Dingfelder’s version is friggin’ phenomenal. The balls are huge and fluffy, made with extra fine matzo so it disintegrates in your mouth instead of keeping its heft. The broth is super flavorful and comes with a generous serving of shredded chicken.
Billiard Hoang
website | address: 3220 S Hudson St (get directions) | neighborhood: Columbia City | cuisine: Vietnamese
I never would have guessed some of the best soup in Seattle would come from a billiards hall, but here we are. Billiard Hoang is the most unexpected spot to get good Vietnamese food because half of the space has pool tables and another good portion of it has a huge bar. But sometimes the most unassuming places have the best food!
Soup to try: The short rib pho is the must get here. I don’t always love short ribs on the bone in soup because you need to gnaw it when it’s not properly cooked. However, Billiard Hoang’s version falls off the bone. The marrow in the bone leaches out to create a very flavorful broth you won’t be able to stop thinking about.
LECT’s Soup Stop
website | address: 5327 Denver Ave S (get directions) | neighborhood: Georgetown | cuisine: American
LECT’s is a small soup stand in a quiet area of Georgetown. I love how they make a daily rotating version of classic all-American soups like clam chowder, chicken noodle soup, chili, and more. It’s hard to find those classics done well in Seattle, so they’re filling an essential gap in the city’s soup scene.
Soup to try: If possible, time your visit for when they have split pea soup. LECT’s posts the month’s soup calendar on their website, so keep your eyes peeled for when they have their meaty version of the classic. It’s a must try on any Georgetown food tour!
U:Don
website | locations: U-District (get directions) & Capitol Hill (get directions) | cuisine: Japanese
This fast casual restaurant is making some seriously good soup. You order at the counter cafeteria style and steaming bowls of soup with chewy udon noodles are ready in seconds.
Soup to try: The Niku is the most popular soup, and for good reason. It has beef and onions to give it an almost French onion soup-like quality. The broth is pretty sweet though, so I like to add their spicy ground pork to balance out the flavors and texture.
Place Pigalle
website | address: 81 Pike St (get directions) | neighborhood: Downtown | cuisine: French
Place Pigalle is one of the best restaurants in Seattle with a view. They’re tucked in a nook of Pike Place Market restaurants overlooking the water. You can take in the views from their big picture windows inside or from their small patio area right within the market.
Soup to try: The Northwest bouillabaisse needs to be part of your order. It has the most beautifully colored saffron-tomato broth and is heaping with shrimp, mussels, clams, squid, octopus, crab, and salmon. It’s also served with an herb crostini perfect for sopping up every last drop of broth from this one of many great French resetaurants in Seattle.
Phnom Penh Noodle House
website | address: 913 S Jackson St (get directions) | neighborhood: Chinatown-International District | cuisine: Cambodian
Ask anyone where some of the best soup in Seattle is and Phnom Penh will be on that list. It’s a Cambodian restaurant that’s been around for a long time. But they had to close during a family tragedy. Luckily they reopened a modern space so Seattleites can get their fill of delicious soups, noodles, and more.
Soup to try: Get the wonton egg noodle soup so you can try both carb-y favorites in one dish. The broth has a deep chicken flavor and is served with an addictive chunky peanut hot sauce. The bowl will be heaping with pork, shrimp, calamari, and fish balls, plus a healthy dose of scallions to add a bit of freshness to the umami-bomb dish.
Pro tip: You can get this soup with rice noodle but I think the egg noodles are better.
Canton Noodle House
website | address: 6008 Martin Luther King Way (get directions) | neighborhood: Beacon Hill/Hillman City | cuisine: Cantonese
This is one of the OG spots for excellent Chinese soup in Seattle. They changed ownership, but still focus on serving consistently excellent bowls of meaty fish soup full of noodles, wontons, and more.
Soup to try: Get the beef brisket noodle and wonton soup. It has a deep seafood flavor and really high-quality marinated meat that falls apart. I also recommend adding sui-kau dumplings. These are like wontons, but bigger and have pork, shrimp, and mushroom vs. just shrimp. Both are excellent so there’s no need to choose if you don’t have to!
Bengal Tiger
website | address: 6509 Roosevelt Way NE (get directions) | neighborhood: Roosevelt| cuisine: Indian
Begal Tiger has what some people consider the best Indian food in Seattle. You’ll find classics like curries, butter chicken, tikka, and mango lassis on the menu that UW students in particular love to frequent. However, I turn to them specifically for soup.
Soup to try: Get the mulligatawny soup. Their take on the traditional Indian soup has perfectly cooked lentils and is served chunkier than other version I’ve had. Yet it also has fresh tomatoes to keep the soup somehow feeling light.
More comforting Seattle eats
After you make your way through this list of best soup in Seattle, try these other comfort foods around the city.
