Nothing cures a case of the winter blues like a piping hot, steamy bowl of soup.
Whether it’s a creamy bisque, a hearty stew or a light broth, there’s something magical about it that warms our heart and bones. When the temperatures drop, an innate craving rises once again to the surface, and our bodies begin to demand it. That’s when we shift into soup mode.
And if you can’t relate to this, perhaps it’s been too long since you enjoyed a quality bowl. That’s okay—we’re here to help. While just about every restaurant and café has a couple soups on the menu, some spots specialize in it and reliably offer a number of options.
Here’s our guide to the few soup hubs in town.
The Pantry | 591 Ada Dr., Ada | thepantryada.com
While The Pantry in Ada may be best known for their to-go meals and baked goods, they also offer 3-5 soups every single day—and every single one we’ve tried has been delicious. Chicken pot pie soup, enchilada soup, white chicken chili, Tuscan kale, lentils, Thai chili ramen, they do it all. Pair a cup with a slice of their fantastically fluffy quiche (for just $11 together), and you’ve got the ideal lunch, in our opinion.
Two Beards Deli | 38 Commerce Ave. SW, Grand Rapids | twobeardsdeli.com
Two Beards has not just 90 sandwiches, plus salads and sides, but a menu of 4 soups every day. You’ll pretty much always find white chicken chili and a vegan tomato basil on the board, along with two rotating meat and vegan offerings. Stop by for bowls like butter chicken soup, “soy-boy chili,” curry cauliflower, carrot bisque and more.
Horrocks Market | 4455 Breton Rd. SE, Kentwood | horrocksmarket.com
Welcome to soup heaven. Horrocks has a rotating buffet of 30+ soups every single day, spanning from classics like broccoli cheese and French onion to cactus chili, tomato zucchini, shrimp & corn chowder, and so many more. You could even come here, stock up and fill your freezer to ensure you never go soup-less.
Uncle Cheetah’s Soup Shop | 1133 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids | unclecheetah.com
If you ask just about anyone near Grand Rapids where to get soup, the first words out of their mouth will be “Uncle Cheetah’s.” They’ve been around for years, establishing themselves as West Michigan’s preeminent soup scholars. Every day, they offer a rotating lineup of 12 options, all made 100 percent from scratch. Recent offerings include tomato saffron, buffalo cauliflower, turkey enchilada, dill Havarti, and lobster bisque. And their sandwiches are quality too!
Schnitz Deli | 1315 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids | facebook.com/schnitzdeli
This deli is deeply beloved in the community for its friendly service and large selection of equally large sandwiches, but they’re also known for a rotating cozy soup lineup! Stop in for a number of classics every day, like cheesy potato, chicken noodle, cream of mushroom and others.
Ramen/Pho
While we recognize ramen and pho are not the same and have different ancestries, multiple places around offer both together. For instance, Cravings Deli in Portage/Kalamazoo has beef pho along with all kinds of ramen, including BBQ pork, duck thigh, chicken paitan, shoyu and more.
Meanwhile, Ginza Sushi & Ramen has seven different kinds of ramen on their menu, while Noodlepig focuses on authentic Japanese ramen, with all noodles made fresh in-house. They also have a big pozole, offering heartwarming Mexican flavors, as well as Thai coconut curry.
As for pho, some people will swear by Pho Anh Trang while others stand with Pho Soc Trang. You’ll just have to try both and see where you land. We have plenty of other options as well, including Vel Sushi and Pho, ToastN’ Tea, Asian Palace and more. This could be a whole article of its own, but our suggestion is to just get out and start slurpin’!
