A small ramen shop in Mineola is making a big statement on Long Island — and beyond.
Youta Ramen, which opened just two years ago, has been named the second-best ramen spot in the country, according to Yelp.
“We were so excited — so honored — when we found out,” co-owner Penny Yitho told Greater Long Island. “We’re just a small restaurant in Mineola, not a big, fancy place in Manhattan.”
Located at 58 Old Country Road, the restaurant has quickly built a loyal following.
“We have regulars who come all the time, including a few customers who drive all the way from Connecticut just to have our ramen,” Yitho said. “They tell us they love it so much.”
So what sets Youta apart?
Yitho said it comes down to a dedication to traditional preparation methods.
“We make all of our different broths in-house — not a lot of places do that,” she said.
The restaurant’s signature house-made pork-based Fukuoka Tonkotsu is especially labor-intensive, requiring a total of 16 hours to prepare. The process includes four hours of carefully cleaning pork bones, followed by 12 hours of boiling to extract flavor and create a rich, creamy broth. The soup is kept at a rolling boil before being slowly reduced at lower temperatures to achieve its signature depth.
As for the most popular dish on the menu?
“Everyone raves about the Youta Tonkotsu Ramen,” Yitho said, describing it as a balanced combination of house-made pork broth, noodles, bamboo shoots, scallions, egg, and chashu pork.
Another Long Island restaurant also earned national recognition: Sherry Blossom in Long Beach ranked No. 7 on Yelp’s list.
— photos come courtesy of Youta Ramen in Mineola
