Ramen sensation Menya Ultra, which opened its first U.S. branch in San Diego's Kearny Mesa neighborhood in 2017 and was subsequently dubbed "best ramen in the U.S." by culinary personality Andrew Zimmern, will unveil its third area outpost on March 19 in Hillcrest.
Takashi Endo opened his first Menya Ultra location in Akita, Japan in 1994 and now has more than a dozen restaurants around the world. The restaurant has received numerous awards in its home country of Japan, including 1st Prize at the Tokyo Ramen Show from 2010 through 2013. The Kearny Mesa outpost is the first United States endeavor for Endo, and opened in February 2017 to immediate fanfare, which increased substantially after television personality Andrew Zimmern sent out a viral tweet claiming Menya Ultra's tonkatsu ramen "might just be" the best in America. In late 2018, Endo opened a second San Diego branch in a 2,000 square-foot space within Mira Mesa Shopping Center.
The third Menya Ultra will soft open on Friday, March 19, within the small retail complex in Hillcrest that also houses Oscar's Mexican Seafood and India Palace. In addition to a wide array of ramen noodle soups with housemade noodles and slow-simmered broth, the new location will serve an array of appetizers, beer, sake, and also eventually add a variety of Tsukemen - cold noodles meant to for dipping. The Hillcrest location will initially be to-go and delivery only until San Diego is permitted to return to indoor dining. More Menya Ultra branches are also in the works for San Diego and beyond.
Menya Ultra's third location is located at 690 University Avenue in San Diego's Hillcrest. For more information, visit menya-ultra.com.
