TabeTomo (131 Avenue A), New York City’s first-ever tsukemen ramen restaurant, is reopening on Wednesday, 10/16. To ring in this new chapter, on Weds, 10/16, TabeTomo will offer $5 ramen dishes; on Thurs, 10/17, the first 100 customers will receive a t-shirt with their order.
TabeTomo opened in 2018 (it was the first eatery to debut under the AYS Hospitality umbrella, paving the way for sister concepts like Tomokase, TomoTomo, and The Office of Mr. Moto). The team weathered the myriad challenges of COVID, storefront damage during BLM, a break-in in 2022, and most recently in April, substantial fire damage (the fire originated in an upstairs apartment) that resulted in the store closure. Despite the various setbacks, the TabeTomo team is kicking off a come-back campaign with the slogan “Nana Korobi, Ya Oki” which translates to “fall down seven, stand up eight”. The team is excited to present a new menu and welcome their loyal regulars and newcomers back into their cozy, renovated dining room.
Helmed by Chef Tomo Kubo (previously of LA’s acclaimed ramen eatery Tsujita), TabeTomo offers a warm and inviting space in the East Village for ramen lovers and newcomers alike to enjoy tsukemen (つけ麺 or “dipping ramen”) – the modern cousin of the traditional Japanese ramen where noodles are dipped into a separate bowl of broth for firmer noodles and robust flavor profile.
The staple tsukemen dishes are served with TabeTomo’s 60-hour broth, which is widely loved for its deeply rich umami-forward flavor. The restaurant’s menu features:
- Tonkotsu Jiro Tsukemen (dripping noodles with pork broth, chashu slices and vegetables)
- Tonkotsu Chashu Jiro Tsukemen (dripping noodles with pork broth, soft boiled egg, pork chashu and vegetables)
- Beyond ramen, guests can enjoy premium sake, donburi (rice bowls) and small plates like karaage chicken, omusubi rice balls (chicken, salmon, tuna mayo, chashu pork, or kombu) and more.
TabeTomo also offers a megamori tsukemen challenge, where guests are invited to eat a heaping 16lb bowl of tsukemen in a 30-minute window. If they succeed, they receive a free meal, t-shirt, and a spot on TabeTomo’s wall of fame. The current time record is 9 minutes and 32 seconds.
Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 12pm – 10pm, Friday: 12pm – 11pm and Saturday: 12pm – 1am.
TabeTomo is located at 131 Avenue A (between St. Mark’s & 9th St) New York, NY 10009
