If you read "ramen" and the image you conjure up is a packaged brick of instant noodles from your dormitory days, this guide is for you. It is not clear whether the Chinese or the Japanese get credit for the creation of ramen. But Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-Japanese founder and chairman of Nissin Foods invented instant noodles in 1958 which made ramen inexpensive and easily accessible. In the 1980s ramen became a Japanese cultural icon and its popularity spread internationally. The reality is the while the noodle soup is a popular option for those on their lunch hour, the restaurants serving the dish often spend hours preparing noodles and simmering their broth which have a broad range of interpretations and styles. Ramen is continually trending in the Bay Area (some restaurants with cult-like followings) as devoted customers slurp up the springy noodles and rich broth year-round. From a simple sea salt base to the slowly simmered tonkotsu, this guide highlights nine popular destinations for ramen in the South Bay Area.

Please feel free to share your favorite South Bay ramen shops that are not included in this guide.