It’s The Season of the Soups

Warm up with these six local bowls.

We can all “huzzah” for a snow day, but no power, a boil water advisory, and an earthquake?

Not the most auspicious beginning to 2025.

In the spirit of turning a rough start into a smoother ride, we asked our writers where they’re headed when the temps drop again and comfort food cravings kick in.

 

Pho Tay Do

6328 Rigsby Rd.

Open Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The pho from the diminutive—but not-so-hidden Vietnamese gem—Pho Tay Do is so flavorful and fragrant you may wonder what in the world kind of pho you were eating before. We like the chin (brisket) and tai (thinly cut eye of round steak) pho combo with all the fresh toppings (bean sprouts, basil, jalapeno, lime). Cash only.

 

Pho Tay Do’s tai (thinly cut eye of round steak) pho combo

Susie’s

1600 W Cary St.

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 4-10 p.m.

“You know her and you love her!” reads the menu description of Susie’s matzo ball soup. Yael Cantor opened her Jewish-Mediterranean café and deli at 1600 W Cary St. this November and her timing could not be more apt. We would like a (heated) swimming pool of the restaurant’s signature soup, please. The matzo balls, carefully crafted with matzah meal, eggs, water and fat, are each a piece of art. This is one comfort food you want to leave to the pros.

 

Susie’s Matzo ball soup

Jiang’s Chinese Restaurant

1213 Carmia Way

Open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.

Located smack dab between an Aqua-Tots Swim School and Subway, this suburban hotspot hits all the right notes on cold, dark nights. We are frequent customers and swear by a quart of the hot and sour soup topped with wonton strips. While Jiang’s does a killer to-go business, they also have a quaint dining room (and full bar) that belies its strip mall setting. 

 

The Mantu chef Hamid Noori’s aush e tund is a meal in and of itself. Photographed at the Short Pump location.

The Mantu

10 S Thompson St.

Open Tues., Wed., Thurs., & Sun., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

The Mantu chef Hamid Noori’s aush e tund is a meal itself. The soup is made with hand-made noodles, garbanzo beans, seasonal veggies, roasted red pepper, cilantro, onions, garlic and mint and topped with yogurt, ground beef and Afghan spices. Noori recently expanded his Afghan concept, opening a fast-casual version, the Mantu Express, in Short Pump this past summer. His original, full-service restaurant opened in 2019 in Carytown and Mantu Market opened in 2022 in Merchant’s Walk Shopping Center. Visit the fresh, halal market to gather ingredients for your own hearty soup.

 

Once again, The Mantu’s aush e tund.

Stella’s

1012 Lafayette St.

Open lunch, Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and dinner, Monday-Saturday, 4-10 p.m.

While you may head to this Richmond mainstay for the saganaki, Stella’s has got the soups, too. It can be tricky to snag a primetime dinner resy, yes, but you should be able to sneak in for a lunch or early evening slot to order the divine avgolemono, a traditional egg lemon soup with chicken and rice, or the crab and shiitake bisque.

Abuelita’s

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Known for their homemade guisos (stews) Abuelita’s is the obvious answer to: “What are we eating in sub-freezing temps?” The selection rotates daily, and all options are delicious, but the red pozole with pork bone and hominy will cure all that ails you.

 

File photo: Owner Karina Benavides serves up classic Mexican stews and sides at Abuelita.

 

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