Lunch Break: Where to Slurp Ramen Downtown

While some people are still working from home, many are back in the office, which means the lunch break is making a big comeback, too. For those working near the 16th Street Mall, options for a solid meal at a good price are getting easier to come by (even if you have to navigate the ongoing construction to reach them). To get through the cold winter ahead, we dug into ramen.

What: Jinya Ramen Bar

Where: 1710 Wynkoop Street (there is also a Jinya location inside the Ameristar in Black Hawk)

When: Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

For more information: Visit jinyaramenbar.com
Why we love it: There is a strong selection of ramen to choose from downtown, but Jinya is the highlight because of its location and atmosphere; it feels like a true escape, even if you're just visiting for lunch hour.

Snuggly fit into the older buildings across from Union Station, Jinya is a chain, but it doesn't feel overly corporate thanks to its cozy and modern space, open kitchen and a bar menu complete with beer, wine, sake and cocktails. At lunch, it's usually filled with a hodgepodge of office workers, travelers and tourists, and the staff yell greetings in Japanese to guests when they arrive — a surprisingly welcoming touch.

What's for lunch: Jinya has a wide selection, which we appreciate. The ramen menu includes at least a dozen different bowls priced at $15.80-$18.80, including tonkotsu, spicy variations, vegetarian broths, creamy broths, meaty toppings, gluten-free noodles and more. Some highlights are the wonton chicken ramen served with spinach and green onion, and a spicy umami miso ramen.

Although it's not stated explicitly on the menu, you can add toppings or change out the noodles when ordering any of the ramen options. The bowls the ramen is served in are deceptively deep, so you'll often have leftovers for dinner or to keep at your office for lunch the next day.

Jinya also offers small shareable plates like edamame, gyoza and takoyaki plus rice bowls, mini tacos and salads. With the full bar, you could also turn lunch into an early happy hour — Jinya's begins at 3 p.m. and runs until 6 p.m.

Similar spots nearby: Menya Noodle Bar serves ramen alongside poke bowls and tapas. The selection is strong, and although it is a sit-down restaurant, the pace feels faster than Jinya. Another good quick ramen spot downtown is Dragonfly Noodle, which also serves bao buns and has butter lobster ramen on the menu if you're feeling fancy.