Best Soup in New York

I've seen the Seinfeld inspired places that serve soup at 4.95 and 6.95.

Which place has the best orgasmic soups in New York? I was going to try Hale and Hearty Soups in Chelsea Market last week but was drawn away by the Italian market section for a pannini and a gelato to finish.

And by the way, are the Seinfeld inspired soup places THAT good? Are the soups unbelievable or is it just rather ordinary? Thanks!

[acpi]

Cafe Doppio @ 55 Broad St. is a mom-and-pop place with fantastic homemade soups. It's sandwiched between a Starbucks and a Hale & Hearty, so not only is it great to support the little guy, but your stomach will love it too. The Italian Wedding and the Tomato-Zucchini are my faves.

[morninglemon]

I am a huge soup connoisseur and I recommend Kenny Shopsins' soups. I always get the avocado cheese tortilla; i used to get the chicken avocado tortilla but the cheese was vital to my enjoyment and sometimes kenny will blacken the chicken too much and leave a burned taste to the soup. the peruvian shrimp corn chowder is also delicious, and i agree about an earlier post on the brazillian garlic: you will reek of garlic for a week, but it is wholly satisfying to have. but i think the avocado cheese tortilla is the king of all soups and i can taste it even before i take a booth at shopsins.

[Olive123]

I don't know if it's the best soup in New York, but I really like SoHomade Soup. They used to be on Varick off Spring, but I think they moved a few blocks south. They offer a different set of soups each day, and all of the homemade croutons you can stuff into a paper bag. The cream of mushroom is especially delicious.

[maggiej]

Has anyone tried the soups at the bar at Hearth. They sound like a good deal.

[misnatalie]

Since we are talking soup,I thought that the matzoh ball soup at Ratner's on Delancey was the Best in New York. Any suggestions for great matzoh ball soup now?

[drumwine]

Edison Cafe

[misnatalie]

Is it something they have their daily?

[bruceb04]

I wholeheartedly second Edison Cafe's matzoh ball soup & yes, they have it daily.

[maxine]

I was surprised that the matzo ball soup from Whole Foods was really good. I bought some during passover and will get some again, they were some of the best balls I have ever tasted. (yes, this is getting too dirty)

[misnatalie]

Thanks, I never would have guessed whole foods. I'll totally give it a try.

[whitneybee]

Their butternut squash soup is pretty good too.

[richardortega]

$6 tortilla soup at la esquina on lafyette is by far the best tortilla soup i've had - tomato based not to be confused with the slear brothy coastal version which is a summer favorite. gourmet garage has pretty tasty soups and fanellis too. my trouble is finding a variety of broth based soups that arent salty

[gloriousfood]

Friend and I were very impressed by the French onion soup at Metro Marche recently--good quality cheese, just the right amount of ooze (doesn't take away from the rest of the soup) and not drowned in salt.

[jptcu]

Don't know if Kenney's still making it, but Shopsin's Brazilian, garlic, chicken, rice soup ranks near the top of my list (be prepared to smell like garlic for the next couple of days, though). Also, in a silmiar vein, there's Pam's (of Real Pam Thai fame) oxtail soup

[superego]

Excellent (heart-warming) soups can be found at Cosy Soup & Burger on Broadway & Astor Pl.

[marlie202]

matzoa ball soup at B&H east village and their sweet and sour cabbage soup is great too-try their challah best too

[junglekitte]

i much prefer the french onion soup at balthazar. perfection.

[guttergourmet]

ditto

[eeee]

If we're not limiting ourselves to soup-only shops, my favorite soup is the french onion soup at Artisanal.

[was_bk]

When I worked in the nabe I used to get the Goulash soup at the Silver Swan (20th btwn Bway & Park) to go.

It's really more like a beef stew with big chunks of beef, carrots,& peas topped with a helping of spaetzle. Served with a nice crusty bread it runs @ $6.00.

Like others have mentioned Cafe Medina was another of my regular soup spots. They do carry an interesting selection of tasy soups.

Speaking of soup spots now gone, I'm still missing Daily Soup and their afternoon specials.

[sriracha]

6 and 12, on 6th ave between 11th and 12th. 8 great soups like mexican chicken tortilla, potato leek, african chicken peanut, plus more traditional flavors like chicken noodle and minestrone. i think the soup is $3.50 but am not sure because i always got the great lunch combo with half a sandwich and a soda for $6.95.

[jakew8]

+1 for 6 & 12. I used to eat there almost every day when I was in school in that neighborhood. Lunch combo is the best value ever. (Get the turkey hummus and feta, or the smoked gouda with green apple sandwich)

[junglekitte]

i second velskas borscht. i had it about a month ago. delicious. all the food there was good actually....

[KRS]

Veselka, 2nd Ave. @ 9th St., has some of the best soups around. The meaty beet borscht is more than enough for a meal, particularly with sour cream. Unfortunately, it's also the most obnoxious, noisy, uncomfortable place around. Get the borscht to go.

B&H Dairy Lunch, 2nd Ave. between 7th and St. Marks, also has excellent soups, which come with their heavenly challah.

[Pan]

I gave up on Veselka years ago, when the soups got way too salty. I guess they're great if you love lots of salt. Or have they changed for the better lately? (I'm skeptical of that.)

[sugartoof]

Veselka borscht is amazing.

[Pan]

It's OK. I think Ukrainian East Village in the Ukrainian National Home a couple of doors down is better.

[sugartoof]

I don't think it's better, but I do think it's really good if not equally so. They're very similar.

[coolpapabell]

The chicken soup at Bouchon Bakery

[bolletje]

I second Medina, it's really good. I had a lamb soup there the other day that was fabulous. It was so bursting with lamb meat and veggies that it was more of a stew, actually.

[cteats]

Medina on 17th off of Broadway has about 10 soups daily, $6 for a large. They have a lot of unusual soups, some Mediterranean-inspired such as Moroccan lamb, Yemenite chicken, Egyptian, etc. Usually have at least two vegetarian choices. They also have more traditional soups like chicken noodle, minestrone, black bean, etc.

I remember when SKI actually was $7, with a piece of bread if you cooperated ...

[Porkchop Express]

Fashion Soup on 41st and sixth (across from the park).
http://www.fashionsoup.com/ Not as good as International, but better than the crummy franchises.

[nyc123]

Lamarca on 22nd Street and 3rd Avenue has a cheese/soup/sandwich shop next door (on 22nd Street) that is only open for lunch Monday-Friday. They have some of the BEST soups in NYC. I just wish this place was open for dinner and on the weekends.

[sugartoof]

Don't they serve soup at the restaurant next door which they own?

[Sean Dell]

The soups at Cafe Sabarski are very good.

And, in the same neighborhood, the soups at Yura's are consistently excellent, among the very best in town.

- Sean

[Desidero]

Two of the best soups I have tried in Manhattan are the pea soup at Cosy Soup & Burger on Broadway & Astor Pl. and the tomato soup at Bread.

[foodette]

There's a place, Soup Spot, on 31st between 7th and 8th (facing MSG, near Penn Station.) This place is only open for lunch, but they do it right! Try Thai coconut curry chicken soup, jambalaya, any bisque... Really, I've never had a bad soup there!

[a_and_w]

foodette I love the Soup Spot! Not as good as Soup Man during his heyday (i.e., before he sold out) but also half the price. Ever since I stopped working around Penn Station, I've been searching in vain for a replacement. I really miss those guys!

I really enjoy the selection and quality of the soups at Printon 56 (56th btw 5th & 6th). I seek my orgasms elsewhere, but I really do enjoy the soup here.

When i was at NYU, I alwasy loved the soup selection at Karen's on Astor. They have around 6-8 soups/chilis daily. Very very good. Their version of lentil soup is still the best out there.

I certainly haven't tried every soup shop in NYC, but I recently had lunch with my brother and my husband at the Hale & Hearty across from Bryant Park and we each had a delicious cup of soup. DH had the 3-lentil chili, brother had mushroom barley, and I had the clam chowder. The New England-style chowder may well be the best I've ever had.
However, if you're back in Chelsea Market, go to the Lobster Place and have their Lobster Bisque. They sell it hot by the bowl, but we bought the large frozen bag of it for our family to have as a first course for Christmas Eve dinner. It was VERY good!

The original Soup Kitchen Int'l on 55th btwn 8th and Broadway was the basis for the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld. The soups were around $11-14 for a medium soup and were well worth the money. These new "Soup Man" franchises are a disgrace and the soup tastes nothing like the soup that used to be sold at SKI.

I've had H&H and thought it was a poor immitation of the original Soup Kitchen Int-l. I miss that place!

[nooyawka]

I soooo regret not having taken the time out to try the original Soup Kitchen International. I would drive by the store at nights while hanging out with friends in Manhattan and he would tell me about the lines. Just never took the time out. I wonder what Al's doing now...

[small h]

This:

http://www.originalsoupman.com/

[KTinNYC]

I don't think Al has too much to do with Original Soup Man. I suspect that he licensed his name and image but has nothing to do with the soups.

4.95 and 6.95???????

surely you jest. And it inspirered Seinfeld ... not 'tother way around.