Three prime spots for Japan’s signature soup.

Few foods carry as much culinary cachet as ramen.

No, not instant noodles in 25-cent cups. We’re talking big bowls of bone broth packed with tender noodles and meat. Ramen has become fodder for Instagram hashtags.

Yet this ramen renaissance has been slow to reach the Monterey Peninsula. Ah, but things are changing.

Monterey’s Ocean Sushi Deli has become a go-to spot for the savory soup. (The Pacific Grove location is takeout only, so ramen isn’t available there.)

A traditional tonkotsu – a creamy broth made by boiling pork bones until they release the fats and collagen inside – anchors the ramen here. Chashyu ramen ($13) is my guilty pleasure, promising “lots of chashyu.” Also known as chashu and (cringeworthily) explained on the menu as “Oriental ham,” chashu here is on the leaner side, with loin instead of rich pork belly.

Carmel Coffee & Cocoa Bar, on the ground level of the Carmel Plaza, is perhaps the most unexpected spot, but this place isn’t limited to a coffee shop menu.

Ramen is available in two sizes: small for $11.75 and large for $13.75. Don’t be fooled – a “small” is a sizeable portion. The menu scores points for creative combinations, like kimchi and pork, wonton, chicken and cilantro, and tofu and seaweed.

Wonton ramen fuses favorite soups from China and Japan. This bowl is packed to the rim: a heaping mound of noodles, two plump dumplings, and two slices of roasted pork peeking from the edge of the bowl.

Kimchi ramen carries a light crimson color, splattering my sweatshirt with each slurp – a telltale badge of honor for ramen enthusiasts. Tangy fermented kimchi adds crunchy contrast against the soft noodles.

Harumi won this year’s Best of Monterey County poll among Weekly readers for best ramen. The menu is limited to three variations, but what the selection lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

These ramens really are the best in town.

The standout is miso, made with fermented soybean paste. The alluring aroma of smoky barbecue and sweet caramel hits my nose as our server places the bowl on the table. I’m mesmerized by brown broth swirling with clouds of miso and slicks of fat. Caramelized cabbage adds soft sweetness that complements three slices of charred chashu.

Whether your tastes skew classic or contemporary, there is a growing number of spots on the Monterey Peninsula to enjoy delicious ramen.

Carmel Coffee & Cocoa Bar

Ocean and Mission, inside the Carmel Plaza, Carmel, 238-6478, 7am-6pm daily.

Harumi

1760 Fremont Blvd., Suite H4, Seaside, 899-9988, sushiharumi.com, lunch Monday-Friday 11am-2:30pm and Saturday-Sunday 12-2:30pm, dinner 5-9pm Sunday-Thursday and 5-10pm Friday-Saturday.

Ocean Sushi Deli

165 Webster St., Monterey, 645-9888, oceansushi.com, 11am-8pm Sunday-Wednesday and 11am-9pm Thursday-Saturday.