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Craving some soup to warm you up?  From the first steaming spoonful, to that little bit of liquid left in the bottom, these are the best bowls of chow that the Miami Valley has to offer.  So, all you serious eaters, get a spoon, get some crackers if need be, and check out our list of MUST EAT soups.

With some help from our Dayton Foodies group, we’ve pulled together some recommendation for Dayton tastiest soups:

FRENCH ONION SOUP
Any one of Doubleday’s soups could make this list.  In a restaurant known for their homemade soups, this one is a favorite.  Dayton  regulars have stuffed the restaurant for decades, and many have felt the hot, gooey dripping flavor of the french onion soup. Other top mentions for French onion include The Oakwood Club, Buckhorn Tavern and The Paragon Super Club.

THE NEW ORLEANS STYLE GUMBO 

New Orleans Gumbo from Jimmie’s Ladder 11

Hearty, rich and just the right spiciness, this soup is one of those “OMG” moments when you take a bite. Known for a strongly flavored stock, meat or shellfish (or sometimes both), a thickener, and the Creole “holy trinity”: celery, bell peppers, and onions. Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickener used, whether okra or filé powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves). It’s been said that Jimmie’s Ladder 11 has the best gumbo outside of the big easy, but  Sands ands Seafood and Sports is fast gaining on them. For a different take on gumbo check out DiSalvo’s Deli for their chicken gumbo. Perfectly carved, generous chicken pieces, line a delicately light broth.  The bowl is filled with a treasure trove of vegetables and tremendous flavor.

CLAM CHOWDER

Jay’s Clam Chowder, a Dayton original

This  is a soup with cream or milk mixed with ingredients such as potatoes, sweet corn, smoked haddock, clams and prawns, etc. Some cream-style chowders do not use cream, and are instead prepared using milk and a roux to thicken them.  The creamy broth, the chunks of fresh clams, and the perfect dash of pepper make this soup. Seajax, Club Oceano, Smith’s Boathouse, Bullwinkles and Jay’s Seafood all have raves for their New England Clam Chowder.

HOT & SOUR SOUP
It happens to be one of the healthiest mushroom soup recipes in the world! A Chinese restaurant favourite, it’s hearty, savory, sour – and as spicy as you want it to be. Filled with mushrooms, tofu and silky egg ribbons, Hot and Sour soup is thickened with cornflour/cornstarch so the broth is beautifully glossy. Fu Mon Lau – hot and sour soup is  packed with veggies, low in calories and low in fat. Authentic Chinese hot and sour soup is considered medicinal as it combines healing chicken broth, circulation improving fungus (mushrooms), and antioxidant packed ginger and vinegar. Flavors Eatery in Centerville offers an original house hot drop which combines the heat of hot and sour with a more traditional egg drop soup.

POTATO SOUP
A creamy soup primarily made with cooked potatoes, broth, mil or cream and ofen includes aromatics like onion, celery and garlic.  It’s often topped with  bacon bits, cheese, and green onions depending on the recipe.  Local favorites include The Famous, Salt Block. Biscuit Company, Bullwinkles, Grist, The Dublin Pub and Corner Kitchen,  Try Tony & Pete’s for a sweet potato version.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
This comforting  soup is usally made with  with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn  and topped with tortilla strips its full of flavor, and very filling! Some of the place you’ll find it are Charlie’s Deli,  Mi Lindo Jalisco Mexican Restaurant And Bar, Big Sky Bread Company, Mamacitas Cantina and El Meson.

POZOLE
A traditional soup or stew from Mexican cuisine. It is made from hominy and typically chicken or pork), and can be seasoned and garnished with shredded lettuce or cabbage, chilivpeppers, onion, garlic, radishes, avocado, salsa or limes.  It’s time-consuming to make, so restaurants will usually only serve it on the weekends.  The owner of Chiapas Mexican Grill tells us he uses grandmother’s recipe for a chicken and hominy soup.  The broth is soothing yet spicy.  The chicken is tender and shreds of it soak between hominy corn.  Radishes float on top of this beautiful looking soup.  One of the most unique soups on this list, it is authentic Mexican fare. You can also find it at Taqueria Mixteca, El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant in Franklin and La Michoacana Mexican Market & Restaurant

El Meson

BLACK BEAN SOUP

This flavorful and hearty soup is a staple in Latino cuisine, made with black beans, onion, garlic, pepper, ham hock, olive oil and a bit of vinegar. Pictured here from El Meson, also check it out at Jorrge’s Reataurant Cantina,  Nelly’s A Taste of Bolivia and Elsa’s .

TOM KAI SOUP (Coconut Soup)
Rich and creamy yet tangy and salty, this Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is filling but light and positively bursting with flavor from Coconut milk soup, mushroom, galangal root, citrus leaves, lime juice. You can get it made with chicken or veggies or the  Seafood Combo (Shrimp, Scallops, Squid) Also availaable from rom Massaman Thai Cuisine, also popular at Penn’s Thai Grille, Thai Table, Sky Asian Cuisine, Singa Thai and White Lotus.

SPECIALTY SOUPS:

THE TURTLE SOUP at THE AMBER ROSE:

Amber Rose Turtle Soup

This soup is exotic, thick and hearty.  It is an old recipe, passed down by Elinore, the previous owner of the restaurant.   This is one of those things that you eat and immediately want more.  Visit Joe Castellano and his chefs and try it for yourself as an appetizer to one of their Eastern European meals.

THE PICKLE SOUP from BLIND BOB’S:
Don’t be fooled by the sound of it, don’t judge a book by its cover.  This is one of the best soups in Dayton.  The flavor isn’t sharp, it is surprisingly mild and rich.  If you like cream of broccoli soup, this is an even better spin on it.  This is a great warm up right before you try one of their burger selections!

THE SIZZLING RICE SOUP FROM CHINA COTTAGE:
For decades they have been serving this white meat chicken, fresh vegetables and steaming rice kernels in an unforgettable broth.  The flavor is a perfect balance of mushrooms, carrots, other vegetables and rice in a white meat chicken and broth mixture.  North China also has a good one.

SEAFOOD PHO  from Pho Mi in Miamisburg
Pho is a veitnamese soup made with broth, rice noodles and herbs and is know asthe national dish of Vietnam.  The seafood version is loaded with shrimp, crab meat and squid, and is simply delicious.

SPICY VEGETABLE SOUP from KABUKI. This soup  is a fantastic mix of spicy pepper broth, bean sprouts and onions.  This can clear your sinuses and make your cold feel better all at the same time.  It is the perfect tune up for a sushi feast.  Enjoy the color and aroma of the soup, it tastes as good as it looks.

Also don’t forget to check out Dorothy Lane Market for a daily selection of housemade soups.  They usually have four or five featured soups, including vegetarian  and gluten free options.  Check here to check out the soup of the day selections.

Have we missed your favorite soup?  Tell us about it in the comments below.