Where are the Valley’s best soup spots? We asked, you answered

As the temperature dips lower and snow starts to pile up outside, soup is the perfect comfort food to warm up on a chilly winter day. Mahoning Matters took to social media last week, asking readers for their favorite soups in the Valley. Here’s what we heard:

Mahoning County

Aladdin’s Eatery, 7325 South Ave., Boardman

You should try: The lentil soup, available daily.

• “Made with lentils, swiss chard, celery, golden potatoes and fresh garlic,” according to Aladdin’s Eatery’s website.

Ely’s to Go, 850 E. Western Reserve Rd. Ste. 7, Poland

You should try: The creamy potato and kale soup, on a rotating menu. Call 330-953-3445 to ask if it’s available.

• “We use a mushroom powder frequently that enhances the flavor of our soups and makes them taste really great,” said owner Yiota Italiano.

Kravitz Deli, 3135 Belmont Ave., Liberty

You should try: The chicken paprikash soup, available Wednesdays.

• “Kravitz Deli’s chicken paprikash is something I would plan lunch meetings around,” said Sarah Lowry, director of Healthy Community Partnership.

Napa Grocery, 4350 Boardman-Canfield Rd., Canfield

You should try: The wild mushroom bisque, on a rotating menu. Call 330-286-3136 to ask if it’s available.

• “Wild mushroom bisque is our most popular and widely available soup. We rotate between two soups each day,” said Nunzio Scordo, co-owner and chef.

Pho Saigon, 6532 South Ave., Boardman

You should try: The pho, a savory Vietnamese noodle soup usually made with beef

• Alyssa says: “Cold outside? Pho. Sick? Pho. Bad day? Pho. Is there a problem Pho can’t solve?”

Pho Saigon’s authentic bowl comes with beef or seafood. Or, you can opt out of the meat options and try it with tofu or veggies.

Stonebridge Grille & Tavern, 1497 Boardman-Canfield Rd., Boardman

You should try: The French onion soup, available daily.

• Alyssa says: “This scratch made recipe was recommended by nearly 20 community members on Facebook, making it our most suggested soup overall!”

Uptown Pizza, 6041 Market St., Youngstown

You should try: The wedding soup, available daily

• Alyssa says: “Listen, we know wedding soup is taken very seriously in the Valley. Everyone seems to have their go-to spot for this Italian-American dish of perfectly married flavors. With that being said, Uptown Pizza was the top wedding soup recommendation in Mahoning County from community members on Facebook. This Valley pizzeria has been in business since the 1950s — proving that the classics are the classics with good reason.”

Trumbull County

Diles Market & Cafe, 55 S Leavitt Rd., Leavittsburg

You should try: The broccoli and cheese soup, available daily.

• Alyssa says: “It’s always a treat to stop by this family-owned store as a one-stop-shop for convenience items and delicious homemade foods — including their broccoli and cheese soup, which we think pairs great with their ‘famous’ Belt Buster sub.”

Hot Dog Shoppe, 740 W Market St., Warren

You should try: The chicken noodle soup, on a rotating menu. Call 330-395-7057 to ask if it’s available.

• Alyssa says: “Is it even possible to take a trip to Warren without making a stop at the Hot Dog Shoppe? Next time you’re in the charismatic eatery, order a warm cup of chicken noodle soup to pair with your chili dog and milkshake.”

Jimmy’s Italian Specialties, 3230 Belmont Ave., Youngstown

You should try: The raviolini with meatball, available on Mondays.

• Alyssa says: “Want something a bit more hearty than nonna’s pastina? Raviolini with meatball from Jimmy’s Italian Specialties adds a twist on a classic pasta dish.”

Margherita’s Grille, 728 N State St., Girard

You should try: The lobster bisque, available daily.

• Alyssa says: “Lobster bisque is a rarity in Northeast Ohio. Margherita’s hard-to-come-by favorite is perfect for dipping in their complimentary bread!”

Scenna’s Family Restaurant, 1901 N State St., Girard

You should try: The wedding soup, on a rotating menu. Call 330-545-8984 to ask if it’s available.

• Alyssa says: “Again, we had many submissions for wedding soup, but Scenna’s Family Restaurant’s homemade recipe was the most suggested overall in Trumbull County.”

Sunrise Inn, 510 E Market St., Warren

You should try: The beans and greens soup, on a rotating menu. Call 330-392-5176 or 330-395-7808 to ask if it’s available.

• Alyssa says: “Sunrise Inn has a plethora of soups that rotate daily. We chose to highlight beans and greens because it’s tried-and-true, with a light, delicious broth.”

The Mocha House, 467 High St., Warren

You should try: The white chicken chili, on a rotating menu. Call 330-392-3020 to ask if it’s available.

• Mocha House changes out its soup and chili offerings each day and sells in cups, bowls and quarts — perfect for sharing or carrying back to the office.

Vernon’s Cafe, 720 Youngstown Warren Rd., Niles

You should try: The Japanese-style ramen, available on Wednesdays.

Though Vernon’s Cafe has been a beloved Italian eatery in Trumbull County for decades, the restaurant’s widely popular “Ramen Wednesday” was introduced in recent years by Chef Tré Cesta.

• “Whether you’re making your own ramen from scratch or using kits or store bought products, keep the focus on the broth,” Cesta told us. “My favorite to go is tonkotsu broth, which is achieved from making rich stock from pork bones and vegetables. Ramen making is a lengthy process but well worth the sweat and time when it comes down to slurping noodles.”

Why not make your own?

We didn’t just hear about readers’ favorite local warm-ups — they also offered a few of their own recipes. Give these a try next time you need to take the chill off:

Loaded potato soup

From Marisa Sergi, founder of Red Brands and chief growth officer at L’uva Bella Winery in Lowellville

Ingredients

• 6-8 potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.), peeled and diced into half-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 8 slices bacon
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• Chopped green onions, to garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Process

1. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook the bacon until it becomes nice and crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Discard any fat that the bacon rendered, add the butter and onion and sauté until the onion becomes translucent and develops a bit of color, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, add the milk, stock and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Add the sour cream, cooked bacon and cheese and stir everything together. Cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle some chopped green onions over the top with a little extra sprinkle of cheese.

Butternut squash soup

From Don Ritenour, owner and chef at Yo Fresh in Youngstown

Ingredients

• 5 large butternut squashes, peeled and cubed (seeds removed)
• 10 potatoes, peeled and chopped (maybe fewer)
• ¾ cup + 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp. of butter
• 5 onions, chopped
• 5 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 5 large carrots, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 1 gal. + 1 qt. low-sodium chicken broth

Process

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place butternut squash and potatoes on a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook until softened, about 7 to 10 minutes, then, using an immersion blender, blend soup until creamy. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer batches of the hot soup to a blender.

Slow-cooked stuffed pepper soup

From Justin Dennis, editor of Mahoning Matters

Justin says: “I found this recipe on Cooking Classy and tweaked it a bit. It definitely hits the spot.”

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 bell peppers, chopped; one green, one yellow
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Two 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, not drained
• One 15-oz. can tomato sauce (or combine 9 oz. water with 6-oz. can of tomato paste and stir until blended)
• One 14.5-oz. can beef broth
• 2 1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped; and more to garnish
• 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 dry cup white or brown rice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• White sugar, to taste
• Cheddar or mozzarella cheese, to garnish

Process

1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add beef and stir regularly, breaking it into small chunks, until brown. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a crock pot.
2. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil in large pan. Sauté onions and bell peppers until soft. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Deglaze and scrape pan with beef broth. Transfer to crock pot.
3. Add two 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, one 15-oz. can tomato sauce, 2 1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley, 2 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp. dried oregano to crock pot. Mix well. Slow-cook on high heat for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
4. Switch to low heat. Add white sugar to taste. [Justin says: “I add about 1 tbsp., just to cut down the acidity of the tomato. If you’d prefer a sweeter soup, add more!”]
5. Let simmer on low heat for another 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
6. Cook 1 dry cup white or brown rice. [Justin says: “I always go with brown rice for its earthiness.”]
7. Garnish with fresh parsley and cheese and serve. [Justin says: “I think mozzarella goes best here, but the missus prefers cheddar.”]