Some Japanese restaurants give you a cup of miso with your meal. It’s a nice, light, healthy beginning to your meal. Hapa’s is especially light and a nice warm up for your palette.

My favorite Miso soup on earth. The Den’s version is heartier than most with plenty of tofu, mushrooms and green onions to give it enough substance to be a meal on it’s own with a spring roll or two.

Well it’s bison chili at Ted’s and it’s thick and filling and delicious. It’s interesting to eat a bowl of bison chili while looking at stuffed Buffalo heads on the walls, but if you don’t mind that kind of thing, it’s some chili you won’t forget.

Possibly the most popular pho stop in the city, Pho Duy offers standard tables, standard service, and outstanding pho. Choose from flank, brisket, shrimp, chicken, tripe, tendon and more and create your own perfect combination of tastes by adding fresh herbs and sauces. The meat is lean and always cooked perfectly. Well adored by the Vietnamese community as well as pho addicts like me, alike, be sure to prepare for a wait, ‘cuz Duy fills up quickly. But it’s well worth it.

This location in Aurora is one of the larger pho institutions I’ve been in and was my first foray into pho addiction. The pho is super and they do offer some other items to try, but why whould you really? Pho-nomenal.

need a wuick fix for your lunch break or something to take home for dinner? Cook’s Fresh offers 2 fresh soups daily and a number of frozen soups ranging from chowders to tortilla, black bean and more. A great option for people who don’t want to cook tonight.

I’m so lucky to live as close as I do to this fantastic restaurant. Sometime I just want to go have a nice glass of wine and a bowl of the soup of the day for a relaxing and satisfying , easy meal. Slide up to the bar and order a bowl of the soup, regardless of what it is, because I have never been let down. Have the bartender suggest a wine to go with it, and be sure to get some of the fresh house-made bread to accompany it. Bon appetit.

Hence the name, you can get a great bowl of Gumbo at this cajun inspired seafood restaurant. Several options depending on your tastes and even free gumbo during happy hour make this a definite addition to my list.

Melting, gooey delicious cheese with a brown bubbling crust over a nice thick piece of toast make this french onion soup so delicious. I love digging my spoon in and trying to get a spoonful with a little bit of broth, onion, bread and cheese all in one bite.

This winter I stumbled upon Suzy Q’s in search of frozen yogurt but couldn’t resist the smell of the chili made fresh daily. Served with crackers, it has just enough spice to give it a kick. Bring fritos with you to make it frito pie. YUM! It’s a perfect lunch or dinner to go for cheap, too.

Brunch, lunch or dinner is always delicious at Lola. I particularly love going for brunch or lunch on a nice day and ordering a bowl of the delicious soups…tortilla or corn. Tortilla is my favorite and is just right for a light lunch on the patio.

I dream about this sweeter, coconut laced tomato soup from Little India. It’s warm and spicy yet sweet and the coconut is so unexpected it’s a total treat for your tastebuds.

This chain of cajun cookin restaurants are always jam packed with seafood lovers. The crab bisque is great, but I love a bowl of fresh gumbo like Pappadeaux prepares. With okra, onions, celery, rice and sausage and succulent shrimp, a bowl of their gumbo will fill me up on it’s own.