A new ramen shop has opened on Franklin Avenue in Nutley, serving bowls that blend Japanese technique with Filipino flavor in the former Spanky's space across from Nutley Park Oval. Tenomi's menu centers on house-made broth built from meat and bones by chef KC Gonzales, fresh noodles, and oversized portions meant to be shared or savored slowly.
According to TAPinto, Gonzales creates ramen that draws from both Japanese and Filipino culinary traditions, a combination that shows up clearly on the menu. The Tokyo Shoyu arrives in a 48-hour chicken broth, a slow-simmered approach typical of Japanese ramen shops, while the Sonigac leans into Filipino flavor with a Pinoy-inspired broth built on tamarind, sour soup, and a chicken base. Diners can choose pork, chicken, or tofu as their protein across the menu.
A Menu Built Around Broth and Scale
Beyond the broth bowls, Tenomi serves dumplings and desserts, including some items featuring ube, the purple yam common in Filipino sweets. The ramen bowls themselves are oversized, according to the TAPinto report, giving the shop a hearty, generous feel that fits its casual, neighborhood setting near the park oval.
The opening also comes after a winding path to Franklin Avenue. Earlier reporting from northjersey.com described the business, spelled Tenmomi in that coverage, as planning a move to 301 Franklin Ave. in Nutley, with chef KC Gonzalez saying the opening should land within the first few weeks of November. That same report noted Tenmomi's final day of service in Rutherford was set for Friday, Oct. 30, with hours running noon to 8 p.m.
From Rutherford Pop-Up to Nutley Storefront
The ramen concept has moved around before landing on Franklin Avenue. A February 2026 article from nj.com said the chef launched the concept as a pop-up in Rutherford in 2022 and later operated a takeout-and-delivery location in Nutley for three years, before that same report said Tenmomi was slated to open a storefront beneath the Williams Center in Rutherford on March 2, 2026. A 2026 report from boozyburbs.com also said Tenmomi was partnering with bakery concept Moffle Bar, combining operations under the name Tenmomi Moffle Bar.
The ramen itself has drawn attention before. A 2023 northjersey.com review of the earlier Nutley spot said the writer did not go in expecting to find the best ramen in the state, but came away believing they had. TAPinto's report frames the new Franklin Avenue shop as part of what it calls Nutley's culinary revolution, a wave the township says began in 2016 and has since welcomed Cubita, Nimman, Pita Bowl, Aroma, Crazy Argentine, and now Tenomi.
Part of a Broader Local Food Wave
That framing echoes earlier coverage of Nutley's dining scene. A 2025 TAPinto piece described the opening of Crazy Argentine Empanadas as part of Nutley's continuing culinary renaissance, suggesting the township's run of new restaurant openings has been building for some time. Article author John Lee, writing for TAPinto, said he expects to return to Tenomi many more times, especially at lunchtime.
