Clever Ramen, sibling restaurant of Clever Koi, closes in Scottsdale

Born & Raised co-founder and co-owner Joshua James has a background in mixology. He and business partner Nick Campisano run restaurants around the Valley. Melissa Fossum

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Clever Koi's restaurants in central Phoenix and Gilbert attract fans with their menu of flavor-packed ramen and snackable bao. In early 2022, the owners expanded their offerings and brought ramen to more people with their fast-casual counterpart, Clever Ramen. But now, after two and a half years of serving noodles and bao, the ramen shop has closed.

Clever Ramen was part of Born & Raised Hospitality, a company founded by award-winning mixologist Joshua James and hospitality pro Nick Campisano. The restaurant was located in SkySong, the Arizona State University Scottsdale Innovation Center on the southeast corner of McDowell and Scottsdale roads.

The center is filled with offices and apartments, providing the key customer base for a quick lunch spot. The modern restaurant reflected its young professional crowd, with interesting architecture and an unusual wood-paneled wall and ceiling installation that wrapped around the space.

The concept worked similarly to many build-your-own fast-casual spots. As customers ordered, they could choose their own noodles and broth, and then pick which vegetables, meats and sauces to add on top. The restaurant also offered a selection of predetermined ramen and rice bowls along with bao and loaded fries.

click to enlarge

Clever Ramen was a sibling restaurant to Clever Koi. It served some of the same customer favorites in a more casual setting.

Lauren Cusimano

On July 1, the owners posted news of the closure to the restaurant's social media.

"After three years of delicious ramen, pillowy buns, and loaded fries with all of you, we've made the tough decision to close. We are deeply grateful for every single one of you who walked through our doors, shared a bowl of love, and created unforgettable memories with us. Thank you for being part of our journey," the post read.

It went on to encourage customers and fans to visit the other restaurants in the hospitality group, including Clever Koi in Gilbert and Phoenix, sushi and cocktail counter Across the Pond and Italian restaurant Fellow Osteria.