Nothing quite says “comfort” like a bowl of hot, soothing noodles. Whether it’s slippery rice vermicelli, chewy wheat noodles or toothsome strands of yellow egg noodles, there’s a bowl to fit every craving.
We’ve put together our top list of favourite noodle shops around town, for whenever you need that comforting bowl that’s also comforting to the soul. You’ll be sure to see us at one of these spots at least once a week!
Thai boat noodles at The Spice House
We stumbled upon this delicious bowl of boat noodles by accident on a chance encounter with some Thai friends while waiting in line outside Samsen. Wary of the long queue outside the ever-popular Samsen, we were desperate to scratch that itch for boat noodles but without the wait. One of our friends suggested the authentic Thai restaurant right across the street – The Spice House, winner of a Foodie Forks 2019 Hidden Gem award – and because he’s Thai, we knew it was going to be legit. Low and behold – we found our fix without the queue! The boat noodles at The Spice House are aromatic with herbs and spices, accompanied by tender stewed pork, pork meatballs and a good helping of morning glory, topped with fried shallot and garlic. At $65 a pop (which includes a drink), it’s quite the deal. Be sure to also try the garlicky sour Thai sausage too.
35 Amoy Street, Wanchai, 2804 2522
2/F, Linway Court, 69–71 Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai, 2591 4741
Cart noodles at Ming Ming Cart Noodle Bar
This is by far our favourite cart noodle shop, and not because it’s a stone’s throw away from our old office in Wanchai. The shop began as a tiny hole in the wall when we first started eating lunch there. Fast-forward three years and it’s doubled in size and expanded to two more locations, proving that good products sell themselves. Diners are spoiled for choice when it comes to the noodle toppings, although our favourites are the soft-boiled egg, sweet turnip, fried bean curd rolls and crunchy pork cartilage. To bypass the massive queue, try to arrive before 12pm. We still drive over to Wanchai for this bowl of utter deliciousness.
North Point: 290–292 King’s Road, 2333 3911/3921
Wanchai: 89 Hennessy Road, 2333 3080/8820, and 290 Hennessy Road, 2886 4007/4413
Taiwanese beef noodles at Iron Cow
Our favourite bowl of Taiwanese beef noodles can be found at Iron Cow, a Taiwanese import that has been warming up the lunch crowds with its soothing bowls of succulent beefy goodness. A range of noodles and rice options is on offer alongside a bevy of Taiwanese snacks such as fried chicken. Our favourites are the soy-brined beef noodles, featuring a perfect ratio of meat to gelatinous collagen, and the sweet, tangy tomato soup noodles with brisket and tendon. The strands of wheat noodles have a delicious, hearty chewiness and pair well with the tender beef. Wash it all down with some bubble tea for a quintessential Taiwanese experience.
Central: 2/F, Jade Centre, 98 Wellington Street, 2660 8321
Mongkok: Shop A, B/F, Phase 1, Argyle Centre, 688 Nathan Road, 3755 4296
TST: B/F, Cheung Lee Commercial Building, 25 Kimberley Road, 2660 6611, and Shop 28, LG/F, Hilton Towers, 96 Granville Road, 3622 1190
Curry beef brisket noodles at Kau Kee
Don’t know where Kau Kee is? Just look for the queue! A Hong Kong institution, the popular, Michelin-recommended noodle shop has become a headliner in international food guides on Hong Kong. Locals will know to avoid peak lunch hour, but if you get there at opening time at 12:30pm, you can still expect to be seated in around 10 minutes as a single diner. Known for its beefy broth and brisket, with the top cut of brisket called 爽牛腩 usually sold out by 1pm, this no-frills restaurant offers a wide selection of noodles to go with the various combinations of beef. Our favourite is the thick yellow noodles in beef and tendon curry broth – spicy, hearty and incredibly aromatic.
21 Gough Street, Central, 2850 5967
Nyonya laksa at Mean Noodles
Expect some mean laksa at Mean Noodles. The fragrant soup starts from a base of chicken broth, later blended with a spice and herb paste as well as a small amount of coconut milk. Fresh laksa and pandan leaves are flown in from Thailand and Malaysia to make the paste, and it’s cooked at a low temperature to extract all the flavours. We love how every bite of noodles can be accompanied by a different topping, since the bowl is packed full of various delicious ingredients, including prawns, chicken slices, fish balls, fish cakes, tofu puffs, bean sprouts, morning glory and boiled egg.
148 Wing Lok Street (entrance near 38 New Market Street), Sheung Wan, 3104 0288
Shanxi noodles at 有緣小敍 (Yau Yuen Siu Tsui)
Come lunchtime and you can spot this small restaurant in Central by the massive crowd gathered in front. The must-have here is the shop’s extra-wide Shanxi noodle, served in a complete strand that fills an entire bowl. The chewy strand of noodle is dressed with fresh garlic, crispy seaweed, crunchy wood fungus and sweet cabbage. We highly suggest the stewed pork rib as your topping for this garlicky bowl of noodles. Tossed in a fiery chilli sauce, this bowl will have you slurping and reaching for a box of tissues while in complete food ecstasy. Another
Foodie Forks Hidden Gem winner.
Central: 14–15 Wo On Lane, 5296 6630
Jordan: 36 Man Yuen Street, 5300 2682
Pork belly ramen at Kamitora Tonkotsu
Be warned – once you’ve had Kamitora’s pork belly ramen, there’s no going back to other ramen shops. We like to think of ourselves as ramen connoisseurs, slurping our way through Hong Kong as well as Japan, and Kamitora has our vote for the best ramen in the Kong. The eatery’s signature ramen comes in an incredibly rich, creamy pork-bone broth with a depth that only hours of slow-cooking can achieve. Complemented with crunchy bamboo shoots, homemade meatballs and thin, buttery slices of roast pork, this classic bowl is already a standout on its own, BUT if you add some grilled pork belly and a soft-boiled egg, you’ll be transported to ramen heaven. The thick, juicy slab of pork belly is seared and caramelised on the outside and fall-apart-at-first-touch tender inside. At $118 for the upgraded bowl, your stomach and wallet will thank you for it.
6–16 Tai Wong Street East, Wanchai, 2811 0338
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