Humans have been slurping and savoring noodles for centuries, with the first recorded noodle dish recorded during China’s Eastern Han period (25–220 CE). In fact, noodles would go on to become inextricable from ancient Chinese culture, with a wheat-based version emerging as a staple of the Han dynasty. Centuries later, noodle-making would hit Europe, transforming the cuisines of Italy during the Middle Ages and Germany in the early 18th century. The English word “noodle” itself goes back to the 18th century, borrowed by the English from the German “nudel.”
Whatever you call them, one thing remains certain: Love of noodles transcends culture and country. Jacques Cousteau once said that the sea was “the great unifier ... man’s only hope,” but did he ever consider the power of a steaming bowl of ramen? For this delicious guide, we’ve noodled on the best of the best around the world—places where mind-bending broths and eccentric histories collide to create unforgettable dining experiences.
1. Hrimnir Ramen 📍 Oslo, Norway
This Oslo eatery puts a uniquely Norwegian spin on traditional Japanese ramen, using seasonal local ingredients found from the fjords to the mountains. Opened by Norwegian-American microbiologist David Quist in 2019, Hrimnir places a special focus on fermented ingredients, with jars of preserved lemons, pickled plums, and pear vinegar lining the walls. The noodles are handmade in house with emmer wheat or tokornkveite, a heritage grain that gives them a uniquely nutty flavor.
2. Phở Hàng Trống 📍 Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi is considered the birthplace of Vietnam’s staple noodle soup, phở, and in the living room of home chef Ms. Minh, you’ll find some of the very best in the country. She’s been selling phở in Hanoi for decades but was forced to take her business inside in 2017, when the city started cracking down on street vendors.
At plastic tables, visitors to Ms. Minh’s home can enjoy traditional, northern-style phở (which has lighter, clearer broth than that in the south). She serves her noodles with jars of homemade chili sauce and pickled garlic, plus the option of dipping Chinese youtiao doughnuts in the hot broth.
3. Inari Soba Mansei 📍 Tokyo, Japan
This small soba shop dates back to the early 1600s, where it appears in the legend of Takuzousu, a Buddhist monk and kitsune, or shapeshifting fox-spirit. It’s said that Takuzousu frequented this very shop, where the coins he paid with supposedly turned into leaves once their magic had worn off.
You’d never know the restaurant’s legendary history from the outside, but inside, you’ll find a bronze bell from the original Takuzousu shrine displayed in glass. The menu, too, pays tribute to the kitsune by serving aburaage, a fried tofu believed to be foxes’ favorite food.
4. Pekin Noodle Parlor 📍 Butte, Montana
Pekin Noodle Parlor is the oldest continuously-operating Chinese restaurant in the U.S., opened in 1911 in what was once a thriving Chinatown. Passed down through the same family for generations, Pekin radiates old-school charm: A flickering, neon sign welcomes visitors into a dimly-lit space with orange booths and individual eating cubicles, where food arrives by trolley. The parlor’s main draw is the Chinese-American classic, chop suey, but it also serves up a mean chow mein and chicken noodle soup.
5. Mie Lethek Garuda 📍 Srandakan, Indonesia
In this traditional factory, cows turn a huge mortar that grinds dried cassava and sweet potatoes into flour for mie lethek, the region’s signature noodle variety. Mie lethek translates to “ugly noodles,” an apt name for these squiggly gray creations. But what they lack in beauty, they make up for in flavor: sweeter than your average noodle, with a pleasant, chewy texture.
Yasir Feri, Mie Lethek Garuda’s owner, is the grandson of the noodle’s creators, a Yemeni/Chinese couple who first opened up shop in the 1940s. After the cows have created the flour, Feri and his factory workers mix and press the dough by hand, then leave the finished noodles to dry in the sun before bringing them to the market. (The cows are also given sweet grass in return for their hard work.)
6. Pure Love Diner Bar 📍 Taipei, Taiwan
Colorful neon signs welcome you into this ’80s-themed den of vice (and noodles), complete with red lighting, disco balls, and antique furniture. The diner is an homage to Taipei’s old-school karaoke bars, known as “grandpa shops” for their older—and often flirtatious—patrons, though without any of the original bars’ suspicious activity.
Here, it’s all about enjoying the kitschy ambiance and chowing down on Taiwanese classics like braised pork over rice, oyster soup, fried chicken, and deep-fried noodles in satay sauce. Plus, there’s still a karaoke machine in the corner!
7. Fideus de Vermar 📍 Binissalem, Spain
This small town of Binissalem celebrates its rich wine heritage with the annual Festa des Vermar, which includes (among plenty of wine-based activities) huge cauldrons of short noodles, slow-cooked meats, red wine, and aromatic spices. This traditional local paella, called fideus de vermar, serves all 1,400 of the town’s residents during the festival, turning the main square into a lively picnic spot.
8. Bamonte’s 📍 Brooklyn, New York
Founded by immigrants in 1900, this family institution holds the distinction of being Brooklyn’s oldest Italian restaurant. It was once a favorite meeting spot of the New York mafia, as well as a setting for the fictional New Jersey mob in “The Sopranos.” Other (more law-abiding) Italian-Americans of note, such as Robert De Niro and Frank Sinatra, have dined here, and the restaurant honors its many famous guests with framed photos on the walls.
While New York City has grown exceedingly expensive, Bamonte’s has kept its Italian classics surprisingly affordable, and crowd-pleasers like the rigatoni alla vodka and linguine with red clam sauce keep people coming back year after year.
9. Khanom Jeen Pa Mai 📍 Phuket Town, Thailand
Thin white rice noodles called khanom jeen are a staple throughout Thailand, where they’re served with various spicy curries, meats, and vegetables. At this unassuming eatery in Phuket Town, customization reaches new heights with a lineup of everything from crispy dried fish to pickled mustard greens to pineapple slices.
10. Hawker Chan Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle 📍 Singapore
For about $3, you can enjoy a Michelin-star meal at this Singapore noodle shop. Owner and chef Chan Hon Meng first opened Hawker Chan as a food-court stall, where it became famous with his “secret,” Cantonese-style chicken marinade. The flavorful braised meat is served over char siew noodles, rice, or hor fun noodles with stir-fried veggies and braised eggs.
After Meng took home a Michelin star in 2016 (which he at first assumed was a practical joke), he turned Hawker Chan into a full-scale restaurant right next to where his humble stall once stood. Since then, other locations have opened in Thailand, Kazakhstan, Laos, and Malaysia, with more still on the way.
11. Lin Heung Tea House 📍 Hong Kong
Founded in the late 19th century, Lin Heung may just be Hong Kong’s oldest dim sum spot. It still does things the old-school way, too, with servers wheeling trolleys stacked high with bamboo steamers and calling out what dishes are up. Simply head over to the trolley and load up on what looks good to you, whether it’s rice noodle rolls, shrimp dumplings, pork ribs, or congee. The tea house can get quite crowded, so sharing a table with (or even befriending) fellow customers is simply a part of the experience.
12. Matsuka Seimen Noodle Factory 📍 Kurashiki, Japan
This gray shed functions mainly as a noodle factory, but during certain times of day, it changes gears to serve up freshly-cooked udon topped with eggs, scallions, and chili oil. Regulars swear by the kamatama: piping hot udon paired with nothing but a raw egg (cooked by the noodles) and a drizzle of soy sauce. Matsuka Seimen’s tiny kitchen also churns out a rich curry ramen made with fatty slivers of pork and soba noodles in a delicate green tea broth.
If you’re lucky, while you wait for your meal, you’ll witness the Matsuka family’s rather unusual noodle-kneading technique: A large tray of dough is covered in cloth and placed on the floor, where a family member walks all over it in special socks.
13. Bún Riêu Gánh 📍 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
On the busy streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Mrs. Mai Thi Lien serves up hefty ladles of simmering red broth from a massive pot on the sidewalk. Bún riêu, the noodle soup for which her restaurant is named, is made with rice vermicelli noodles and shrimp or pork mixed with crab paste, plus crispy tofu, huyet (coagulated pork blood), and herbs for garnishing. Mrs. Lien puts her own spin on the classic dish by pairing it with a tamarind fish sauce with sliced chili, giving it a distinctly southern Vietnamese flavor.