The Best Noodles in Melbourne

I Love Pho

Every Melburnian will argue about which Pho place on Victoria Street in Richmond is the best. Most of them are worthy contenders for the title, but I Love Pho might be my favorite. The heartwarming beef pho with rare sliced beef is a no-brainer, with the noodles and fresh herbs packed separately to maintain freshness. Pro tip: if everything is a little cold on arrival, just reheat the broth to piping hot and pour it over the noodles for the perfect smashable temp.

Plenty Yummy Noodles

Thick, toothsome egg noodles, big chunks of meat, and plenty of crunchy vegetables help the noodle stir fries at Plenty Yummy Noodles in Preston hit the spot. Here you’ll find well-balanced flavours (not too sweet, not too salty) and heaps of options for different sauces. Try the Singapore noodles, sambal chilli noodles, and honey soy chicken. Super quick preparation ensures everything reaches your door piping hot, and the pan-fried pork dumplings are juicy and aromatic with satisfyingly thick casings. At 20 pieces per order, you’ll be eating them for days.

China Bar

Melbourne’s late-night dining scene hasn’t quite been the same since the pandemic, so I have to give a shout-out to China Bar for keeping us supplied with noodles well into the wee hours. With three spots in the city (Swanston Street, Elizabeth Street, and Russell Street), plus 12 other locations spanning from Burwood East to Deer Park, Fitzroy, and Narre Warren, you’ll never be far from a steamy bowl of the goods. The brisket and wonton soup comes loaded with tender beef, al dente egg noodles, and one-bite pork wontons. Or, pair your noodles, soup or dry, with Chinese BBQ favourites like roast duck or sweet char siu pork.

Biang Biang Noodle

In earlier times, most Chinese takeaways were mostly Cantonese and pretty Aussie-fied. But these days we’re lucky to have a huge variety of regional options to explore, like the epic biang biang noodles available at this inner city shop. These thick, long, handmade noodles from Shaanxi province in central China are immensely satisfying, defying all attempts at delicate consumption. While the signature noodles are advertised as only available for pick-up, you can still request them in the special instructions. So go with an order of the beef ramen in chilli oil and request biang biang for spicy noodle heaven.

Master Lanzhou

This noodle spot in the CBD specialises in one thing: beef soups from the city of Lanzhou in China. Here, house-made lamian noodles, wheat dough that’s hand-pulled into ultra-long strands, are served in slow-cooked beef broth and topped with a special house chilli oil. You can’t go wrong with that, piled with sliced chuck steak or fork-tender braised beef. Not in a soupy state of mind? The dry noodles are equally crave-worthy at this Melbourne noodle restaurant

Dao Noodle

Another regional Chinese noodle restaurant in Melbourne, Dao specialises in dao xiao mian, knife-sliced noodles from the Shaanxi province that are made by cutting a block of dough directly into boiling water, resulting in chewy, ribbon-shaped tangles. Stay traditional with a bowl of noodles topped with savoury minced pork, or when the weather’s hot, aim for the vegan Shanxi Style Cold Mung Bean Noodle Salad and a plate of refreshing garlic-marinated cucumbers.

Laksa King

If you don’t know Laksa King, are you even from Melbourne? With locations in Glen Waverley and Cheltenham, this is the restaurant that taught so many of us to love this coconut curry noodle soup that hails from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.  For the quintessential experience, order the seafood laksa with prawns, fish fillet, calamari, scallops, and either thin rice or thick egg hokkien noodles. Top it off with flaky roti and peanut dipping sauce for a meal as Melbourne as the ‘G.

Hakata Gensuke

And we haven’t even talked about ramen yet! Melbourne’s never really been known for our Japanese food, but the ramen’s become excellent in recent years — and this always-packed shop in the CBD is exemplary. You can always snag a bowl of noodles from Hakata Gensuke by waiting in the perpetual line out the front, but ordering delivery will help avoid the rush. The rich, creamy bone broth in the signature tonkatsu is like sipping the distilled essence of pork, and you can feel it warming you from the inside out. Don’t miss the black tonkotsu either, with fried garlic and black sesame paste for extra depth of flavour.

The Old Raffles Place

This family-run restaurant in Collingwood is an institution, and one of the first places I like to take visitors to introduce them to the wonders of Singaporean cuisine. All the classics are done right here, like the char kway teow with a perfectly smoky, just-off-the-wok flavour clinging to the noodles, and the fried hokkien mee with thick egg noodles, pork, seafood, eggs, and bean sprouts in a velvety broth. Top off your meal with a dish of sambal eggplant that’s wok-fried with house-made sauce.

Snow Monkey

Owner Tommy Li enrolled in a two-year online course at Le Cordon Bleu during our many covid lockdowns, and he now brings that classical Parisian training to his Japanese noodle shop. Try the spicy miso ramen, made from the chef's secret spice mix and topped with chashu pork, spicy puff pastry crisps, and a soft boiled egg with that perfectly gooey yolk. Round it out with edamame tossed with black truffle for a Melbourne mashup like no other.

Shimbashi Soba & Sake Bar

Speaking of Japanese noodles, this Northcote restaurant is a top spot for soba. Available warm in soup or cold with dipping sauce, I find that versatile, naturally gluten-free buckwheat noodles never send me to snooze-ville. Try the tempura soba set that includes noodle soup with yuzu zest, spring onion, and seaweed, served with assorted buckwheat-battered vegetables, or the Roasted Duck Seiro with chilled soba, sliced roasted meat, tofu skin, bok choy, mixed mushrooms, and yuzu pepper.

Hu Tieu Go Ong Map

Footscray is a noodle paradise, especially if you like the soupy Vietnamese kind. In a neighbourhood where arguments about which pho is best are a favourite pastime, this little shopfront is often crammed full. Go for the signature hủ tiếu gõ khô, nước, a hefty rice noodle soup with various kinds of pork, or opt for something harder to find like the mi xao oc bien — stir-fried sea snails with noodles and green beans — for a real taste of Vietnam.

Rice Workshop

This Chinatown hole-in-the-wall is a great choice for udon, Japan’s thick, satisfyingly chewy wheat noodles usually served in a soup with various toppings. Here you can get udon in your choice of three different broths: a light, warming dashi; a hearty Japanese-style curry; or veggie tonkotsu soup. Choose from a wide range of toppings, like veggie tempura and chicken katsu, or just go with the signature beef udon bowl if you’re done with decisions for the day.

Kakilang

Char koay teow — wok-fried rice noodles served glistening and pungent with soy and garlic — is one of Southeast Asia’s favourite dishes, and the specialty at this casual Albert Park diner. Here, the signature Penang-style riff comes with prawns, Chinese sausage, bean sprouts, pork lard, chives, and chilli, and you can select from a range of additions like razor clam and duck egg, or go for a vegetarian option. Each one is cooked hard and hot to ensure the seafood stays fresh, the veggies crisp, and the noodles take on the all-important wok-hei — that lovely smoky flavour of a well-seasoned wok.

Kantin

Specialising in Indonesian cuisine, this Carlton eatery has all your cravings covered when you’re missing the beaches of Bali. Classic mie goreng fried noodles are of course on offer with fried egg, served with spicy Indonesian pickled vegetables and garlic crackers, along with some deeper cuts you won’t find on many resort menus. Go for the bakmi ayam jamur, a twirl of noodles with chicken and mushroom stew and fried wonton skin. There’s also a whole list of extra sambal sauces to really spice up your meal.

Ayam Chef

San low beehoon — a Malaysian-Singaporean classic of thin rice vermicelli noodles cooked into a pancake and given a nice char — is one of the specialties at this Southbank joint. The disc of noodles arrives topped with egg, choy sum, pork slices, prawns, and fishcakes. Other classic noodle options here include char kway teow and chow hor fun, which are fried flat rice noodles in a thick egg gravy with chicken, prawn, and fishcakes. Or choose from a big range of other Malaysian dishes, like chilli prawns and sambal chicken.

China Chilli

You’ll want an appetite and a bunch of your mates if you’re ordering from this CBD restaurant, because Sichuan dining culture is all about sharing — a notion reinforced by the huge portions. I’m absolutely in love with Sichuan food for the huge flavours and take-no-prisoners approach to spice, and this place has the goods. Ease your way in with mild cold noodles laced with shredded chicken, cucumber, and chilli sauce. Or step it up a notch with the Hot & Sour Fish Fillets served with glass noodles and Sichuan pickles.

Colourful Yunnan

Starting with a single shop in the CBD in 2008, Colourful Yunnan has a loyal following among fans of Southwestern Chinese food, now with locations in Hawthorn, Carlton, and Box Hill. Big, rich stews full of spice and slow-cooked goodness are on offer here, like the braised beef and beef tendon stew with rice noodles, and pork and snakehead fish with garlic-tomato soup and noodles. All the food here is pretty meat-heavy, meaning vegetarians need not apply. 

Roti Road

Locals and visitors to Footscray alike adore this big, bustling Malaysian diner that lives up to its name with some of the best, flakiest, most crave-inducing roti in Melbourne. Now with a location in Maribyrnong as well, the roti empire is expanding. But what of the noodles? Expect Malay classics done right, like curry laksa and char kuay teow as well as signature and less common dishes, like the spicy Roti Road Special Fried Vermicelli with shrimp, chicken slices, and egg. Don’t miss the pan mee, dry-fried wheat noodles with mushroom and minced chicken sauce, fried anchovies, and black fungus.

Master Ma Kitchen

XinJiang cuisine is the mainstay at this South Yarra spot — and dishes from the largely Muslim Uyghur community won’t include pork. Noodle stir fries are the go-to here, and you want the rice noodles with chicken and pickled cabbage, or the Din Din noodles chopped into small squares and sautéed with garlic shoots, tomatoes, and capsicum.The signature handmade noodles pan fried with lamb and chive are bursting with earthy cumin seeds. Wash it down with a sweet homemade yoghurt drink for a true Xinjiang-style experience.

Le Charme

Hong Kong cuisine is a wonder, and this Chintatown hotspot is doing its level best to provide for Melbourne at super reasonable prices. It’s a cuisine focused on texture, and dishes like the beef stir-fry with rice noodles deliver tender meat, crunchy capsicum, and thick, elastic noodles in a punchy pepper and black bean sauce. Don’t skip the Mr. Chan Taiwan Style Popcorn Chicken, with juicy meat dusted in warming spices that get crisped up in the fryer, or the Hong Kong Street Style Rice Rolls, soft and chewy tubes doused in a combination of savoury gravy.

Peko Peko

For a taste of Taiwan, this cute little shop front is number one for South Melburnians. The combination of Asian mainland and island cuisine results in dishes like the Wonton Miso Noodle Soup, featuring house-made, Chinese-style pork and prawn wontons in a Japanese miso broth. Don’t sleep on hits like the beef noodle soup with braised beef and pickled mustard greens; dry egg noodles tossed with a mix of vegetables and seasoned pork; or the skewers of seared scallop or sausage you’d find in Taipei’s many markets. Spicy mayo is non-negotiable if you want the best noodles.

1915 Lanzhou Beef Noodles

The search for an excellent beef noodle soup is a noble pursuit, and this Box Hill spot should be top of the list. You’re in for a huge bowl of hand-pulled noodles and long-simmered broth, topped with tender slices of slow-cooked beef and a fiery slick of chilli oil offset by chopped fresh coriander. This is Chinese noodle soup at its empirical best.

Tina’s Noodle Kitchen

This little Preston local has a huge array of options and pays no attention to the standard items. Noodle soups get four whole sections of the menu, featuring everything from pig trotters with rice noodles in broth to spicy Beer Duck Soup with Konjac Cakes. For something milder, try a soy braised pork belly soup with pickled vegetables, and top off your meal with house-made prawn and cucumber dumplings.

Shandong Mama

Known primarily for its top-notch dumplings, this little shop hidden in a nondescript arcade in the CBD also has an excellent selection of less-common noodle dishes well worth checking out. Don’t go past the dry noodles with pork, seasonal veggies, and sesame paste, packing a lot more fresh, crunchy green into a bowl than most places will, or the egg and tomato noodle soup with soft herbs. And the Spanish mackerel dumplings are a Melbourne must.

Noodle World

As the name implies, this Richmond spot boasts a plethora of noodle-based cuisines to choose from. Vietnamese? No worries. Get lemongrass-chilli vermicelli rice noodles stir-fried with beef, chicken, and veggies in fish sauce. Malaysian? Classics like hokkien mee, char kway teo, and curry laksa are here for you. Thai? Of course there’s pad Thai, too. It’s your world.