The Best Noodles in Durham

Oh, noodles. Noodles in all their glorious forms. Noodles in sauce. Stir-fried noodles. Noodles swimming in flavorful soups. Thin udon noodles. Long, flat fettuccini noodles. Big, fat, chonky wheat noodles. Noodles filled with cheese. Demure, delicate rice noodles. It is obvious we consider noodles to be one of civilizations greatest culinary inventions? Noodles may be the best vehicle for an endless array of flavors and preparations that exists today across cultures. 

Luckily for us (and for you!), Durham has an trove of noodle riches to keep you happily slurping all year long. When you think of a mid-sized Southern city like Durham, or North Carolina in general, noodles may not be the first food to come to mind. Sure, we have biscuits, grits and seafood like nowhere else. But Durham has a genuine range of Asian cuisines alongside serious Italian pasta. Durham is diverse. Whether settling here because of Duke or tech careers in Research Triangle Park, people have come from across the globe to our city and brought their noodle traditions with them.

While not comprehensive, here are some of my favorite places to order noodles from in Durham.

Durham's Best Italian Pastas

Like many white Americans, my first introduction to noodles was through Italian-American classics. A creamy and comforting bowl of cacio e pepe. A ricotta stuffed pillow of fresh ravioli. Big, hearty meatballs doused in a flavorful tomato sauce that has been cooking for hours. Mamma mia, my mouth is watering. Push the boundaries or re-discover a childhood favorite pasta at these Durham restaurants. 

Mother & Sons

107 W. Chapel Hill St. | Durham's City Center

Mother & Sons is a downtown Durham staple. It's the place to go for a date night before a show at the DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center. It's also an excellent choice for a business dinner - the tasting menu is incredible and tastes even better when it's on the company card. Chef and Owner Josh Decarolis opened Mothers and Sons to share his experience of growing up in an Italian American home. The trattoria makes their pasta fresh daily and you will want to keep coming back to try them all. Order the Bucatini al-Amatriciana, Squid Ink Tonarelli or the Paccheri Cacio e Pepe.

Gocciolina

3314 Guess Rd. | North Durham

If you think all the best Durham restaurants are downtown, think again. I firmly believe an unassuming exterior can serve some of the best meals of your life. Gocciolina proves this theory correct. Go for family dinner, a first date or a weekday just because you’re craving pasta. The dishes are top-notch and their chalkboard is filled with daily features that always showcase the best seasonal flavors. Order the Spaghetti Carbonara, trust me. 

Cucciolo Osteria

601 W. Main St. Suite C | Warehouse District

Fun fact: The original Cucciolo Osteria restaurant is in Seoul, Korea. Julian Kim opened Cucciolo in Seoul in 2015. Over 7,000 miles away, Julian's cousin, Jimmy Kim, opened Durham's Cucciolo restaurant in 2018. Cucciolo serves a seasonally rotating menu of dishes with a focus on pasta in an upscale, yet friendly, environment. It's a great spot for a group dinner, celebration (they have an adjoining private event space) or date night with the pasta lover in your life. Don't miss the Spicy Vodka Tomato Cream Rigatoni and White Ragu Tajarin. They also have an Italian wine list that is proof of their dedication to Italian cuisine. 

Vici Ristobar

1125 NC 54, Ste. 804-805 | South Durham

A Woodcroft neighborhood staple, Vici Ristobar is a great place to stop for lunch to refuel after shopping at Southpoint or a family night out to pass down the Italian classics you grew up on to your own kids. Order the Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti Carbonara and Rigatoni Vodka for the table.

Melina's Fresh Pasta

2717 Chapel Hill Rd. | Rockwood and Lakewood Districts

Melina's is a little different than the other restaurants on this list. Melina's makes fresh pasta that you can purchase around Durham and make in your own home. Owner Carmella grew up in a traditional Italian-American in upstate New York watching her mother make homemade food from what her father grew in the garden. After moving to North Carolina and noticing a lack of authentic Italian food in the area, she travelled to Bologna, Italy to learn the Northern Italian tradition of fresh pasta making. In 2010, Carmella started making pasta from her home and selling it at markets before upgrading to her own pasta shop in Lakewood. You can buy fresh pasta from her shop, the Durham Farmers Market and specialty stores around the Triangle.

If you want more pasta in your life, Carmella teaches classes at Il Laboratorio in North Durham. The pasta classes are a great for a date night, team building activity or birthday party. Sign up so you can always make fresh Italian noodles at home.

Slurp-Worthy Bowls of Japanese Noodles and Ramen in Durham

As my tastes and palate matured, I discovered Asian noodles. If there was a biopic of my culinary life, that part would feature me slurping down a bowl of ramen while the song, “A Whole New World,” from Disney’s Aladdin plays in the background. Noodles can be found in culinary traditions around the globe, but they were both invented (according to most historians) AND perfected (according to me) in Asia.

Let’s start with ramen. Entire books have been written and television shows produced about ramen, and deservedly so. As an avowed noodle evangelist asking me to pick my favorite noodle dish is akin to asking me to make a Rosemary’s Baby-style choice, but if pressed I’d probably end up saying ramen. Throughout the Triangle we have amazing ramen options, including right here in Durham. Now, I want to preface this by saying that ramen choices evoke as much emotion as asking someone whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza, so with the caveat that my favorites might not be yours, here's some of the best ramen in Durham. 

Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets

121 N. Gregson St. | Brightleaf and Warehouse District

If you're looking for a great bowl of noodles, start here. Originally built as a car service garage in the 1940's, Roses's Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets is a small, buzzy space that has evolved over the years and is now firmly entrenched as one of the best ramen joints in town. Chef and co-owner Justin Meddis not only makes the noodles from scratch, but his broth is heavenly. 

While not the most authentic Asian restaurant, their goal is to blend fresh North Carolina ingredients with the cuisine of China and Japan. Only using what is locally available, the options are limited but rotate frequently enough that you can experience a wide variety of ramens throughout the year. Take a seat at the bar and watch the kitchen hum while you slurp ramen. Save room to visit the pastry case and pick a dessert that speaks to you. In the summer, their homemade ice cream sandwiches are a must.

Kiichi Ramen

730 Ninth St. | Ninth Street District

With it's Ninth Street location, Kiichi Ramen is a favorite for Duke students and locals alike. They offer a great selection of typical ramen varieties like miso ramen (a vegetarian option), tonkotsu and curry ramen. I first went to Kiichi last winter when I felt a cold coming on. I’m not saying that their tonkotsu ramen cured me, but the rich broth, a few glasses of hot green tea, the two types of chili oil on the table and the kind, thoughtful service definitely helped. 

Dashi Ramen & Izakaya

415 E. Chapel Hill St. | Durham City Center

Dashi is a two-story Japanese restaurant and a downtown Durham staple. This is the spot I hit if I have folks visiting town and I’m taking them on a little walk-and-eat tour of downtown Durham. A lot of downtown Durham restaurants are closed on Mondays, but Dashi is open every day. For a date night or a night out with friends, sit in the cozy downstairs where you can watch the chefs prepare steamy bowls of ramen in the open kitchen. For a solo-diner, I prefer to eat upstairs in the Izakaya, a Japanese term that essentially translates to 'pub'. 

Start your meal with an order of the Soy Boiled Peanuts. Out-of-towners who haven't tried boiled peanuts before will be hooked on Dashi's take on the southern classic. Order a couple bowls of ramen and some grilled skewers for the table. If you're more in the mood for a brothless noodle, you have to order the Mazemen. This dish treats the noodles more like a fine Italian pasta. Lightly coated in spicy chili oil, you can order it with local pork meatballs or tofu and mushrooms for a vegetarian version. Chase it all down with a drink from their one-of-a-kind curated bar selection. Order a Japanese whiskey from their 250+ options on the rocks or as a Highball. Dashi was the first place in Durham (potentially all of North Carolina), to have a Japanese Highball dispenser for pouring the authentic whisky and soda drink. 

Fonda Lupita

905 W. Main St., Ste. A | Brightleaf and Warehouse District

Hear me out. If you think a Mexican-restaurant couldn't possibly make one of the best bows of ramen in Durham, think again. If I’ve spent a bit too much time at one of Durham’s amazing cocktail bars, you can find me the next day hunched over a steaming hot bowl of Birria Ramen at Fonda Lupita. Located in the historic Brightleaf Square, this laid-back spot is known for its award-winning home-style Mexican food. For their ramen, noodles are cooked in their consume with shredded beef and topped with onions and cilantro. I swear, it’s pure magic.

Juju

737 Ninth St. | Ninth Street District

If you're craving P.F. Chang's fusion noodle dishes, come to Juju instead. A local restaurant on Ninth Street, you'll get the Asian fusion vibe you're looking for, with an elevated Durham take. My usual move is to sit at the bar with a glass of crisp white wine along with an order of dumplings and noodles for a solo lunch or dinner. Their brothless Garlic Ramen Noodles with crispy shallot, scallions, beansprouts and pickled cabbage are a staple and always worth ordering. 

M Tempura

111 Orange St. | Durham City Center

Some people make the mistake thinking M Tempura only offers Kaiseki (traditional multi-course Japanese cuisine) or tempura tasting menus. Don't make that mistake. Now don't get me wrong, you most definitely need to have the full M Tempura tasting experience. The shashimi course, Nimono (a steamed egg custard) and the tempura course (vegetables have never tasted better. The bite of brie cheese with nori, black truffle and honey will change your life), is fantastic for a fancy night out. But if you are looking for a dish in the $20 range and not $80+, stop by Tuesday-Thursday, for their à la carte menu with some of the best Japanese food in Durham. 

There is so much more to Japanese noodles than ramen. My personal favorite, and one you can find at M Tempura, is soba. Order the Zaru Soba dish for chilled soba noodles you drip into a flavorful and saucey broth. Another great choice is the Udon Noodle Bowl. Served hot or chilled, udon noodles swim in a mushroom dashi broth and are served with tempura shrimp.

Warm Up With Vietnamese Noodles and Pho in Durham

When you think of Vietnamese food, you probably think of Phở. But there are multiple types of Vietnamese noodles, or Mì, just like in Italian cuisine. Bún are rice vermicelli noodles, miến are also known as glass or cellophane noodles and cao lầu is a unique, lye-soaked thick rice noodle from Hội An. The range of Vietnamese noodle dishes is vast. Here are some of my favorite menu items and restaurants for Vietnamese and pho in Durham.

Sake Bomb

4215 University Dr. | 15-510 Corridor

One of my favorite Vietnamese dishes is Bun Thit Nuong. It's a popular rice noodle dish with barbecued pork, fresh herbs and vegetables. I will often order this for takeout, eat half for dinner and take the rest for lunch. It’s delicious cold, but just a few seconds in the microwave will have your coworkers sniffing around and wondering what deliciousness you’ve brought into the office.

Banh’s Cuisine

750 Ninth St. | Ninth Street District

Banh's Cuisine is a Ninth Street legend serving Vietnamese and Chinese staples. In 1988, Chinese Vietnamese owner Chi Banh and her family decided to make Chinese food Americans were used to and only serve Vietnamese specialties on Saturdays. Now, you can find Vietnamese food on Wednesdays and Saturdays at this no-frills counter-service spot. 

Everyone who tried Banh's, likes it. But there are people who are obsessed with Banh's and you can find them lined up outside every Wednesday night for their Vietnamese specials. Try the Hu Tieu, a rice noodle soup that comes with pork, shrimp, celery and ground peanuts, or the Bun Ga, a coastal Vietnamese spicy soup with lemongrass and chicken. Vegetarians swear by their Vegetarian Plate with their famous tofu, but can also order their Pho Choy with tofu, bok choy and rice noodles.

Where to Find Pad Thai and Other Thai Noodle Dishes

Thaiangle

200 N. Mangum St. | Government Services District

Pad Thai is a perennial favorite, and Thaiangle makes a great version. The stir-fried rice noodles are served with ground sweet radish and peanuts, bean sprouts, garlic, scallions, and your choice of protein. The Khao Soi is also superb and probably my favorite version of the dish in the area. A warming, curried broth that comes with both cooked and fried egg noodles, this northern Thai specialty is a noodle dish that I could easily eat every single day.

Noodle 501

5319 New Hope Commons Dr. Ste. 104 | South Durham

Chetniphat Punsak opened Noodle 501 to share the noodle recipes from their childhood in Thailand. With a blend of classic Thai spices and comforting Japanese ramen broth, 501 lives up to its name with a wide variety of noodle soups. Two favorites of mine are the Coconut Noodle Soup and the Yen Ta Fo. The Coconut Noodle Soup is a coconut broth with a choice of chicken, veggies or tofu, served with cabbage, carrots and jammy eggs. The Yen Ta Fo comes with flat rice noodles and a symphony of roasted pork, calamari, shrimp, fish balls, fried tofu and bok choy in a pink-tinted soybean broth.

Bua Thai

5850 Fayetteville Rd. Ste. 101 | South Durham

At Bua Thai bring the bold flavors of Thailand’s Northeast Isan region to the Triangle and makes every curry paste, chili oil and dipping sauce in-house. If I’m under the weather, I turn to Bua Thai's chicken or beef noodle soup. It’s a combination of childhood familiarity with southeast Asian sophistication.

Where to get Chinese Noodles in Durham

Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets

121 N. Gregson St. | Brightleaf and Warehouse District

We already discussed Rose's in the ramen section of this blog, but I would not be able to publish this without calling out their house made belt noodles. Everything served at Rose's Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets (except for mayo and ramen noodles) is made in-house. Take a seat in their light-filled dining space in the heart of Durham's Brightleaf District and order the house made belt noodles. The specific ingredients change based on what is in season locally, but there will always be chili oil. Be warned, it's not chili oil for the faint of heart. I am a spice lover and can start sweating when I dig into this dish. 

M Kokko

311 Holland St. Ste. B | Durham City Center

Tucked besides M Sushi, the corner spot was just big enough for a ramen‑yakitori bar. But with Dashi one block away, Chef Michael Lee pivoted to create M Kokko, ‘a casual chicken lab’ to test casual chicken-centric dishes with Korean and Japanese influences. Offering only twenty seats, the small yet cozy space has two can't-miss Chinese noodle dishes. The vegan Biang Biang Noodles  with smoked tofu are just what I need when I’m feeling indulgent but want something a bit lighter. The Jia Jiang Mian is a fusion of Chinese cuisine with Shanxi knife noodles and the addition of Korean fermented black bean paste. Topped with a fried egg and crispy shallots, it's a rich and flavorful noodle dish. 

Asian Kitchen

1125 NC-54 | South Durham

You can have a full noodle feast at Asian Kitchen. This South Durham restaurant is famous for their authentic Sichuan cuisine and hand-pulled noodles that are worth the drive. They have some of my all-time favorite noodles including Dan Dan Noodles, Chongqing Pulled Noodles and Tomato and Egg Shaved Noodles. Take your friends for a Noodle Night and please send me an invite.

Nan Xiang Express

1605 Erwin Rd. #50 | Ninth Street District

Nan Xiang Express has multiple locations and focuses on soup dumplings, but the Shredded Beef and Pepper Noodles are a go-to lunch order for me. You can choose each with or without broth, but if it’s even the slightest bit chilly or overcast, I’ll get the noodles with broth and bring them back to my office for some happy afternoon slurping. Order a side of their soup dumplings to round out the meal.

Sister Liu’s Kitchen

5504 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. #103 | 15-501 Corridor

The rice noodles at Sister Liu's Kitchen are fantastic. Although they’re more well known for their dumplings and Chinese-style burgers, their noodles come with a variety of toppings like Pork Sauce (ground pork in a savory sauce), Spicy Beef Mushroom and Vegetables with Peanuts.

Honestly, the list of places in Durham with great noodles could stretch on like, well, a noodle. You could easily eat a different noodle dish every day of the week for a month and still not scratch the surface of what the Bull City has to offer. Whether you want a refreshing cold noodle dish in the middle of the summer or a piping hot bowl of brothy noodles to warm you up in the winter, you’ll find it here, trust me. 

Happy slurping!