Friday 30 January 2026 10:00 am | Updated: Friday 30 January 2026 9:16 am
Best places to eat soup noodles in London
By: Carys Sharkey, Senior Editor
London noodle spots that will transport you to Tokyo
January is undoubtedly the month for soup noodles, when restorative broths wash away December's indulgences while providing essential sustenance through the winter trudge. Yet truly, any month is perfect for soupy noodles, as they represent – in all their glorious iterations – perfect comfort dishes. Whether that means enjoying pho in Vietnam when the humid air feels thick enough to chew, or slurping on rib-hugging ramen while steamed windows block out sleeting skies, these dishes offer universal appeal.
Here are some of the finest bowls of soup noodles available across London today.
Lanzhou Lamian Noodle Bar
I don't believe there's any restaurant in London I've visited more frequently than Lanzhou Lamian – or at the very least, no establishment where I consistently order the same dish every time. The stewed beef soup la-mian (G17) remains an unwavering favourite. This unassuming spot, wedged on Cranbourn Street in what might be described as Leicester Square's armpit, has received rhapsodic praise for years. It represents such a solid, reliable option where you can be comfortably in and out within twenty minutes, your dining experience paced by the rhythmic thumping of noodles being expertly beaten and stretched behind the counter.
Papa Noodle in Holborn serves as another excellent Lanzhou-style destination, offering gelatinous hunks of beef and satisfyingly chewy noodles to a predominantly student crowd where the University of London converges. Additionally, some very promising places have been cropping up around Liverpool Street recently, including a branch of JWD Noodle Bar and the increasingly popular YeYe's.
Robins Ramen
Backed by Chris D'Sylva and chef Max Coen, the creative duo behind the Michelin-starred Dorian in Notting Hill, Robins Ramen is expertly run by Robin Kosuge. In its current incarnation, this innovative ramen pop-up operates under the neon lights of the Supermarket of Dreams in Holland Park, where it will continue until the end of March before making a more permanent relocation. The Dorian influence manifests strongly here – incredibly high-quality ingredients combine to create remarkably tasty bowls of broth.
While there's novelty in offerings like lobster ramen, the pork-based variations remain king, as they traditionally do in Japan. The pop-up pulses with a slightly chaotic, vibrant energy (though an uneven soft launch clearly didn't help its initial Google reviews), yet the overall experience feels fun, playful, and showcases clever cooking techniques. For more traditional ramen, Tenmaru in Finsbury Park consistently delivers delicious bowls, and they've now conveniently opened a second restaurant near Oxford Circus. Menya Ramen House, a tiny, perpetually steamy spot in the shadow of the British Museum, represents the place I've visited since student days to drag myself through winter's gloom. Their standout ramen is actually Korean-inspired, topped with custardy sundubu (soft tofu) and generous mounds of homemade kimchi.
Sông Quê Café
Sông Quê might not serve the absolute best bowl of pho in London, but it has earned its status as a genuine London icon for compelling reasons. This restaurant feels like the grand dame of Little Vietnam, that distinctive stretch of Kingsland Road around Hoxton. The lime-green washed interior remains pockmarked with sun-faded newspaper clippings from yesteryear, creating an authentic atmosphere. The beef pho arrives amber-clear, its surface delicately skittered with flecks of fat and fresh spring onions.
On Sundays, the place fills up with punters from nearby Columbia Road, the air becoming wonderfully thickened by the mingling scents of flowers and pho. After two successful decades, the owners have this month expanded with Sông Quê Pho Bar in Spitalfields, perhaps signalling a younger cohort taking up the reins at this legacy establishment. Away from Hoxton, south-east London – particularly areas centering on the Vietnamese community around Deptford – boasts some excellent soup noodle spots (extending beyond pho). Phở Thuý Tây Café in Surrey Quays and Đặc Sản Xứ Nghệ on the tail end of Old Kent Road conveniently pincer my flat, and I find myself frequenting both establishments regularly.
Koya
Kitsune udon – featuring fat, satisfyingly chewy flour noodles in a saline-sweet dashi broth topped with a cloth of deep-fried tofu – represents a perfect dish, and it took visiting Japan to realise I'd choose udon over ramen ninety percent of the time. Koya, with branches in the City, Soho, and Hackney, has maintained its position as London's udon benchmark for over a decade. This reputation stems partly from their consistent maintenance of exceptionally high quality, and partly because there simply aren't loads of dedicated udon establishments (beyond the popular chain Marugame) across London.
Koya has also become known for inventive collaborations with high-profile chefs, and perhaps above all, for their unparalleled English breakfast udon – a creative fusion that has gained cult status among regulars.
7 Floor Malaysia Tea Room
A slender slice of a restaurant in Holborn, 7 Floor serves an assam laksa that's fecund-deep with tamarind and fish flavours. While I've never visited Malaysia personally, those who have frequently bandy around the term 'authentic' when describing 7 Floor's offerings. Seriously aromatic, bordering on medicinal in its complexity, this is not the coconut-heavy concussion of British-style 'laksa', and it's significantly better for that distinction. It also stands as testament to just how remarkably good this part of London has become for its breadth of noodle soup offerings.
Normah's, holed up inside Queensway Market, operates as a family-run restaurant that has earned itself almost mythic status among food enthusiasts. Their curried laksa provides enormous comfort and is clearly cooked with genuine care and attention. Both 7 Floor and Normah's represent tiny, somewhat incongruous places that consistently turn out amazing food: authentic Malaysia discovered within the folds of London's diverse culinary landscape.
