Noodle Inn
This hole-in-the-wall has become virally famous in some circles for its wonderful hand-pulled noodles and handmade wontons, well-spiced and flavorful, spicy but not painful. Sit at the counter for a front-row seat watching the cooks make them with practiced precision. The “chilli oil spill noodles” (choose your protein topping) get a lot of customer attention. Expect a queue at all hours—it’s best to be in line before opening. The staff is all business and moves customers along quickly. Is it worth all the fuss? Reviews are split, but I think it scores for high-value, high-flavor food served quickly. If you seek authentically powerful, tongue-numbing handmade Chongqing noodles that aren’t mobbed by TikTok-influenced lemmings, go to Liu Xiaomian (www.liu-xiaomian.com), on a much quieter upper-level gallery at Kingly Court off Carnaby Street, a 10-minute walk away. And for TikTok-famous fresh-steamed buns that satisfy tamer palates and the smallest budgets, Bun House Chinatown (26–27 Lisle St., WC2; Tube: Leicester Square) can fill you up for £4 a bun from a takeaway window; it’s a 5-minute walk south of Noodle Inn.
This hole-in-the-wall has become virally famous in some circles for its wonderful hand-pulled noodles and handmade wontons, well-spiced and flavorful, spicy but not painful. Sit at the counter for a front-row seat watching the cooks make them with practiced precision. The “chilli oil spill noodles” (choose your protein topping) get a lot of customer attention. Expect a queue at all hours—it’s best to be in line before opening. The staff is all business and moves customers along quickly. Is it worth all the fuss? Reviews are split, but I think it scores for high-value, high-flavor food served quickly. If you seek authentically powerful, tongue-numbing handmade Chongqing noodles that aren’t mobbed by TikTok-influenced lemmings, go to Liu Xiaomian (www.liu-xiaomian.com), on a much quieter upper-level gallery at Kingly Court off Carnaby Street, a 10-minute walk away. And for TikTok-famous fresh-steamed buns that satisfy tamer palates and the smallest budgets, Bun House Chinatown (26–27 Lisle St., WC2; Tube: Leicester Square) can fill you up for £4 a bun from a takeaway window; it’s a 5-minute walk south of Noodle Inn.
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