These bowls deliver exactly the kind of comfort that gloomy weather demands.
June showers bring runny noses and foul dispositions. Maybe you’re out of sick leaves and can’t drag yourself out of bed. Maybe another tab of Berocca just isn’t cutting it. The solution, as it often is, turns out to be a hot bowl of noodles. From hand-pulled biang biang to a bowl that can’t quite decide if it’s pho or ramen (it’s both, and it’s better for it), Manila’s food scene has no shortage of great noodle dishes pulling from cuisines all over the world.
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Pilya’s Kitchen
The case for Pilya’s starts with the noodles themselves, wide and chewy biang biang ribbons that are hand-pulled to order and built to hold onto chili oil, sesame, and spice. This Chinese noodle stall at The Grid Food Market in Rockwell also has a Michelin Bib Gourmand to its name. The Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup is a slow-burn kind of comfort, and the Tingly Cumin Beef or Lamb lands with enough warmth to knock a head cold sideways. Order the spicy smashed cucumbers on the side, because you’ll regret it if you don’t.
We recommend: Tingly Cumin Lamb Noodles
Mendokoro Ramenba
Mendokoro built its reputation on doing very few things and doing all of them extremely well. The menu stays tight, covering Shio, Shoyu, TanTanMen, and Miso, which means the kitchen has had a lot of time to get each bowl right. Regulars tend to go hard for the Shio, a clean and deeply satisfying salt-based bowl. Gyoza and ajitama are non-negotiable add-ons if you’re eating here properly.
We recommend: Shio Tonkotsu Ramen and Gyoza
Flowerboy
The Di Pho Noodle Soup at Flowerboy occupies a strange and worthwhile category. It’s herb-forward like Vietnamese pho and full of richness and depth lile Japanese ramen. The concept is Asian fusion, so the menu also includes bagoong rice, tortang talong puff, and curry plates, but the noodles hold their own against all of it and make a strong argument for being the reason you come.
We recommend: Di Pho Beef Noodle Soup
Mala Malatang
Mala Malatang runs on the malatang format, which means you pick your ingredients, choose your broth’s heat level, and build the bowl you actually want. The Sichuan-style soup is spicy and numbing in the way that clears your sinuses and warms you from the inside out, which, during a Manila downpour, is more than we can ask for. If a fixed menu feels too prescriptive, you can add noodles alongside your protein and vegetables.
Crying Tiger Street Kitchen
Crying Tiger isn’t a noodle house, and it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a Thai street-food restaurant with Pad Thai Woon Sen sitting on the menu alongside Som Tam, Gai Tod, and mango sticky rice. The glass noodles in the Pad Thai Woon Sen pick up the sweet, tangy, slightly funky sauce beautifully, and the surrounding dishes make a strong case for turning a noodle run into a full Thai spread. Sometimes a meal that wanders is the right call, especially when the weather outside is keeping you in longer than expected.
We recommend: Pad See Ew
Tang BGC
This Korean restaurant in BGC does cold noodles, hearty beef soups threaded through with glass noodles, and a full menu of other soups and grilled dishes. It’s a reliable spot that happens to be excellent and open whenever the craving hits, rain or no rain.
We recommend: Seolleongtang
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of Manila’s popular noodle destinations include Pilya’s Kitchen, Mendokoro Ramenba, Mala Malatang, Crying Tiger Street Kitchen, Tang BGC, and Flowerboy.
Biang biang noodles are hand-pulled Chinese noodles known for their wide, chewy texture that holds sauces and chili oil well.
Mala Malatang lets diners build their own bowl by choosing ingredients and broth.
Mendokoro Ramenba is one of Manila’s most popular destinations for tonkotsu-based ramen.
Its menu includes Shio, Shoyu, Miso, and TanTanmen ramen.
