The 21 Best Noodle Dishes in the World

From steaming broths to fiery stir-fries and silky pastas, this lineup spans continents and centuries — street-cart staples rubbing shoulders with slow-simmered classics. Where do you stand?

1. 1
   Chow Mein

   Crispy or soft Chinese stir-fried noodles with vegetables and meat, seared for a distinct charred flavor.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Yakisoba

   Japanese stir-fried wheat noodles with pork and cabbage in a tangy Worcestershire-style sauce, a festival food staple.
   953pts
3. 3
   Ramen

   A Japanese noodle soup of wheat noodles in a savory broth (tonkotsu, miso, shoyu, or shio), topped with pork, egg, and scallions.
   811pts
4. 4
   Udon

   Thick, chewy Japanese wheat noodles served hot in dashi broth or cold with dipping sauce.
   771pts
5. 5
   Pho

   Vietnam's iconic beef or chicken broth soup with flat rice noodles, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and lime.
   771pts
6. 6
   Bun Bo Hue

   A bold, spicy central Vietnamese beef noodle soup made with lemongrass, chili oil, and thick round rice noodles.
   750pts
7. 7
   Khao Soi

   A Northern Thai coconut curry noodle soup topped with crispy fried noodles, chicken, and pickled mustard greens.
   680pts
8. 8
   Mie Goreng

   Indonesia's popular sweet-savory fried noodle dish seasoned with kecap manis, garlic, and chili, often topped with a fried egg.
   680pts
9. 9
   Lo Mein

   A Chinese comfort-food staple of soft wheat noodles tossed with vegetables and meat in a savory soy-based sauce.
   600pts
10. 10
    Spaghetti Carbonara

    A Roman pasta classic of spaghetti tossed with egg, pecorino cheese, guanciale, and black pepper.
    508pts
11. 11
    Drunken Noodles

    Thailand's pad kee mao, a fiery stir-fry of wide rice noodles, basil, chili, and meat, bolder and spicier than pad thai.
    507pts
12. 12
    Naengmyeon

    A refreshing Korean cold noodle dish of chewy buckwheat noodles in icy broth or spicy sauce, popular in summer.
    507pts
13. 13
    Biang Biang Noodles

    Hand-pulled, belt-wide wheat noodles from Shaanxi, China, doused in hot chili oil, garlic, and vinegar.
    507pts
14. 14
    Laksa

    A spicy Peranakan noodle soup from Malaysia and Singapore, built on a rich coconut curry or sour tamarind broth.
    507pts
15. 15
    Singapore Noodles

    Thin rice vermicelli stir-fried with curry powder, shrimp, char siu pork, and vegetables, a Hong Kong-Cantonese invention despite the name.
    507pts
16. 16
    Pad See Ew

    Thailand's wide rice noodles stir-fried in dark soy sauce with Chinese broccoli and egg.
    400pts
17. 17
    Japchae

    A Korean side dish of chewy sweet potato glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and beef in a sesame-soy glaze.
    400pts
18. 18
    Tagliatelle al Ragu

    Bologna's celebrated pasta dish of ribbon-like tagliatelle tossed with a slow-cooked meat and tomato ragu.
    273pts
19. 19
    Dan Dan Noodles

    A fiery Sichuan street-food dish of wheat noodles in a spicy chili-sesame sauce with minced pork.
    273pts
20. 20
    Pad Thai

    Thailand's stir-fried rice noodle dish with egg, tofu or shrimp, bean sprouts, peanuts, and a sweet-tangy tamarind sauce.
    273pts
21. 21
    Pancit

    A Filipino noodle dish, often pancit canton or bihon, stir-fried with vegetables, meat, and soy-calamansi flavors, traditionally served for long life.
    273pts

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