9 Pho-nomenal Noodle Bars You’ve Got to Try This Month

Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: thatwelike

Black Beard Ramen
→ Cliffside Park
This Bergen County-based ramen noodle shop has a limited menu, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to fill up on. The ramen options include tonkotsu, miso and green curry bases topped with an array of vegetables like kikurage, or wild ear mushrooms. Non-ramen options like steamed pork dumplings and Cha-Don, a rice bowl, are just as reliable—and equally delicious.

Wondee’s Fine Thai Food Noodle
→ Hackensack
Wondee’s, another Bergen County locale, features a lengthy menu with an overwhelming amount of options including curries, fried rice and, of course, noodles—in soup or stir-fried format. The noodle soup options include a plethora of proteins including chicken, roast pork, beef tendon, shrimp and squid—all of which are paired with bean sprouts. The stir-fried noodle dishes feature Thai food staples like Pad Thai and Pad Kee Maow.

Pho Nomenon Noodle & Grill
→ Hoboken
Just a short walk from the waterfront Sinatra Park, this noodle shop can be found on one of the busiest sections of Washington Street—the downtown’s main artery. This restaurant, whose name is a play on pho (a dish born in Northern Vietnam in the 20th century, pronounced foe), serves the traditional noodle soup in beef bone broth with an array of meats including steamed pork, chicken or beef and eye round steak. Vegetarian options are available with rice noodles, mixed vegetables and tofu.

Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: Alpha

Ani Ramen House
→ Montclair
Expect to wait at this popular, 50-seat noodle bar, which was featured as one of NJM‘s best new restaurants of 2015. The wait will be worth it. Owner Luck Sarabhayavanija planned to open a ramen house in Jersey City, but landed in Montclair at his mother’s suggestion—she owns Spice II, the Thai restaurant next door. It’s BYOB and BYOC—that means bring wine for dinner and a takeout container for leftovers. And for those dreading waiting for a table out in the elements, don’t worry: Outdoor heating lamps will keep you toasty.

Inspiration Roll
→ Morristown
This fast food-style restaurant (on this year’s list of NJM‘s best new restaurants) serves delectable salads, rice bowls and sushi burritos in addition to the four ramen bowls it offers. These options include pork, chicken, fish or vegetable broth—three of which are served with roast pork (the fourth is vegetarian). This unique concept restaurant is so popular it plans to open a second location in Summit.

Noodles & Company
→ Clark, East Brunswick, Eatontown, Fair Lawn
A national noodle chain with four New Jersey locations, this restaurant’s menu certainly isn’t limited to one continent. Although it does serve traditional Asian dishes like Pad Thai and Japanese Pan Noodles, the offerings also include Italian-inspired dishes like Penne Rosa and Pesto Cavatappi. Noodle dishes can be made gluten-free upon request.

Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: Dennis Tang

Noodle Fan
→ Elizabeth, Jersey City, Monroe, Union
This New Jersey chain, with four locations throughout Hudson, Union and Middlesex counties, has an extensive menu offering salads, soups, curries and fried rice alongside noodle dishes—both soups and woks. Half of the restaurant’s 14 noodle dishes boast a red hot pepper indicating the dish’s spice factor.

Tiger Noodles
→ Princeton
This tiny storefront on Nassau Street, Princeton’s main drag, has a much larger menu than you might expect from such a small space. Fried rice and noodle dishes come in more than a dozen variations, including a handful of spicy dishes too. Additionally, there are eight styles of noodle soup available with proteins that include beef, pork and roast duck.

Sang Kee Noodle Cafe
→ Cherry Hill
This Camden County noodle cafe located on a busy stretch of highway has a large menu with a plethora of options. There are more than a dozen choices for the “Big Bowl” broth soups. For the noodles, choose from thin egg, ho fun, thin rice, udon, Vietnamese rice and Shandong ramen. Should you wish to add on to an existing dish, extras include roast duck or pork and shrimp dumplings.

Do you have a beloved ramen spot that we missed? Let us know in the comments!