March is National Noodle Month: Taste the Best Bowls in Long Beach

March is National Noodle Month. According to food historians, noodles have been a staple for at least 2,000 years, with many cultures claiming to have invented this tasty food, but the earliest example is a 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles unearthed in China in 2005. Today, noodles are one of the world’s most popular foods, appearing in all shapes, sizes, flavors and colors.

Great news for residents of The Crest, Long Beach is a noodle lovers destination, offering everything from classic Japanese ramen to tasty noodle dishes from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. A number of eateries also offer vegan and gluten-free options. Whatever you’re craving, Long Beach boasts some of the best bowls hands down, and we’re not just noodlin’ around. Check websites for outdoor dining updates, pick up & delivery.

HiroNori Craft Ramen 610 East Carson St. Long Beach, CA 90807

Ranked #1 for OC’s Best Ramen by the OC Register in 2020, HiroNori Craft Ramen offers fresh cut noodles, hand made broth, and sauce crafted with lots of passion and technique from two top Japanese chefs. Their tonkotsu ramen is prepared with a simmered pork bone broth accompanied by artisan crafted noodles. The dish is topped with bean sprouts, green onion, spinach, a half egg, seaweed, wood ear mushrooms, and pork chashu, grilled to perfection. You can personalize your meal by adding garlic, their house spicy sauce, or black garlic oil.

RAKKAN Ramen 5242 2nd St. Long Beach, CA 90803

In 2011, Rakkan Ramen began as a tiny, four seated ramen bar in Tokyo, and has now expanded with locations across the US. RAKKAN Ramen’s 100 percent plant-based broth is made with Dashi, a traditional Japanese soup stock full of umami, bringing out the best in each ingredient. They slowly simmer the carefully chosen vegetables and kombu (kelp) to extract the best flavor and lock in the umami. The marriage between the Oishii Japanese broth and silky slim noodles will help you discover the existence of another level of pleasure for your palate.

Gu Ramen Taps & Tapas 108 W 3rd St. Long Beach, CA 90802

Gu Ramen offers a house bowl of noodles filled with tonkotsu broth, a pork broth prepared by boiling pork bones in water for a significant amount of time. Gu Ramen adds their signature touch by throwing some chicken bones into the mix. Choose from either ramen (egg-based) or udon (wheat-based) noodles. Their udon is a vegan noodle and you can order a fully vegan dish by asking for their shoyu-based (soy sauce) broth. Gu Ramen offers various heat levels, allowing diners to choose from mild to super-spicy versions.

Ramen Hub & Poke 3900 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90807

Since opening in late summer of 2018, Ramen Hub & Poke has garnered a loyal following of ramen, poke and sushi lovers throughout Long Beach. Masahiro Ramen Master and Executive Chef Steve San serves the Hakata style of signature ramen, which incorporates a cloudy soup broth made from slowly simmered pork bones, along with hand made thick and thin noodles. Ingredients are cooked using a specially filtered water system and the chefs prepare each bowl of ramen “aburi” style, carefully adding fresh toppings flame-blistered to perfection.

Kihon 5662 2nd St. Long Beach, CA 90803

Although known for its carefully crafted sushi, this tony Naples Japanese restaurant also makes beautiful bowls of 16-hour tonkotsu ramen and a spicy miso ramen with a milky, savory broth. Kihon presents its ramen in a traditional manner with long white noodles accompanied with a pile of menma (pickled bamboo shoots), a gelatinous slice of pork chashu, and a lovely six-minute soft-boiled egg.

Bamboo Teri House 3391 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90807

Family-owned Bamboo Teri House has been serving quality Japanese food to the Long Beach community for 35 years. The Japanese have always believed the bamboo plant to be a symbol of strength and longevity, thus the name Bamboo Teri House was chosen in hopes that the restaurant would take on the same characteristics as its namesake. Noodle dishes include miso ramen, shoyu ramen, soba and udon. They also serve an extensive menu of Japanese favorites such as teriyaki bowls, Japanese curry, and sushi.

Mitaki Poke And Sushi 3547 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90807

Mitaki Poke and Sushi serves authentic Japanese food, including ramen, and their namesake sushi and poke. Ramen is serviced with your choice of meat and toppings. Their extensive noodle menu also offers vegetable udon, chicken udon, tempura udon, spicy udon with seafood, and yakisoba (pan fried noodles with veggies and grilled chicken). Available for takeout and delivery.

Phnom Penh Noodle Shack 1644 Cherry Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813

Featured in LA Times, Eater, LA Weekly, Long Beach Post, Press-Telegram, and more, Phnom Penh Noodle Shack offers authentic Cambodian dishes for the community to enjoy. Open since 1985, over the years this family-owned restaurant has grown in size and notoriety, with the goal to spread awareness of their food and culture to as many people as possible. Soups have 5 types of noodles to choose from, and each bowl is garnished with cilantro, green onion and garlic.

S.T. Noodle Bar 4152 Norse Way Long Beach, CA 90808

S.T. Noodle Bar or “STNB” is a Thai noodle house offering classic dishes and a spiced-to-order assortment of Asian noodles. The menu reflects the bustling spirit of Thailand, full of vibrant colors, flavors, and culinary riches. Along with authentic Thai noodles, they also put their own spin on various staple dishes from Thailand, presenting an exciting dining experience with a modern touch. If you’re looking for a light lunch, try the Mini Noodle Cups.

Uncle Fung Borneo Eatery 5716-A E 7th St. Long Beach, CA 90803

If you’ve never tried authentic Indonesian food, Uncle Fung Borneo Eatery is the place for you. This traditional restaurant offers a wide array of fresh food including homemade egg noodle laksa (soup with egg noodles), mee goreng (Indonesian style spicy fried noodle dish), Borneo rice plate, chicken satay rice, and teh tarik, a popular hot milk tea beverage most commonly found in restaurants and outdoor stalls throughout Southeast Asia. Order online for pick up and delivery.

Photo credits:

Photo #1: Uncle Fung Borneo Eatery

Photo #2: RAKKAN Ramen

Photo #3: HiroNori Craft Ramen

Photo #4: RAKKAN Ramen

Photo #5: Gu Ramen Taps & Tapas

Photo #6: Ramen Hub & Poke

Photo #7: Kihon

Photo #8: Bamboo Teri House

Photo #9: Mitaki Poke And Sushi

Photo #10: Phnom Penh Noodle Shack

Photo #11: S.T. Noodle Bar