Who doesn’t love a good slurp? A noisy, appreciative, white shirt destroying one, which no napkin or bib can protect. We certainly do. And while Brighton might not be the first place you pitch up at for a great bowl of noodles – preferring to head for the pickled cockles and saveloy on the beachfront – just a few steps away from the shore you’ll find some fantastic places specialising in the good stuff. These are those; our 6 IDEAL places to eat noodles in Brighton.
UNITHAI
An ordinary looking Thai supermarket out front, with something special hiding in the back. Uni Thai sells the esoteric ingredients needed for your homemade pad see ew in their shop, or they’ll just cook it themselves for you, probably more capably, in their tiny restaurant out back. Just strut through the shop, dishing out your finest sawadees, and find space at one of their four tables in the adjacent room. If you can, that is; it gets busy in here, with locals long since clocked on that this is the best Thai food in town by a mile.
Perhaps it’s that sense of ‘authenticity’, as you hear the reassuring sound of woks crashing and the chatter of Thai, or maybe it’s the brilliant boat noodle soup (kway teow rua) with bouncy pork balls, but we’re definitely sold.
Address: 10 Church Rd, Hove BN3 2FL
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/Unithai
JIA MO
Though it may only look like a takeaway joint from the outside, this Xi’an noodle specialist has seating below, and it’s well worth pitching up for a bowl of their expertly hand-pulled noodles. The menu is brief, but that’s how we like it, no paradox of choice to cripple you, just thick, bouncy noodz with slow-cooked pork or vegetables, either dry or in a broth, warm or cold, with ubiquitous condiments of sesame and chilli oil. For the authentic Xi’an experience, we enjoy the cold noodles, simply adorned with plenty of that chilli oil. Just delicious.
Address: 2 Ship St, Brighton BN1 1AD
Website: en-gb.facebook.com/Jia-Mo
THE BIG BOWL
Whilst you’ll see a Thai joint on every street corner in Brighton, Vietnamese food is criminally under represented in the city. Sure, there’s that ubiquitous chain, but if you want a genuinely great bowl of pho from guys who know what they’re doing, head to Preston Street, just a couple of minutes from i360 on the beach, and to Big Bowl. The low and slow braised beef brisket version is deep and rich, and humming with cinnamon, cloves and star anise; a cure for what ails ya, make no mistake. You can also pick up a great banh mi to go here, full of chargrilled meat and pickles. For lunch, in particular, it just makes sense.
Address: 54 Preston St, Brighton BN1 2HE
Website: thebigbowlbrighton.co.uk
GOEMON RAMEN BAR
Stay on Preston Street for dinner, as it has a proliferation of great restaurants serving Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and more. We love Goemon Ramen Bar if you’re craving the famous Japanese noodle soup with layers and layers of rich, porky flavour and a massive choice of those all-important DIY additional toppings. The tonkotsu miso ramen is our go-to, because if you’re doing ramen, you might as well go umami crazy. The izakaya offerings here are work checking out, too; there’s a delicious grilled ox tongue and the chicken karaage is just as it should be. And there’s no better compliment than that, right?
Address: 12 Preston St, Brighton BN1 2HN
Website: www.facebook.com/Goemon-Ramen-Bar-Brighton
TONKOTSU RAMEN BRIGHTON
The cult London Japanese noodle shop Tonkotsu Ramen recently moved into Polpo’s old spot on Brighton’s buzzy New Road, and we’re pleased to report that they’ve already hit their stride. Though the signature Tonkotsu ramen is clearly the headlining act, with a broth so rich and porcine it verges on the obscene, the vegan Soya Tantanmen boasts nearly as much depth, and is well worth ruining your shirt for.
If the heat of summer and the idea of soup don’t feel like the most natural of bedfellows, then Tonkotsu Ramen offers some excellent snacks, sides and light bites, including fine gyoza, a light and piquant ramen salad, and some truly exemplary cucumber pickles. A very welcome addition to Brighton’s noodle scene, make no mistake.
Address: 20 New Rd, Brighton BN1 1UF
Website: tonkotsu.co.uk/locations
NOODLES SOUP
Right in the mix of the main shopping action and just seconds from the clock tower is Noodles Soup, a simple, no nonsense, nominally Chinese joint dishing out bowls of the good stuff to those made hungry and weary by consumerism. The menu is huge and all noodles, with pictures for those who can’t handle indecision and just want to point. The menu actually continent trots, with the Spicy Korean noodz particularly lovely. Broths and additional veg and meat arrive steaming hot and vibrant, suggesting each bowl is cooked to order. A lovely little place.
Address: 37 West St, Brighton BN1 2RE
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/Noodles-Soup