The Broth
411 West Morgan Street, Raleigh, morganfoodhall.com/vendors/the-broth
Slurping is encouraged at The Broth, which dishes up bowls of soft egg noodles swimming in heady broths—spicy chicken kimchi, milky pork tonkatsu, or chicken—and garnished with the usual suspects, such as pork belly or a soft egg.
Bua Thai
5850 Fayetteville Road, #101, Durham, buathaidurham.com
You can get a solid plate of pad thai or pad see ew, those ubiquitous stir-fried rice noodle dishes, but you’ll also find Thai-based noodle soups, such as guay tew neua, a rice noodle soup with well-done steak, braised brisket, and meatballs, or guay tew ped, rice noodles in duck broth with duck breast and leg.
Dashi
415 East Chapel Hill Street, Durham, dashiramen.com
Dashi, the name of the Japanese mother broth, is a good indication that the bowls of broth-based ramen at this downtown Durham go-to will be deeply flavored. Try the creamy porky tonkotsu, soy-based shoyu, funky-spicy kimchi, punchy miso, or shio.
Lime and Basil
200 West Franklin Street, #130, Chapel Hill, limeandbasil.com
This intimate Chapel Hill eatery serves some of the best bowls of steamy pho in the Triangle, but don’t miss the house specialty, a seafood-and-pork-based broth with either egg or rice noodles, topped with a protein-packed lineup that includes shrimp, scallops, pork, and chicken.
Pho 9n9
2945 South Miami Boulevard, #102, Durham
Pho is the signature dish, and it’s everything it should be. Generous bowls of rich, delicate beef broth and noodles are served with heaping plates of bean sprouts and basil. Drop in for lunch and get the pho tái, which comes with paper-thin slices of rare steak.
Pho Far East
4011 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh
This popular Raleigh spot is a particular favorite among chefs. The pared-down digs belie the bowls of rich, flavorful broth that await. If you need a side dish, go for the crispy spring rolls.
Pho Vietnam
1284 Buck Jones Road, Raleigh, phovietnamone.com
You’ll find a reliable roster of Vietnamese snacks, but the specialty is pho, specifically pho bo, or beef noodle soup. Have your bowl topped with round steak, brisket, meatballs, or tendon.
Rasa Malaysia
410 Market Street, Chapel Hill, rasamalaysiach.com
Malaysian- and Singaporean-style cuisine is the focus at this Market Street spot. Skip the designated noodle section and instead pick one of the noodle dishes listed under “Kampung Favorites,” such as the mee goring—fried egg noodles with shrimp and chicken or veggies—or penang char kway teow, in which wide rice noodles mingle with fishcakes and bean sprouts in kechap manis, an Indonesian sweet soy sauce.
Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets
121 North Gregson Street, Durham, rosesdurham.com
The noodles at Rose’s fall into two main categories: ramen and belt noodles. The ramen stars springy noodles in a long-simmered pork broth that’s finished with garlic-infused lard, allowing the sauce to better cling to the noodles. Belt noodles, so named for their wide, flat shape, are pleasantly chewy and paired with combinations such as monkfish with fermented tomato broth or mutton with cumin-chili oil.
Tonbo Ramen
211 South Wilmington Street, Raleigh, tonboramen.com
Whether you opt for tonkotsu, shio, shoyu, or miso broth, you can count on an ample portion of chewy noodles and curated toppings. But if your bowl doesn’t come with the homemade dumplings or you’d rather have a poached egg than a soft-boiled one, upgrade accordingly from the add-on part of the menu. Round out your order with pork belly buns.