7 Of The Best Hand-Pulled Noodles In Auckland

Hand-pulled noodles, known as 'lamian', are the traditional Chinese delicacy making waves in the Auckland dining scene. Crafted through the meticulous art of stretching, twisting and folding dough, these handmade noodles are characterised by their unique chewy texture, applaudable length and mismatched appearance.

Whether you slurp them in soups or chew with chilli oil, we’ve rounded up the best hand-pulled noodle spots in Auckland so you can decide how you like them best. 

King Made Noodles

48 Fort Street, Auckland CBD

Image credit: King Made Noodles | Facebook

If you call yourself a hand-pulled noodle connoisseur, chances are you’re familiar with the work of King Made Noodles on Fort Street. If not, it’s time to get acquainted with your new comfort food go-to. King Made Noodles specialises in Northwest Chinese noodles, available to slurp in seven varying levels of thickness and all made fresh every day. 

Best Hand-Pulled Noodle Pick: Traditional Beef Noodle Soup. This popular dish is over 100 years old and has been perfected over the years, resulting in a rich, clear broth full of slow-cooked beef, chilli, turnips and of course, plenty of tender noodles. It even comes with a plate of beef bones to dunk in and nibble on, adding even more umami richness to your soup.

Xi’an Noodles/Food Bar

Various Locations

Image credit: Xi'an Food Bar | Facebook

With branches spanning from Auckland’s North Shore to Hamilton, Xi’an Food Bar has cemented itself as one of the places to go when craving hand-pulled noodles. Its version of hand-pulled noodles is lovingly known as biangbiang—an onomatopoeia for the noise made when slapped against the bench when stretched.

Enjoy these bouncy noodles in an array of dry and soup-based dishes, and always serve with a side of its famous smashed cucumber salad—that’s an order. Portion sizes are always generous, meaning you get 'biang' for your buck and have plenty for leftovers or sharing. 

Best Hand-Pulled Noodle Pick: Hand-pulled Noodles with Cumin Lamb. This dry dish features tender pieces of lamb, dusted with a dry spice rub and served with Asian greens and thick hand-pulled noodles—mix until coated for maximum enjoyment. 

Eden Noodles

Various Locations

Image credit: Eden Noodles | Instagram

If you’ve ever driven down Dominion Road, chances are, you’ve seen the hordes of people queuing for the small, yet mighty, Eden Noodles. Better yet, you’ve probably been one of them. This legendary noodle spot has since expanded around Auckland city, with restaurants popping up around the CBD, Henderson, Ōtāhuhu and Albany.

Alongside its selection of handmade dumplings and signature Sichuan flavours, Eden Noodles is highly regarded for its hand-pulled noodle dishes, where options such as kumara, rice, thin and wide are up for grabs.

Hand-Pulled Noodle Pick: Kumara Noodles with crispy pork mince, pickles and spicy sauce. Mix and twirl these big bouncy noodles until all crevices are suitably covered.

1981 Noodle House

G03/9 Kaipiho Lane, Albany, Auckland 

Image credit: 1981 Noodle House | Instagram

Over the bridge? Head to 1981 Noodle House in Albany for your hand-pulled noodle fix on the North Shore. This spot specialises in the style of Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles and prides itself on the perfect blend of chewiness, firmness and tenderness that defines this Northwestern Chinese cooking technique.

All noodles are made daily in-house and come in six different thicknesses, including the silky and delicate Mao Xi to the wide and springy Kuan.

Hand-Pulled Noodle Pick: Signature Beef Noodle Soup. The simple savoury beef broth, tender beef slices and subtle spice complement the hand-pulled noodles perfectly. 

Jinweide Beef Noodles

672 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland 

Image credit: Jinweide | Instagram

This Dominion Road institution is the place to go if you want a front-row seat to the hand-pulled noodle show. For every order, the chefs take mere minutes to roll and stretch each portion of noodles—you can’t get much fresher than that.

Better yet, you can choose your desired thickness—the thicker the better. Jinweide specialises in not one but two hand-pulled noodle beef dishes, including the traditional beef noodle soup and braised beef noodle soup. The key difference here is the style of beef. Whichever choice, expect a steaming bowl of flavourful and comforting noodles. 

Hand-Pulled Noodle Pick: Sorry braised, the traditional beef noodle soup gets our vote. And when you see the large, melt-in-your-mouth meaty chunks heading to tables around the restaurant, you too will join the brigade. 

Biang Biang 

203/246 Queen Street, Auckland CBD & SFD 02, 286 Mt Wellington Hwy

Image credit: Biang Biang | Instagram

Whether you’re in Sylvia Park or on Queen Street, when those noodle cravings kick in, pull up a pew at Biang Biang. This fan-favourite spot specialises in authentic street food from Xi’an (the capital of the Shaanxi Province in China) and if the name hasn’t already given it away, today, we’re talking all things biang biang noodles.

Here you’ll find a compact menu of popular toppings/fillings that appeal to both meat-eaters and vegetarians in equal measure, including tomato and eggplant, beef tripe and lamb mince with cumin. And we might go as far as to say that the hand-pulled noodles at Biang Biang might be the widest we’ve come across. 

Hand-Pulled Noodle Pick: Sometimes, you can’t beat the classics, and that’s exactly the case where the Biang Biang hand-pulled noodles with chilli is concerned. Lashings of spicy chilli oil coat each side and stretch of the noodles in this big bowl, and slices of spring onions add a welcome crunch and freshness.

Shaolin Kung Fu Noodles

486 Queen Street, Auckland CBD, 636 Dominion Road, Mount Eden & Unit 10/16 Gooch Place, Somerville, Auckland

Image credit: Petronella Shum | Google Photos

For decades, Dominion Road has held the title as THE place to go when Asian cravings creep in. And one spot that ranks highly within the impressive portfolio is Shaolin Kung Fu Noodles. This Chinese eatery in Balmoral (and now in the CBD and Somerville) is no short of iconic stature, boasting more than 100 dishes on its extensive menu.

But, let’s remember why we’re here folks—noodles. Shaolin hand-pulls its noodles on the daily, ready to serve in a variety of soup and dry dishes. Warning—these bouncy noodles are some of the longest on the scene so break with your teeth and tackle with chopsticks accordingly.

Hand-Pulled Noodle Pick: Xinjiang Fried Lamb Noodles. These rolled and fried noodles are a crowd-favourite, served with cabbage, tomatoes and chives and packed with spice. 

Looking for more tasty morsels? Check out:

• The Best Spots For Late-Night Dessert
• Auckland's Tastiest Doughnuts
• Top Burgers To Smash In The City

Main image credit: Jinweide | Instagram

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