This Japanese hole-in-the-wall is arguably one of the best vendors in what is already one of the downtown core’s best food courts. Manpuku’s chewy udon noodles in a smoked bonito broth come topped with a mildly spicy Japanese curry and thinly shaved strips of beef. $8.30. manpuku.ca
2. Coffee In’s pancit molo
Pho and ramen may get all the noodle-soup love, but Filipino pancit deserves a shout-out. This one brings a bowl of intensely savoury broth loaded with plump wontons and shredded chicken. $6 small, $9 large. No website.
Related:The best budget-friendly eats in Toronto
3. Taste of Qin Yun’s traditional liangpi
Experience noodle nirvana with a bowl of these slippery, chewy hand-pulled noodles sided with seitan, bean sprouts and shredded cukes. Regulars know to mix it all together with the two condiments (spicy house-made chili oil and a black vinegar liangpi sauce) and slurp away. $9.40. tasteofqinyun.com
4. Miss Fu In Chengdu’s dandan noodles
It’s getting harder and harder to find dandan noodles for under $10, but this Sichuan spot with North York and downtown locations delivers a big bowl of the saucy, porky, peanutty noods to suit our budget. $9. missfuinchengdu.caRelated: Toronto’s best cheap banh mi right now
5. Wuhan Noodles 1950’s Wuhan dry noodles
A mountain of hot dry noodles, a specialty of China’s Wuhan province, comes topped with a thick sesame paste and dotted with bits of green onion, cilantro and green beans. Sometimes simple is best. $9. wuhannoodle1950.com
