Cosmic Cafe

I’m Nick Hamman and I’m looking for the best noodles in South Africa and this is a place I can almost guarantee you’ve never heard of. In Rivonia, Johannesburg, there is an office park that inside has a Taiwanese lady making this life-changing beef noodle soup. If you do come here, tell the security you’re going to the restaurant, take your first right and stop when your nose is hypnotised.

This is Taiwanese beef noodle soup at its absolute best, the kind that people travel across the globe just to experience. Deeply traditional, built around patience, balance, and craft rather than flash.

Starting with the broth, the soul of the dish. Simmered for hours with beef bones, aromatics, soy sauce, and warming spices. It’s dark but clear, rich without being greasy, savoury with just a hint of sweetness and spice. The beef is cooked low and slow, absorbing the broth, with generous chunks of brisket and shin. The noodles are handmade. Ribbons with ruffled edges, built to drink in the flavour. The bok choy is blanched, adding a fresh bitterness to cut through the richness, and the spring onions beautifully balance and lift the dish.

This was an incredible meal and I’d highly recommend you come to try it for yourself and I’ve left the details in the caption, but if these aren’t the best noodles in South Africa, I need you to let me know in the comments where I’m going next?

Cosmic Cafe
Location: 373 Rivonia Blvd
#beef #noodles #hiddengem #taiwanese