RestaurantWashington HeightsAudubon / W 165th St
Native Noodles
A rare Southeast Asian option uptown and worth a trip for the laksa; small room, no reservations.
2129 Amsterdam AveAmsterdam Ave near W 166th St
What it is
Native Noodles is a casual counter-service restaurant at 2129 Amsterdam Ave. Its website says it brings a contemporary take on Singaporean flavors to New York and was founded in 2019 by Singaporean founder Amy, who piloted it at the Queens Night Market that April. The dining room seats 12 inside and 4 outside, and the restaurant does not take reservations.
Who it’s for
Noodle lovers, lunch and dinner takeout customers, and anyone craving something outside the neighborhood’s usual Latin and diner menus. The Infatuation’s 2023 guide called it hard-to-find Southeast Asian food for Upper Manhattan.
Standout details
The site highlights popcorn chicken, laksa noodles, fried wontons, Singapore fried noodles, chili crab pasta, satay peanut noodles, and wonton noodles. The Infatuation also mentioned roti john, a Singaporean omelet sandwich, and said the shop opened here in winter 2021. The restaurant was inspected by the city on September 15, 2026.
Honest verdict
A small, specific, and well-regarded place with a different flavor profile than the rest of the strip. With only a handful of seats, it can feel tight at peak times, and the site’s hours (11:30am to 9pm daily) are the ones to trust over Yelp, which has listed a different Sunday opening time.