Garlic Noodles

Garlic Noodles in San Francisco's Lower Haight

Garlic noodles bring a lot of first-time guests through our door, and they are the plate many regulars order again and again. At Perilla, we toss noodles with garlic and butter until they are glossy, fragrant and just a little bit rich, then crown the plate with your choice of protein or vegetables. It is simple comfort food, and when it is done right it is hard to stop eating.

San Francisco has a special relationship with garlic noodles. The dish is closely tied to the city's Vietnamese American restaurants, where cooks paired Vietnamese flavors with the butter and garlic that California diners love. Today you will find versions all over the Bay Area, but a plate of garlic noodles with Five Spice chicken remains one of the most satisfying dinners you can order on Haight Street.

How Perilla Makes Garlic Noodles

The noodles are tossed in a hot pan with plenty of garlic and butter so that the flavor coats each strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate. The result is savory, aromatic and balanced, not greasy. Most plates are served with a crisp side of vegetables, and a small dish of our house dipping sauce is always welcome for a hit of brightness.

Because the noodles themselves are so flavorful, the toppings stay straightforward: well-seasoned meats cooked until the edges caramelize, prawns cooked just until tender, or a colorful mix of vegetables. That makes garlic noodles an easy dish to share and an easy one to customize.

Choose Your Topping

Garlic noodles on our menu come with any of the following toppings:

• Five Spice Chicken - our signature. Chicken marinated in warm five spice seasoning and cooked until the skin turns golden and the edges get crispy. If you only try one plate, make it this one.
• Curry Chicken - tender chicken in a spicy yellow curry. The curry soaks into the garlic noodles for a deeper, saucier plate.
• Curry Mixed Veggie with Tofu - the vegetarian version of our curry, packed with vegetables and tofu and marked spicy on our menu.
• Beef - savory, well-seasoned beef that pairs perfectly with buttery noodles.
• Prawns - a lighter, seafood option that is a favorite with garlic lovers.
• Pork and Pork Chops - sweet and savory Vietnamese-style pork, sliced or served as a chop.
• Mixed Vegetables - a vegetarian plate topped with a colorful mix of vegetables.
• Garlic Noodle Bowl - just the noodles, perfect as a side for sharing or for a smaller appetite.

Current prices for every option are listed on the full Perilla menu.

Five Spice Chicken: Our Signature Topping

Ask a regular what to order and the answer is almost always the same: garlic noodles with Five Spice chicken. Five spice is a classic seasoning blend used across Vietnamese and Chinese cooking. It usually combines star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and pepper, giving the chicken a warm, slightly sweet aroma rather than heat.

We marinate the chicken so the spices soak in, then cook it until the outside is golden and caramelized while the inside stays juicy. Sliced over a mound of buttery garlic noodles, it creates a plate that is savory, fragrant and deeply satisfying. The same Five Spice chicken is available over rice, on a vermicelli bowl and in our pho, so once you find your favorite you can enjoy it in several ways.

What to Order With Garlic Noodles

Garlic noodles are rich, so they shine next to something fresh and crunchy. Here are a few combinations our guests love:

• Fresh rolls - cool rice paper rolls with shrimp, pork, tofu or avocado cut through the butter and garlic. See all options on our Vietnamese rolls page.
• Papaya or cabbage salad - tangy, herb-filled salads add crunch and acidity.
• Imperial rolls - if you want to go all in, crispy fried rolls make a great shared starter.
• Vietnamese iced coffee or Thai iced tea - sweet, cold drinks are the classic match for a garlicky dinner.

Eating with a group? Order one plate of garlic noodles for every two people, add a bowl of pho and a round of rolls, and everyone gets to taste a little of everything.

Vegetarian Garlic Noodles

Vegetarians do not have to miss out. Choose the mixed vegetables topping for a classic, mild plate, or the curry mixed veggie with tofu if you like heat. Pair either one with avocado rolls or a cabbage salad with fried tofu for a full meat-free dinner. Add a Vietnamese iced coffee or a taro milk tea and you have a complete, satisfying meal without any meat at all. If you have questions about ingredients, just ask when you order and we will be happy to help.

Garlic Noodles for Pickup, Delivery and Catering

Garlic noodles travel well, which makes them one of the most popular dishes for takeout. You can order online through DoorDash, Grubhub or Uber Eats, or call us at (415) 872-6718 for pickup at 525 Haight St. To reheat leftovers, warm them in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes and toss so the butter and garlic come back to life.

Feeding an office or a party? Garlic noodles are available by the tray with chicken, pork, beef, prawns or seasoned veggies. Each tray serves about six to eight people. Learn more on our Vietnamese catering page.

Garlic Noodles FAQ

Are Perilla's garlic noodles spicy?

No. The noodles themselves are savory and garlicky, not spicy. Only the curry chicken and curry mixed veggie toppings are marked spicy.

Can I get garlic noodles without meat?

Yes. Choose mixed vegetables, curry mixed veggie with tofu, or the plain garlic noodle bowl.

When can I get garlic noodles?

Every day from 5:00pm to 9:30pm, for dine-in, pickup or delivery. Find directions on our contact page.