Soba, known as buckwheat noodles in English, is one of Japan’s many different noodle dishes. Its history is a long one, with records of the dish dating back thousands of years. When you begin your trip to Japan, you may think that ramen is the peak of Japanese noodle cuisine, but soba noodles are a gourmet dish loved by the Japanese just as much. Here are 10 restaurants that serve some of the best soba in Tokyo!
(Shinjuku Area)
1. Fumotoya Keio Plaza Hotel (Shinjuku)
At Fumotoya Keio Plaza Hotel's Shinjuku branch, you can enjoy Nagano Prefecture's Togakushi soba, which is considered to be one of the three main soba noodle styles in Japan. Their signature dish Touji Soba (2,373 JPY) is made from buckwheat seeds harvested in Togakushi. Unlike normal soba noodles—which you would eat with a common noodle soup base called "mentsuyu"—their Togakushi soba is served together with a hot pot containing mushroom ankake sauce, in which you would dip the noodles in and enjoy. Once you have a taste, you will be able to taste the rich, aromatic buckwheat and enjoy the pleasant texture of the noodles.
Fumotoya Keio Plaza Hotel
Open:
[Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm. Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)[Saturday] Lunch 11:30 am - 4:00 pm. Dinner 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
[Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 4:00 pm. Dinner 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)Closed:
NoneAverage price:
[Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,200 JPYAccess:
5 minutes walk from the west exit of [Shinjuku Station] on JR Lines / 3 minutes walk from exit B1 of [Tochomae Station] on Toei Oedo LineAddress:
Keio Plaza Hotel, 2-2-1 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details
2. Soba and Meal Tsuzurao Main Branch (Shinjuku)
Soba and Meal Tsuzurao Main Branch offers dozens of unique soba dishes. If you’re at a loss as to what you should order, their Tenju Gozen (1,660 JPY) is a recommended choice. It’s a popular course meal where you can enjoy both soba and ten-don (rice bowl dish with tempura). Enjoy the harmony between their crispy tempura and aromatic soba noodles, whose ratio of buckwheat flour changes depending on the season. The soba noodles are served together with mentsuyu made with dried bonito from Kagoshima.
Soba and meal Tsuzurao main branch
Open: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:15 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: 0 minute walk from West gate of JR Shinjuku station, it is located on the 12th floor of Manhattan Hills, the restaurant district of Odakyu department store
Address: 12F, Main bldg. Odakyu department store, 1-1-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
(Ginza Area)
3. Sotoroku (Uchisaiwaicho)
At Sotoroku, you can enjoy cuisine made with local Kyushu ingredients in a luxurious space. Their Cold Soba Noodles & Tempura is made using buckwheat flour from Kyushu, which is known for their soba. The noodles are perfect, made to have the best texture and fragrance. Enjoy them together with the exquisitely crispy tempura.
Sotoroku
Open:
Breakfast 6:30 am - 10:00 am (L.O. 9:30 am), Lunch 11:30 am - 3:30 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 9:30 pm) (Bar time L.O. 11:00 pm)Closed:
NoneAverage price:
[Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,400 JPYAccess:
4-minute walk from A5 exit of Uchisaiwaicho stationAddress:
18F, THE BLOSSOM HIBIYA, 1-1-13 Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details Reservation 4. Tsukiji Sarashina no Sato (Tsukiji)
Tsukiji Sarashina no Sato is a long-established restaurant, with 120 years of business and going strong. The buckwheat flour used in their noodles are carefully selected based on the season and time of year by the owner himself. A restaurant favorite is the Curry Namban (1,000 JPY), popular for its nuanced combination of spicy curry and broth. Come enjoy their traditional taste that has been loved over the years!
Click here for an interview by our editors about the restaurant. Tsukiji Sarashina no Sato
Open:
[Weekdays] 11:00 am - 9:45 pm[Saturday] 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,200 JPY
Access: 1-minute walk from [Tsukiji station] on Tokyo metro subway Hibiya Line, 152m distance.
Address: 3-3-9 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
5. Hakone Akatsukian Ginza Mitsukoshi Branch (Ginza)
Hakone Akatsukian is one the most popular soba restaurants in the famous hot spring spot, Hakone Yumoto. You can also try their soba in Ginza at their Ginza Mitsukoshi branch! Their popular Akatsuki (3,300 JPY) is a filling ensemble that comes with soba and tempura, as well as side dishes, tofu, dessert, and other delicious dishes. Soba, the main dish, is served with a rich mentsuyu made with several different kinds of dried bonito.
Hakone Akatsukian Ginza Mitsukoshi branch
Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 11:00 am - 11:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,000 JPY
Access: 2-minute walk from Ginza Station on Tokyo Metro Lines. On the 11th floor of Ginza Mitsukoshi
Address: 11F, Ginza Mitsukoshi New Bldg., 4-6-16, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
6. Washoku Kappo Ginza Masuda (Higashi-ginza)
At Washoku Kappo Ginza Masuda, you can enjoy traditional Japanese cuisine made with seasonal ingredients. Only course meals are offered. The Handmade Soba, served as a finishing dish after eating through other Japanese dishes like fresh sashimi or Wagyu beef, is exquisite! The soba noodles are juwari, meaning that they are made with 100% buckwheat flour. This flour is procured from Ono/Katsuyama in Fukui Prefecture. The resulting soba noodles go smoothly down the throat and have a wonderful fragrance that you won't be able to get enough of. Be sure to reserve a table, as they only have 10 seats available at a time.
Washoku Kappo Ginza Masuda
Open:
[Weekdays] 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)[Saturday, National Holidays] 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY
Access: 4-minute walk from Exit A1 of Higashi-ginza Station on the H09 line. Go towards the direction of the Ginza Tobu Hotel
Address: 7-13-22, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
(Asakusa Area)
7. Edo Soba Teuchidokoro Asada (Asakusabashi)
Edo Soba Teuchidokoro Asada has been open for over 150 years. Their Anago Steamer (1,360 JPY) comes with soba noodles made from their homemade buckwheat flour, which gives them a satisfying chew. The noodles are rich in flavor, nuanced in layers of age-old techniques and traditions. The anago (conger eel) tempura that accompanies the noodles is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; tempura perfection at its finest. Enjoy the traditional flavors passed down from generation to generation.
Edo Soba Teuchidokoro Asada
Open:
[Weekdays] Lunch: 11:30 - 14:30, Dinner: 17:30 - 22:00 (Last order: 21:00)[Saturday] Lunch: 11:30 - 14:30, Dinner: 17:30 - 21:00 (Last order: 20:00)Closed:
SundaysAverage price:
[Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,300 JPYAccess:
3 minutes on foot from JR Sobu Line Asakusabashi Station East Exit/2 minutes on foot from Toei Asakusa Line Asakusabashi Station A4 Exit/on the left hand side on Edo-dori toward Asakusa Address:
2-29-11 Asakusabashi , Taito-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details (Roppongi Area)
8. Azabu Tansumachi Tenryoan (Roppongi)
Azabu Tansumachi Tenryoan is a Japanese-Western fusion style teppanyaki (ingredients grilled on an iron griddle) restaurant. After enjoying seasonal ingredients cooked by an exceptional chef, finish off with their Shrimp Tempura Seiro Soba (1,410 JPY)—a very refreshing noodle dish that offers an explosion of buckwheat fragrance and flavor. It is topped with shrimp bought straight from the market that's been made into a crispy golden tempura delight.
Azabu Tansumachi Tenryoan
Open:
[Weekdays, Saturday] Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm)[Weekdays] Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (Food L.O. 10:00 pm / Drink L.O. 10:30 pm)[Saturday] Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (Food L.O. 9:00 pm / Drink L.O. 9:30 pm)Closed:
Sunday, National HolidaysAverage price:
[Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPYAccess:
9 minutes walk from [Roppongi Station] on Toei Oedo LineAddress:
2F, Roppongi Grand Plaza, 3-1-25 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details Reservation (Ikebukuro Area)
9. Fresh Soba Asanoya Rise Arena Higashi-Ikebukuro Ekimae Branch (Higashi-ikebukuro)
Enjoy organic soba imported straight from Hokkaido at Fresh Soba Asanoya Rise Arena Higashi-Ikebukuro Ekimae Branch. A recommended dish is their Kamo Tsukune Seiro (1,400 JPY (plus tax)). Carefully selected duck meat is used for the tsukune, or meatballs in English. They make the soup flavorful and pair beautifully with the soba noodles, creating a dish full of nuanced flavors. Topped with green onions that give it a small kick, it’s an addicting dish to say the least.
Fresh Soba Asanoya Rise Arena Higashi-Ikebukuro Ekimae branch
Open:
[Weekdays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 4:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10.15 pm)[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 4:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)Closed:
IrregularAverage price:
[Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPYAccess:
From the exit No. 6 or No.7 of [Higashi-Ikubukuro Station] of Tokyo metro subway Yurakucho Line, walk towards the Sunshine underpass. It takes 2-minute walkAddress:
B1F, Rise Arena Bldg., 4-5-2 Higashi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details
(Tokyo Area)
10. Teuchi Soba LOLO (Hatchobori)
At Teuchi Soba LOLO, the premium buckwheat flour they use is imported from all over Japan, depending on the time of year. An all-time favorite by customers is their Kitsune Soba (1,000 JPY). The simple yet divine combination of the aburaage (thin-cut fried tofu) that soaks up all of the goodness in the soup with their handmade soba noodles is nothing short of perfection. They also have a seasonal menu, so don’t forget to check it out when you visit.
Teuchi Soba LOLO
Open:
[Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday] Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)[Saturday, Sunday] Dinner 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)Closed:
WednesdayAverage price:
[Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPYAccess:
5-minute walk from Hacchobori Station on Tokyo Metro Hibiya LineAddress:
1F, Ogane Bldg., 2-6-6, Minato, Chuo-ku, Tokyo MapMore Details We hope you’ve found a restaurant that peaks your interest! Please enjoy one of Japan’s oldest and most loved dishes, soba, the next time you visit Tokyo.
11. Shizuya
Shizuya is located a 6 minute walk from Ueno Station. The restaurant head personally handles the entire noodle making process every day, from extracting the seeds from whole buckwheat to actually making the noodles. In addition, guests can enjoy tempura while waiting for the soba. The textures of the tempura, which uses natural Japanese tiger prawn, are irresistible. The restaurant interior is a relaxing space where one can feel the warmth of the wood as well as a sense of cleanliness. They also have an open kitchen, so if guests time their visit right, they can see noodles made before their eyes.
Shizuya
Open:
[Weekday] Dinner 17:30 - 21:00 (last order 20:30)[Weekday,Day Before Holidays] Lunch 11:00 - 14:00 (last order 14:00)Closed:
Saturday,Sunday,HolidaysAverage price:
[Lunch] 1,500 JPYAccess:
Address:
Map
More Details We hope you’ve found a restaurant that peaks your interest! Please enjoy one of Japan’s oldest and most loved dishes, soba, the next time you visit Tokyo.
Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.