The best soba in Tokyo in 2026 is at Kanda Matsuya, open since 1884, Kanda Yabu Soba, Namiki Yabusoba in Asakusa and Sarashina Horii in Azabu-Juban. For udon, Udon Shin near Shinjuku makes Sanuki-style noodles by hand and Tsurutontan in Roppongi serves huge bowls late into the night.
Soba (buckwheat noodles) is a Tokyo tradition dating to the Edo period, served cold with dipping sauce (zaru, mori) or hot in broth. Udon is thicker, made from wheat. At the end of a cold soba meal, ask for soba-yu, the cooking water, to mix with leftover sauce and drink.
An Edo-style soba house since 1884.
Kanda Matsuya serves classic Edo-style soba in a wooden building in Kanda Sudacho. Order the mori soba or the duck soba.
It does not take reservations.
Good to know: Share a table and order sake with tamagoyaki.
1-13 Kanda Sudacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0041
Green-tinged Yabu-style soba in a garden house.
Kanda Yabu Soba is one of Tokyo's most famous soba restaurants, serving Yabu-style soba in a rebuilt traditional house with a garden.
Staff call out orders in a distinctive singsong.
Good to know: Weekends get busy; arrive early.
2-10 Kanda Awajicho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0063
A classic soba house near Kaminarimon.
Namiki Yabusoba is a small Asakusa soba house known for firm noodles and a strong, salty dipping sauce.
It is a good lunch near Senso-ji.
Good to know: Order zaru soba.
2-11-9 Kaminarimon, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034
Pale, delicate sarashina soba since the 1700s.
Sarashina Horii serves pale sarashina soba made from the core of the buckwheat, a refined style with roots in the Edo period.
Seasonal flavored soba is also offered.
Good to know: Try the white gozen soba.
3-11-4 Motoazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0046
Handmade Sanuki udon with a long queue.
Udon Shin makes thick, springy Sanuki-style udon by hand in a tiny shop near Shinjuku. The carbonara-style udon with bacon and egg is famous.
Seats are few, so a ticket system manages the line.
Good to know: Get a numbered ticket early and return at your time.
2-20-16 Yoyogi, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0053
Huge bowls of udon, open late.
Tsurutontan serves udon in oversized bowls with dozens of toppings, from classic kitsune to creamy Western-style versions.
It stays open late in Roppongi.
Good to know: Good after a night out in Roppongi.
3-14-12 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032
Kanda Matsuya and Kanda Yabu Soba are the classic Edo-style shops; Sarashina Horii is known for pale, refined soba.
Udon Shin near Shinjuku is the most famous; Tsurutontan is good for big bowls late at night.
Cold (zaru or mori) shows off the noodles; hot is comforting in winter.
Yes, slurping is normal and helps cool the noodles.
Most are walk-in. Udon Shin uses a numbered ticket system.