Soba Restaurants in Japan(49)
SEAT RESERVATIONSoba Rojina
Recessed from the street by Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, this formidable soba joint has the owner manually grinding the buckwheat in a stone mortar.
SEAT RESERVATIONDashin So-an
Just a short trip from Shinjuku or Shibuya nets you a premium handmade soba meal in bright and peaceful surroundings.
COURSE MENUKagurazaka Kuzuryu Soba
The pride of Fukui Prefecture, Echizen cuisine features prominently in this Kagurazaka restaurant, which uses the finest ingredients from the Hokuriku region. Seasonal delicacies from the Echizen Coast and local sake delight visitors.
COURSE MENUSoba Shubo Fukumaru
The noodles at this Osaka soba specialist are made with Tochiusu flour from Tochigi Prefecture, giving it a satisfying texture and rustic taste. It pairs especially well with a glass of buckwheat shochu, whether served on the rocks, hot or chilled.
SEAT RESERVATIONHamacho Kaneko
A veteran of the Michelin restaurant Ishiusubiki Teuchi Kyorakutei, Chef Kaneko Yasushi wears his own Michelin awards with quiet pride. Soba, tempura, appetizers and sake are aplenty at his Hamacho restaurant.
SEAT RESERVATIONTohakuan Karibe
The highlight of this Michelin Bib Gourmand soba restaurant is its extensive wine selection, which changes every week at the recommendation of a sommelier. Seasonal tempura offerings keep guests coming back for more.
SEAT RESERVATIONJuu-go
With a Michelin Green Star, soba joint Juu-go is a lesson on sustainability: owner Akiya Ishibashi plants the buckwheat berries, harvests the grain and transforms any scraps into compost for his farm.
SEAT RESERVATIONTamawarai
Arguably the most famous Michelin-starred soba in Tokyo, Tamawarai is located just off the equally famous Cat Street in the stylish Harajuku district, and serves painstakingly hand-ground soba noodles with soba-mae small plates.
SEAT RESERVATIONTeuchisoba Narutomi
A legend in the Ginza food scene, Teuchisoba Narutomi sets itself apart from other soba shops with their hand-crafted noodles, made with 100 percent buckwheat flour. Accompaniments of seasonal tempura are a winning combination.
SEAT RESERVATIONSoba Osame
Pairing rustic soba with regional small plates, Soba Osame mirrors the idyllic glades and Thoreauvian mountain towns of Japan through its menu.
SEAT RESERVATIONNoto Toto Teuchisoba Tabiki
No-photography soba joint where the owner grows his own buckwheat berries to craft hand-kneaded noodles.
SEAT RESERVATIONGombei
Originally a soba restaurant, Michelin-listed Gombei serves comforting flavors of noodles and donburi inside a traditional townhouse in the charming Gion District.
SEAT RESERVATIONTeuchisoba Kanei
Along the stretch near Kenkun Shrine in Kyoto, find the self-taught owner milling his own buckwheat to make two types of soba: juwari and arabiki.
SEAT RESERVATIONSobashubo Ichii
In a nondescript traditional townhouse, find the perfect pairing between buckwheat soba and Kawachi duck — as beloved by Kyoto locals.
SEAT RESERVATIONYuan Yamori
Yuan Yamori is one of the best soba restaurants in Tokyo, run by a chef with a great knowledge of the craft and his own unique recipe for fresh noodles.
SEAT RESERVATIONShimpocho En
One of the best soba restaurants in Nagoya, where you can try delicious appetizers and great sake with your noodles.
SEAT RESERVATIONNakasa Soba
With everything made from scratch, each bowl of soba noodles is emblematic of the natural essence of the Japanese Alps.
SEAT RESERVATIONIyo Okina
Delicious soba noodles in the south of Matsuyama, made with artisan techniques and served fresh every day.
SEAT RESERVATIONKochouan Senba
Grab a bowl of soba, handmade and rich in flavor, said to be the best in town.
SEAT RESERVATIONOsoba no Kouga
Holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand award for 10 years running, this Nishiazabu soba shop takes pride in observing the traditions of the culinary form — and then breaking them to great effect.
SEAT RESERVATIONEdosoba Hosokawa
This family-run Ryogoku soba restaurant serves handmade juwari soba made from 100 percent buckwheat, sourced from farms as far as the Shikoku region. Seasonal specialties like Hokkaido oysters keep customers coming back.
SEAT RESERVATIONKyorin
Chef Inoue Tomokazu continues what his late father started by turning his Shirokane-Takanawa kappo restaurant into a Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning soba restaurant. Kappo-style small plates honor the elder Inoue’s legacy.
SEAT RESERVATIONSobamae Nagae
This Oyamadai sobamae restaurant serves expertly made traditional small plates to accompany its soba. Choose from a staggering selection of over 50 types of domestic shochu and sake from breweries all over Japan.
SEAT RESERVATIONKiminami
Indulge in the soulful artistry of Nara soba at this charming joint, where even dishes beyond noodles celebrate the pure harmony of buckwheat and water.
SEAT RESERVATIONNaniwa Okina
90 years of history in a bowl of soba — the third-generation owner makes sure that the hand-kneaded soba maintains the same recipe developed since its opening in 1930.
SEAT RESERVATIONSobakiri Imose
The generous lineup of rustic soba at this charming joint transports you to an idyllic Japanese countryside akin to the owner's hometown in Wakayama.
SEAT RESERVATIONSobakiri Gaku
At the tail-end of Karahori Shopping Arcade in Osaka, you'll find a humble joint with a Bib Gourmand under its belt and a passion for nihachi soba — 80% buckwheat, 20% wheat flour.
SEAT RESERVATIONSobakiri Karani
With its communal tables, mural-saturated space and cheerful casualness, Sobakiri Karani by Hashimoto Kiyoshi feels like an instant fun – the soba-centric, sake-loving kind.
Recent Reviews from Guests
Soba noodles have been a staple of Japanese cuisine for centuries. These delicious buckwheat noodles feature in world-class Michelin-starred meals, everyday lunches, and everything in between. While you will find them featured in all sorts of inventive dishes, the best way to savor them is often the simplest.
Served with just a light dashi dipping broth and some grated radish, the flavors of the soba can really shine through. You’ll find that the top soba artisans on our list of the best soba restaurants in Japan prefer these stripped back dishes to show off the pure quality of their handmade product.
But soba is nothing if not versatile! You can enjoy these noodles fried, mixed into okonomiyaki pancakes, or served cold in summer with generous helpings of yuzu citrus fruit on top. Whatever style you prefer, byFood’s range of top soba restaurants will ensure you get the very best quality noodles.
Take a look through these soba restaurants in Japan, and when you’re ready, secure your seat with just a few simple clicks! After you’re hooked, why not try making some handmade soba noodles yourself?