Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2012

Baby-pink standing soba shop Sobako (3-12-1 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku; www.sobako.co) is an outpost for working women and health-conscious men in the ramen shop-clustered studenty sidewalks of Takadanobaba. Most of the dishes are ¥390, a snip considering they’re made with reverse-osmosis water and fresh ingredients. The lunch set offers juwari-soba (100% buckwheat) and one of six barley donburi (rice bowls), all for ¥580, plus ¥100 extra for a green smoothie. At night, Sobako transforms into a wine bar servin’ up goodies like tofu meatloaf, fresh ginger salad, and buckwheat pizza (all ¥390).