Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2014

Udon—those thick, chewy noodles made from wheat flour—are a much-appreciated delight for their texture and flavor. And the plethora of udon restaurants across the city make it a great value, too, as most bowls can be had for under ¥500 and the whole meal can be gulped down in minutes. The price and speed also makes these a good option for hungry Tokyo families (and what kid doesn’t like sucking up some big slippery noodles?)

Some chains like Marugame Seimen (www.toridoll.com/en/shop/howto.html) or Hanamaru (www.hanamaruudon.com) will have a selection of vegetable and seafood tempura that kids can choose from to add as toppings to the udon. Inarizushi, the sweet packets of tofu stuffed with rice are a well-scoffed side dish at shops that are popular with the young ones.

Taniya

Ningyocho is a fun, quaint and historic Tokyo neighborhood to explore. We found Taniya by chance on a recent outing there when we walked by its front window and saw the chef, Tani-san, rolling out dough for udon. The shop is bright, the staff are genki and the portion sizes are generous—so consider asking for a small bowl of noodles. The staff recommended the bukkake (cold noodles, strong broth), which comes with a grated yamaimo (Japanese yam) and a soft-boiled egg that is fried tempura-style.
2-15-17 Nihonbashi Ningyocho, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03-5695-3060.

If you’ve got an adult hankering for a quick salaryman lunch or something stronger than soda to help wash it down, try popping in to one these noodly nosh joints.

Udon Maruka

The Kanda neighborhood is filled with cheap restaurants for the area university students. There is usually a line at this hot spot, but it moves quickly so don’t let that deter you. It’s all business inside as orders are taken quickly and noodles are boiled up in the open kitchen. Be sure to get the squid tempura that is served with scissors so that diners can cut it up into bite-size pieces.
New Surugadai Bldg., 3-16-1 Kanda-Ogawamachi, Chiyoda-ku. 03-3294-1320.

Sanukiya

This shop, named after the famous Sanuki udon region, is just minutes from Koenji station. While some customers come to Sanukiya for just a bowl of udon, those in the know also come for the nihonshu. The sake list here includes includes popular labels like Jikon and Nabeshima. The son, Kondo-san, has a discerning palate and serves up small dishes, pairing each one with a different sake. The evening ends with a bowl of udon—and a great buzz from the sake.
4-38-7 Koenji-Minami, Suginami-ku. Tel: 03-3314-4488.