Udon Shin

Udon Shin is a compact noodle shop a few minutes from the south side of Shinjuku Station, and its focus is simple: thick wheat udon made, cut and boiled only once each order comes in, never prepared in advance. The aim is noodles with a firm, springy bite that still have plenty of give, and the whole menu is built around showing off that texture. The shop has become one of the best-known udon restaurants in Tokyo, with long queues at peak times, and it has since opened its first overseas branch in Singapore.

The menu offers udon both hot and chilled. Chilled noodles served with a dipping sauce or a light pour of soy show off the bite most clearly, while hot bowls in dashi broth are comforting in winter. Tempura is a popular addition, fried to order, and the shop has become known for creative bowls that mix Japanese and Western ideas, alongside the classic styles. Watching the noodle-maker roll and cut dough in the open kitchen while you wait is part of the experience.

Because everything is cooked to order, the shop warns that dishes can take 10 to 15 minutes after ordering and may not arrive in the order requested, so it is not the place for a rushed lunch. It is open every day except over the New Year, from 11:00 with last orders at 22:00. Tables can be booked online through TableCheck from the official website, which is worth doing to avoid the queue, especially at weekends.

Udon Shin suits noodle lovers, couples and small groups, and prices are reasonable for the quality. The room is small, so large groups will struggle to sit together. Vegetarians should ask about the broth, which is normally made with fish-based dashi.

The shop is on the ground floor of the Soma Building, 2-20-16 Yoyogi, in Shibuya-ku, about two minutes' walk from Exit 6 of Shinjuku Station on the Toei Shinjuku, Oedo and Keio New lines, six minutes from the JR New South exit and around five minutes from Minami-Shinjuku Station on the Odakyu Line. Shinjuku Gyoen and the Shinjuku Southern Terrace are a short walk away.