Ebisu Udon Yamacho

Though the classy interior and plummy riverside perch might suggest otherwise, this Ebisu noodle shop can fill you up for around ¥1,000 a head. Yamacho's udon noodles, available either 'thin' or 'fat', are cooked al dente and served with dashi stock courtesy of the restaurant's namesake in Osaka, a local institution with a more than century-long history. Try the prawn tempura set or kujo negi (spring onions) udon, with some fluffy tamago-maki egg roll on the side (if you've got space for it). Yamacho is twinned with Ebisu's Kaoriya soba shop, and its interior follows the same format: subtle lighting, sparse décor and a communal, solid-wood table in the centre of the room.