Tanabe

In a back alley off the Hongo-Sanchome intersection is a black wooden building housing a noodle shop with a reputation for some seriously tasty soba. The owner got into the noodle business after once being served 'the best basket of soba I had ever tasted'; determined to conjure up even finer fare, he now oversees every single dish served here, all made with Tanabe's signature noodles, ground on a stone mill and cut in-house for certified freshness. With a modern Japanese interior and a low-key atmosphere, Tanabe is a good place to spend some quiet time over a quality meal.