Yamamoto Menzo is the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of udon restaurants in Kyoto. Many people come from far and wide to enjoy the chewy, elastic noodles and the strong flavor of the broth. Since the restaurant is located near some of the city's most popular tourist spots, especially during the tourist season, it is best to call ahead to make a reservation before visiting the restaurant. There is also a take-out store near the restaurant, so you can enjoy udon noodles under the blue sky.

Founded in 1940, Kyo Udon Ikusoba Okakita continues to make udon noodles using only the finest ingredients, including buckwheat flour from the foot of Mount Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture. The dashi (broth) that is the core of Kyo udon is made using the techniques the founder learned during his 17 years of training, and it has a fine taste that brings out the full flavor of the ingredients. The ten-tomizushi udon is a bowl of thin, glossy, firm udon noodles tossed with a generous amount of egg and flavored with the broth.

In addition to homemade udon and soba, the restaurant is strongly particular about its ingredients, using only carefully selected Rishiri kelp and vegetables for its broth. The reason for her insistence on ingredients is that the proprietress, Misuzu, takes the health of her customers seriously. You can enjoy udon noodles that will warm your heart as well as your body. The prices are so reasonable that you will want to come back every day, and your pocketbook will be warmed as well.

Curry udon is a popular menu item at Kyoto Gion Okaru, which is frequented by celebrities. The soup is made by adding spices to the delicious seafood broth, and the toppings of your choice, such as cheese, tempura, and deep-fried tofu, are also appealing. Open until late at night, it is the perfect place to finish off a night of drinking.

Meidai Omen Ginkakuji Honten is located not far from Ginkakuji Temple. Omen is a local dish of Gunma Prefecture that is tsukemen-style with plenty of condiments. The dipping sauce, which is the key to the flavor, is made from carefully selected ingredients, including several kinds of Japanese shavings purchased from a shavings store in Kyoto. Enjoy the rich aroma of Japanese wheat noodles, which are carefully pounded by artisans, with the dipping sauce made with ingredients from Kyoto.

The signature dish at Fumiya Nishiki, located in Nishiki Market, is Fumiya nabe. It is a nabeyaki udon filled with various ingredients, rice cakes made from glutinous rice produced in Shiga Prefecture, tempura with ingredients wrapped in a thick batter, and boiled shiitake mushrooms made from logs, all handmade by craftspeople. Enjoy a cup of sake, a favorite in Kyoto for more than 50 years, in a modern restaurant filled with the warmth of wood.

Mimatsu Noodle Shop is run by Kimitaka Nagae, the third generation of an udon store established in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture in 1950. He learned the homemade noodles and broth from his grandfather. He cooks iriko (dried sardines) out of water for about 12 hours at a temperature of less than 70 degrees Celsius, and adds dried bonito flakes and other ingredients. The noodles are made with flour from Kagawa Prefecture and have a good firmness. Taste the Imabari udon, which was handed down from his grandfather, recreated in Kyoto, along with shrimp tempura and a refreshing lemon flavor.

［Kendon-ya is located near Fushimi Inari Station, which is crowded with visitors to the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine. The winter special is the Kitsune Ankake Udon (udon noodles with starchy sauce) topped with a large piece of deep-fried tofu. The fried tofu comes from a tofu store in Kyoto that the owner fell in love with at first sight. The homemade noodles, made from a blend of Australian and Mie Prefecture flour, are boiled in a pressure cooker and steamed for a long time, giving them a chewy texture. The owner himself uses carefully selected ingredients to make the broth every morning.

Minehachi is popular for its curry udon noodles with a refined aroma of Japanese soup stock. The Curry Udon with Beef Sueji Stew is made by boiling carefully selected Japanese beef sinew three times and simmering it in a Japanese-style curry broth made with Rishiri kelp and an original blend of shavings. You can enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the beef tendon, the deep flavor of the curry broth, and the moderate firmness and smoothness of the thin udon noodles. The wide selection of toppings is another great point.

Echigoya, a dried bonito flakes store in Fushimi Ward, opened Kyo Curry Udon ECHIGOYA in 2023 to share Kyoto's traditional dashi culture. As an udon store born from a dried bonito flakes store, ECHIGOYA's dashi, which is made from freshly shaved bonito flakes and natural kelp, is a special taste that cannot be found at any other udon store. Enjoy the next generation of curry udon, where the dashi and curry spices are in perfect balance, in the stylish white walls of the restaurant.

［Despite having just opened in July 2024, Teuchi Udon Kamojiki is already attracting attention as one of Kyoto's most popular udon restaurants. The reason for this is the handmade noodles, which is also in the name of the restaurant. The owner, who has trained at numerous udon restaurants, kneads the noodles by hand every morning. Children's tableware is available, so families with small children can feel at ease. Families can enjoy seasonal ingredients and firm noodles.

Kyoto Shijo Kuon is located in a machiya that was once a kimono store. Enjoy the harmony of the authentic and deep curry with over 20 spices and thin udon noodles made from a blend of Japanese wheat and roasted germ. The dish can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as adding otsuyu (soy sauce) to the udon or topping the keema curry with barley rice topped with an egg yolk.

Authentic handmade udon Okawa offers a menu full of hearty toppings, so you should come hungry. The dreamy udon topped with shrimp, bamboo rings, and chicken is the Okawamori bukkake, a popular menu item at this restaurant. The owner, who honed his skills at a popular Sanuki udon restaurant in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, handmade the soft udon and serves it with gorgeous tempura.

San-Shiki Udon Noodles was opened by the owner, who hails from Kagawa Prefecture. The noodles are made by letting the dough rest overnight at a low temperature, which makes them smooth and pleasant to the palate. Kashiwa-ten bukkake is a dish of large chicken tempura topped with ume plum paste and a dashi broth with a small amount of iriko (dried sardines) to suit Kyotoites' tastes. Kagawa soy sauce is used as the secret ingredient, allowing customers to enjoy the fusion of the culinary cultures of Kagawa, the prefecture of udon, and Kyoto.