Nakamuraya

In Hongo, Bunkyo Ward, 中村屋 serves soba made with buckwheat flour from Hokkaido alongside carefully fried tempura in a calm setting. One standout is tempura soba topped with a generously sized conger eel. Diners describe the eel as fragrant beneath its light batter, with tender, fluffy flesh that pairs comfortably with the deeply flavoured dipping broth and the smooth texture of the soba.

For a midday break, tempura soba with scallops and prawns is another appealing choice alongside the conger eel. There is also mori soba, served chilled with dipping broth. A bowl dressed with broth fragrant with rich dashi makes for a satisfying lunch on your own, too.

In the evening, the selection includes a range of ginjo sake and local sake sourced from across Japan, adding another dimension to the meal. It is also suited to a quiet, unhurried evening: linger over a drink that complements the food, then finish with soba.