Menya Shono Gotsubo

If it's space you want, go to the original location in Ichigaya: with room for less than ten customers, this stylish Menya Shono branch in Shinjuku is literally a hole in the wall. If you manage to snag a seat, however, make sure to try their pasta-like veggie tsukemen (¥950), served with chashu pork, zucchini, okra, yam, daikon radish and miniature tomatoes, with the dipping sauce flavoured with lemon. You can choose either niboshi- or shrimp-based dipping soup for your medium-thick noodles, and the soup is so delicious that you'll want to pour some rice into it and eat the rest as risotto.