We all know soba, we all know ramen, but what about tsukemen? This little foodie dish is made up of noodles, yes, but presented in a slightly different way to your usual noodle meal in Japan. Tsukemen is a noodle-based dish with a thick broth, both served in separate dishes. The trick is to dip the noodles bit by bit into the broth. So if you fancy the staple item of noodles, but another alternative to your usual options—tsukemen it is!
Menyakuukai (Sangubashi Station)
This restaurant boasts great reviews and it’s a perfect little budget eatery with dishes costing only around 1,000 yen. Located less than 100 meters from Sangubashi, it’s a perfect place for lunch or dinner if you’re in the area. There is a family-friendly and traditional feeling to this joint too. Even though it’s not strictly tsukemen, try the wantansoba for something extra special, costing you just 910 yen.
Enji (Higashi-Koenji Station)
Enji is an incredibly popular choice for tsukemen. Featured in many food magazines, this place is number one for this type of dish. This restaurant has a clever little trick with their separate bowls, with the noodle dish having a bamboo screen in the bowl to absorb the broth—so soggy noodles no more! The tonkotsu gyokai tsukemen is well-recommended. There is a secret vegetable paste in their soup, with pork, chicken, fish and shrimp.
Gachi (Akebonobashi Station)
Gatchi is a great little restaurant. The shrimp tsukemen is an excellent option. The restaurant is a cute little place and is very typically Japanese. You can find it by looking for the white lantern outside. Prices are very reasonable with a meal costing you around 1,000 yen here.
Gotsubo (Shinjuku Station)
A small but perfectly good option for your fix of tsukemen. This is a really good place for all you non-meat eaters out there, with the vegetable tsukemen being a top choice here. The steamed veg as a side is also well recommended.
Menya Itto (Shin-Koiwa Station)
It’s the seafood and the chicken tsukemen that people go for here. A great little restaurant on the Sobu line, it’s near the Tokyo Seisei College, so expect students coming in and out of here at all times. The rate of service can be debated here, with dishes sometimes being served quite late, but don’t let that put you off completely.
Michi (Kameari Station)
The Ebisu pork ramen is top here. Again prices are around 1,000 yen, so it’s one of the great little budget eats. The tsukemen can be very sweet, but in a good way of course—that just adds extra flavor to that delicious broth.
Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakujo (Shinjuku Station)
This place is in vicinity of the Shinjuku-Gyoen Park so proves a very convenient location for lunch or for dinner after a day wandering around the park. The Ebisu Tsukumo pork ramen is the fav option here. Funnily enough though, it is the smell of shrimp throughout the shop that has the customers talking!
Ginzaishii (Gotanda Station)
This area might not be number one on your list, but don’t let that dissuade you. The chicken tsukemen is a hot favorite with silky gorgeous noodles and a hearty broth that will have you glad you ventured here.
Menya Musashi Bukotsu Souden (Ueno Station)
Another incredibly long restaurant name! Here we have a cute little spot located in the trendy neighborhood of Ueno. This place is located very near the station, so proves an incredibly convenient location. Go to this restaurant for the pork tsukemen.
Tsukemen Tetsu (Shinagawa Station)
This is again a popular choice for the pork tsukemen. But it’s the pork/seafood-based tsukemen in particular that’s a winner here. Again located near an underground station, this place is in an ideal spot. Convenience and a very good budget eatery both at the same time.
It’s not all ramen, udon and soba you know—for something very typically Japanese, but something you might not know about, tsukemen is the number one option for you. Being a very good meal out, this style of dish provides you with something new and that is good to your pocket too.
