A favorite of Kyoto’s expat community, Omen is known for its fantastic udon noodles and welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant’s most popular dish is udon noodles served with hot or cold broth, along with a bowl of vegetables topped with roasted sesame seeds. Seating is offered along the counter, on tatami mats, or at tables on the restaurant’s upper level.

A mecca for udon noodles, Omen is yet another nondescript but extremely well-known restaurant in Kyoto. In fact, the name ‘Omen’, despite having a rather unpleasant meaning in English actually translates into ‘noodles’ i...

There’s also plenty of a la carte dishes at Omen, such as grilled chicken, sushi and tempura, all for a great price.

Omen is a well-known udon restaurant in Kyoto, offering high-quality udon of all varieties. They offer one vegetarian option that is also completely vegan at their Pontocho location: the “Shojin omen” comes hot or chilled, and is accompanied with a konbu (seaweed) and shiitake mushroom broth. The udon comes with a few side dishes featuring seasonal vegetables, and you can also order vegan-friendly, vegetable tempura to go with your meal.

Few restaurants manage to maintain high standards once they become immensely popular, but Omen has been doing it for years. The name means “noodles” and that’s their signature dish: thick udon noodles, served with either hot or cold broth. But there’s also a large a la carte menu with all kinds of excellent dishes to go with your noodles, usually made from seasonal ingredients.

Sure, you can find great udon (Omen) and ramen (Kyoto station’s Ramen Koji) in K-town but nutritious, nutty flavoured soba noodles are favoured by discerning locals. Enjoy the slightly chewy, buckwheat-dense strands cold with dipping sauce in summer or hot in seasoned broth during cool weather. Watch through Ukiya’s window as the chef rolls, folds and cuts to order.

Two branches: 📍 Ginkakuji, near the silver temple and Philosopher’s Path 📍 Shijo Pontocho (larger selection of veggie options). Japanese style set meals with several dishes on a tray. The Ginkakuji branch is the main store, in an old building with vegetarian soup noodles (available hot or cold) and vegetarian miso udon.

Located close to the Ginkaku-ji temple, at the Omen, thick udon noodles are served alongside a hot or cold broth and vegetables. The very popular restaurant also has an a la carte menu. There is traditional tatami seating as well as some counter seats and tables for those who aren’t comfortable sitting on the ground.

Kyoto’s udon scene is equally enchanting, with Omen standing out as a beacon of udon craftsmanship. Located near the Philosopher’s Path, Omen embodies the harmony of simplicity and sophistication that defines Kyoto. Omen’s udon noodles are where culinary precision meets art.

Just down the hill from Ginkaku-ji Temple, Omen is one of our favorite restaurants in Kyoto. They serve some of Kyoto’s best udon noodles. The noodle broth has bonito flakes in it, but several of their a la carte dishes are pure veg.

Another popular must try restaurant while visiting Kyoto is the Omen. A fantastic place for lunch which is reasonably priced and a super short walk away from the zen temple. Omen is famous for serving udon noodles.

Omen” is located at 2 minutes from city bus Ginkakuji by foot. You may thin warm udon when you hear udon, but cold udon is good too. This restaurant, you can eat dip udon.

‘I often eat lunch at this casual udon joint where everything is prepared with care, and the dashi broth is particularly delicious.’ omen.co.jp

Udon: Order the thick wheat-flour noodles cold at Omen, where they are slippery but sturdy, optimal for dipping into broth on the side.