SOHO, MANHATTAN
Raku
Springy udon in a smoky dashi on MacDougal Street — beef-and-tripe niku, duck kamonan, cold zaru.
New York has plenty of ramen and not nearly enough udon, which is why Raku's MacDougal Street room is full by seven most nights. The thick wheat noodles are springy and glossy, and the dashi they sit in is the quiet star — clear, smoky and deep.
The niku udon, with beef, honeycomb tripe and tendon, is the house classic; the kamonan, with duck and Tokyo negi under a scatter of sansho, is the one to order on a cold night. In summer, switch to cold noodles: zaru with a dipping sauce, or the sansai bukkake with mountain vegetables, maitake tempura and a poached egg. Add the potato-starch fried chicken, and look for the frozen grapes that arrive with the check.
Editor’s tip
Go at lunch or solo for a bar seat, and add a spoonful of the nori-sansho chili oil to the niku udon.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
Also in the neighborhood
Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.