When people hear the words “tachigui soba” (standing soba restaurants), many probably picture a no-frills, casual eatery.
However, “SUBA VS,” which opened in Shibuya in September 2024, is a new concept in standing soba shops where soba meets wine. Its stylish interior and creativity put a new twist on standing soba restaurants, and have been garnering attention on social media.
SUBA VS is a collaboration between the popular Kyoto-based standing soba restaurant “SUBA,” known as “the soba shop with no sign,” and the wine shop “VIRTUS.”
The interior is impressively chic, centered around minimalist concrete counters.
There’s no sign outside the shop either. Most people passing by without prior knowledge would probably not realize it’s a standing soba restaurant.
Orders are taken at a small window at the rear of the shop. Note that it’s cashless only, so be sure to have a card or digital payment method ready.
After placing your order, you’ll receive a numbered ticket. Once your number is called, you can go pick up your food. Until then, take a seat and wait.
It’s also a good idea to help yourself to complimentary water from the self-serve dispenser next to the ordering window while you wait.
Being located in an internationally diverse area like Shibuya, menus posted around the shop are available in both Japanese and English.
Besides standard soba dishes, there are many seasonal menu items made with ingredients sourced from all over Japan, giving customers a good reason to return.
The extensive alcohol menu is another reason why SUBA VS attracts many customers.
Kansai-style dashi that warms you from the inside out
SUBA VS uses the same noodles and dashi broth as the original SUBA in Kyoto.
The broth is Kansai-style, made by simmering ingredients such as Rishiri kombu (kelp), bonito, and Japanese sardines.
Standing soba shops in the Kanto region typically feature darker broths with strong soy sauce flavors. Their soba noodles often have a firmer texture to match the richness of the broth.
In contrast, SUBA uses thin noodles that complement the more aromatic Kansai-style broth.
“島根県産宍道湖しじみと青マンダリンオイル” Shimane’s local freshwater clam and blue mandarin oil soba 1,100 JPY (tax included)
SUBA VS’s biggest strength is their ability to transform high-quality noodles and dashi into innovative creations.
For example, the “Shimane’s local freshwater clam and blue mandarin oil” hot soba — blue being the Japanese way of describing unripe green citrus — is available year-round.
The generous serving of shijimi (small freshwater clams) is simmered in the restaurant’s signature broth.
The key to its deliciousness is how the clams’ flavor enhances the broth. Though light, the rich umami intertwines with the delicate thin soba noodles.
A drizzle of fragrant blue mandarin oil adds a zesty punch, boosting your appetite with its refreshing aroma.
Harissa
While standard standing soba shops typically provide shichimi tōgarashi (seven-spice blend) or ichimi tōgarashi chili powder as condiments for soba, SUBA VS offers unusual condiments rarely found at standing soba shops.
They also provide harissa, a North African chili paste made with ingredients like chili peppers, cumin, and coriander. This adds a unique flavor of spiciness and herbs to the broth, creating a new sensory soba experience!
The harissa used is specially selected to pair well with SUBA’s soba, so be sure to give it a try.
“Enoki mushrooms tempura” soba: a visual made for social media
The year-round “Enoki mushrooms tempura” soba is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
The enoki mushroom tempura is fried into a large, eye-catching shape that nearly covers half the bowl.
“エノキダケ天,” Enoki mushrooms tempura soba 800 JPY (tax included)
The crispy fried tempura is voluminous, and is an exquisite dish with the unique rich flavor of enoki mushrooms.
As the meal goes on, the batter soaks up the broth, softening and deepening the flavor.
A surprisingly delightful pairing of soba and wine!
Another signature dish, available year-round, is the “Suba’s specialty! Meat soba and onsen egg.” This is a luxurious soba topped with plenty of tender stewed pork. Mix it with the creamy onsen tamago (soft-boiled egg) before eating.
While meaty soba served at many shops features sweetly simmered meat, SUBA VS keeps the seasoning mild to highlight the flavor of the broth. This allows you to savor the natural flavor of the meat directly.
“名物！肉そば温泉卵,” Suba’s specialty! Meat soba and onsen egg 1,500 JPY (tax included)
This dish, which allows you to fully enjoy the meat’s flavor, pairs exceptionally well with wine, so be sure to order some along with it.
“グラスワイン,” Today’s natural wine 550 JPY (tax included)
Order the “Today’s natural wine” — the restaurant’s daily recommended wine for pairing.
During our visit, they were serving a Georgian amber wine — part of the orange wine family — as the white wine option. Its floral notes and moderate tartness complement the Japanese-style broth of the soba well.
“出汁割りワイン,” Wine + Suba’s stock soup 660 JPY (tax included)
Another unique drink is the “Wine + Suba’s stock soup!”
This is red wine mixed with soba dashi, and when sipped together with the shichimi togarashi on the rim of the glass, the umami of both the wine and dashi blend beautifully.
It’s a totally new flavor experience—the wine and broth meld together in a way that’s surprisingly delicious and incredibly comforting. You might find yourself ordering a second glass before you know it.
The shop’s refrigerator is stocked with a colorful selection of craft beer cans, each offering different flavors to explore.
On the second floor, you’ll find a special standing wine bar area where you can purchase wine by the glass from a self-serve dispenser using tokens. The space also serves as a wholesale area for wines.
One thing to note: If you’d like to bring wine downstairs from the upstairs bar to drink downstairs, there’s a 1,500 JPY corkage fee per bottle.
The standing bar area on the second floor also accepts cashless payments only
Beyond its originality and delicious flavor of its creative menu items, the appeal of SUBA VS lies in being able to enjoy delicious high-quality Kansai-style soba.
At SUBA VS, you can experience a fresh take on standing soba shops that truly breaks the mold.
Information
| Store name | SUBA VS |
|---|---|
| Address | Miyamasu ON Building 1F, 1-15-8 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
|
| アクセス |
Shibuya Station（SBY） 3-minute walk from Exit 20A
|
| Phone number | 070-3080-1847 |
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Payment |
|
| Service charge/Table charge | None |
| Hours | 12:00-23:00（last order 22:30） |
| Closed | No fixed holidays Unscheduled holidays |
| Seating | 12 standing counter seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://www.instagram.com/subasoba_vs/ |
| Other information |
|
※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of April 2025.
