When the original Koya opened on Frith Street back in 2010 it was a very welcome addition to London’s restaurant landscape. With its minimalist interiors and short menu focused on udon noodles, it was something we hadn’t really seen before and to this day, nobody has even tried to emulate it. The udon and dashi is the restaurant’s signature – you can get hot udon in hot broth, cold udon with hot broth and cold udon with cold sauce for either dipping or pouring – but they’ve put a lot of effort into the small plates section as well. The chicken karaage, the massive prawn & veg tempura, the marinated mushrooms, and the Namayasai farm green salad with shiso, spring onion and a great sesame dressing are all excellent. And this branch of Koya also serves breakfast, so you can start the day with everything from a traditional Japanese breakfast set of grilled fish, rice, miso soup and pickles to an English breakfast udon with egg, bacon and shiitake.