Marugame Seimen

Personal experience

On a public holiday in June, we went to the restaurant near Kyoto City Hall at around 1pm. When we arrived, there was a line stretching out to the outside of the restaurant, and we had to wait more than 10 minutes before we could place our order.

Our child loves udon, so she eats it often, both at home and at the restaurant. The udon served here are Sanuki style udon, a variety originating from Kagawa (on the island of Shikoku), known for its thick, very firm noodles. At chains like Nakau or Hanamaru Udon, the udon are generally softer, making them easier for children to eat. But as our child is a great udon lover, she also loves these, even if they are firmer and more elastic.

While you wait in line, you can watch the udon being prepared in the glass display case at the corner of the restaurant. At Marugame Seimen, the ordering system works like in a canteen or cafeteria. You start by queuing, then take a tray, and place your order at the counter. Unlike other restaurants, the staff don’t ask for the number of people, as it’s not table service. So there’s no guarantee that a group of more than 4 people will be able to eat together, even if places do open up quickly.

After placing your order, you wait for the udon to be prepared. Then, as you move along the counter, you’ll find tempura, onigiri (rice dumplings), etc., which you can take yourself if you wish. For dessert, you’ll find “Marugame Udonuts”, an original creation born from Marugame Seimen’s udon noodles.
It’s a doughnut with a surprisingly soft, elastic texture, reminiscent of the consistency of udon – a real gourmet surprise! Finally, we arrive at the checkout, where we pay for everything we’ve taken.

The menu offers a wide choice of udon preparations: hot or cold udon, bukkake udon, kake udon, kama-age udon, zaru udon, etc. So you have to choose from several options. There are many options to choose from, which can be confusing even for a Japanese person unfamiliar with the system. That’s why we recommend consulting the Marugame Seimen website in advance to check the menu. It’s also a good idea to include the name of the type of udon you’d like to order, as well as the hot or cold version, to make it easier to order on the spot. The official Marugame Seimen website is not available in French, but it is possible to consult the menu in English.

Our child loves udon, so the portions on the children’s menus are a little too small for her. But there are some very affordable children’s sets. After settling the bill, all that’s left to do is find a free seat and settle down to eat. The restaurant near the town hall has a relatively large space, with plenty of counter seating and well-spread tables. This restaurant is highly recommended for udon lovers, as it offers authentic, tasty and affordable udon.