Sobakatsu

Waiting in line for a table at Sobakatsu is almost a given—the tiny Japantown restaurant only has eight seats, and it’s one of the few places in the entire Bay Area focusing on both cold and hot soba. But once you’re in, the pile of perfectly chewy noodles will make you want to drive to the nearest buckwheat field and roll around in thanks. The cold version, which is served with a light soy dipping sauce and your choice of shrimp tempura, kakiage, or fried scallops on the side, is silky, sweet bliss. It’s pretty quiet inside, with just the ambient noise of soba enthusiasts quickly slurping down every strand of soba—you’ll be in and out quickly, but not before preemptively blocking off a two-hour “networking event” so that you can come back for more next week.