About us
Welcome to Koya - our all-day, udon restaurant rooted in Japanese technique and tradition, inspired by London.
Founded in 2010 by chef Shuko Oda and restaurateur John Devitt, we began our journey in Soho, before opening our second restaurant - Koya City - in Bloomberg Arcade in 2017. Our restaurant spaces reflect our name, Koya, meaning ‘little house’ - intimate places perfect for enjoying a quiet moment at lunch, or sharing a lively dinner with friends on the weekend.
At Koya, we make fresh udon noodles and dashi broth in-house, every day. From the beginning, we’ve worked closely with trusted suppliers to ensure every dish is made with the best possible ingredients. Our fish dashi is made using bonito and niboshi from a Tokyo-based company that has been smoking fish for over 100 years. Their dedication to traditional techniques and commitment to quality, along with our signature blended soy sauce creates a delicate dashi that is soothing yet still delivers a punchy companion to our bouncy udon noodles. Seasonal Japanese vegetables from our friends at Namayasai Farm have appeared on our menu for over 14 years, including in dishes like our tempura and pickles, while London’s Clean Bean has supplied us with organic tofu since we first opened.
In 2021, we opened Koya Ko on Hackney’s Broadway Market: our first neighbourhood location. Inspired by Japan’s lively train-station noodle bars, Koya Ko embraces a fast-paced, self-service model with a compact “walk-in only” setup, standing counters, and seating spilling onto the market. As with Koya, you can enjoy the same freshly made udon and dashi, Japanese curry, donburi bowls, our bestselling chicken kara-age, and regularly changing seasonal specials.
Whether you’re at Koya Soho, Koya City, or the bustling, characterful Koya Ko in Hackney, the essence remains the same: freshly made udon, crafted daily with care, and served with dedication. At its heart, Koya is about sharing the warmth and craft of Japanese comfort food with sincerity and quality - wherever you find us.