Udon Shin, the Tokyo noodle shop known for lines wrapping around the block, is gearing up to open its first New York City restaurant at 37 West 17th Street in Manhattan's Flatiron District. The chain has signed a 10-year lease for 2,500 square feet in a building that most recently housed the now-closed Italian restaurant Basta Pasta.
According to Commercial Observer, asking rent for the space was $30,000 per month. The deal brings a Tokyo-born noodle concept to a stretch of Manhattan two blocks west of Union Square Park and roughly six blocks south of the Flatiron Building, putting it in the middle of one of the city's busiest restaurant corridors.
Udon Shin originated in Tokyo, where chef Narahara Shinji opened the original Yoyogi, Shibuya location in April 2011, per North Central News. At that flagship, Shinji hand-cuts fresh noodles and crafts dashi from bonito flakes and kelp, the outlet reports. The brand has since built a following for thick, springy handmade udon noodles, crispy tempura, rich dashi broths, and what Mouth by Southwest calls the dish the internet won't stop talking about: the Carbonara Udon, according to Mouth by Southwest.
From Tokyo to Mesa, Now Manhattan
North Central News reported plans for a Udon Shin location in Phoenix, while Mouth by Southwest reported that the Mesa restaurant had opened as the chain’s first U.S. location. The chain has two other U.S. locations: the recently opened Mesa restaurant and another spot coming soon to Utah. Aaron Gavios, the tenant broker on the Flatiron lease who works for Gavios Realty Group, said the Mesa outpost already has lines out the door.
Gavios described Udon Shin as a likely latest Japanese foodie sensation and said he expects long waits and long lines when the Flatiron location opens. The Mesa restaurant was set to open inside Mekong Plaza. North Central News had previously reported a separate planned Udon Shin location at 5651 N. 7th St., in the former home of Scott Conant’s Mora Italian.
A Building With Deep Roots Near Union Square
The Moinian Group is the landlord at 37 West 17th Street and was represented in the deal by Samuel Chera and David Green of KSR. Built in 1900, the seven-story property is described as an office and commercial building whose other tenants include acupuncture clinic the Yinova Center and British music producer De Wolfe Music USA.
Green said interest from international restaurant concepts like Udon Shin speaks to the strength of Manhattan's retail market and the demand for quality locations. He added that he believes the noodle shop will be a great addition to the neighborhood.
The End of an Old Flatiron Favorite
The space Udon Shin is taking over has its own history in the neighborhood. Basta Pasta, the Italian restaurant that previously occupied 37 West 17th Street, had operated there since 1990, when it was founded by chef Satoru Takada and Toshi Suzuki, according to Eater New York. The restaurant announced it would close its doors on October 30, 2025, ending a three-decade run between Fifth and Sixth avenues before Udon Shin's lease brought a new chapter to the address.
