"Paris's serious soba house since 2000 — chef Ryo Yamaoka mills Hokkaido buckwheat daily; come solo for the cold seiro."
About Yen
Beneath the dining room at 22 rue Saint-Benoit, a stone mill grinds buckwheat every morning. Yen has done one thing in Saint-Germain-des-Pres since 2000 — soba, the Japanese buckwheat noodle — and it does it more seriously than anywhere else in Paris. The grain comes from the Lake Mashu region of Hokkaido, the noodles are cut by hand as ni-hachi soba (eighty percent buckwheat, twenty percent wheat), and chef Ryo Yamaoka has run the kitchen since 2014. The cold seiro soba is the reason to come, and the room clears our seven signs of a great restaurant.
The Kitchen
Yen was opened in 2000 by Katsuki Sakurai as a sister to the long-running Yen in Tokyo, and since 2014 chef Ryo Yamaoka has handled the noodles. The discipline is narrow on purpose: buckwheat from a single region of Hokkaido, decorticated in Japan, then milled in-house on a stone wheel set beneath the restaurant so the flour is never more than hours old. From that flour the kitchen cuts ni-hachi soba by hand.
The signature is the cold seiro soba — plain noodles served on a bamboo tray with a soy-dashi dipping sauce, wasabi and scallion, the format that exposes whether a soba kitchen can actually cut a noodle. Hot soba in broth, tempura, and a short list of appetisers round out a menu where soba runs roughly €12 to €23, appetisers €15 to €29 and larger plates €24 to €34. A full lunch lands near €30 and dinner closer to €50 to €70 with a drink. The dated proof is a quarter-century of single-minded operation in the 6th and a steady place in the MICHELIN Guide; the better proof is that Paris's Japanese community treats this as the soba bar of record.
The Room
It is a calm, pared-back room on a quiet stretch of rue Saint-Benoit, a few doors from the Relais de l'Entrecote — pale wood, low tables and a counter, light kept soft, noise kept to a hum. Service is unhurried and exact, the kind that lets you eat at the pace a bowl of soba asks for. There is no dress code, and the size of the place rewards solo diners and pairs over big groups. Lunch is the easier booking; the counter is the seat to ask for.
Best for Solo Dining
Eat alone at Yen because soba is a dish built for one — a tray of cold seiro, a cup of dipping sauce, and nothing to wait on but yourself — and the quiet counter makes a single cover feel intended rather than tolerated. The narrow menu means no negotiating, the bill stays gentle for the 6th, and the watch-the-cut precision gives a lone diner something to focus on. See the best restaurants for solo dining, the business-lunch tables, and our best Japanese restaurants worldwide.
Not for
Not for a long, multi-course celebration — this is a focused soba counter, not a tasting-menu room, so a table after three hours and a parade of plates will leave hungry for a different evening.
Frequently Asked
Is Yen worth it?
Yes, if you care about real soba — it is widely held to be the most serious buckwheat-noodle kitchen in Paris, milling its own Hokkaido grain daily and cutting ni-hachi soba by hand since 2000. The cold seiro soba is the dish to judge it on. At roughly €30 for lunch it is fair value for cooking this exacting. See the Paris dining guide for more.
What should I order at Yen?
Start with the cold seiro soba — plain buckwheat noodles with a soy-dashi dipping sauce — which is the truest test of the kitchen. Add tempura or one of the appetisers (€15 to €29), and in cooler months a hot soba in broth. The buckwheat is milled in-house each morning, so the noodle is the point; let it lead the order.
How much does Yen cost?
Soba runs about €12 to €23, appetisers €15 to €29, and larger plates €24 to €34. A focused lunch is near €30 and a fuller dinner with a drink lands around €50 to €70 a head. It is mid-range by Saint-Germain standards and good value for hand-cut soba from house-milled Hokkaido buckwheat.
Do you need to book Yen?
For dinner and weekends, yes — the room is small and popular, so reserve a day or two ahead by phone on +33 1 45 44 11 18. Lunch is generally easier and sometimes possible as a walk-in, though the counter seats go first. Booking also lets you ask for a counter spot, the best place to watch the noodles handled.
Where is Yen in Paris?
Yen is at 22 rue Saint-Benoit in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, in the 6th arrondissement on the Left Bank, a few doors from the Relais de l'Entrecote. It is a quiet side street rather than a tourist drag, which suits the calm of the room. The Paris dining guide places it among the city's best Japanese tables.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Yen
Direct booking · or call +33 1 45 44 11 18
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Practical Information
Address22 rue Saint-Benoit, 75006 Paris
NeighbourhoodSaint-Germain-des-Pres, 6th
CuisineJapanese / soba
Soba€12–23 · mains to €34
Signature dishCold seiro soba
Dress codeNo rules / smart-casual
ReservationDirect via website / phone
RecognitionMICHELIN Guide · open since 2000
ChefRyo Yamaoka
