We decided to visit @cafenoyaudon, proudly advertised as Montreal’s first Udon café—a title that immediately raises expectations and, unfortunately, also the stakes. The space itself is undeniably cute, the menu sounded promising, and the inclusion of onigiri excited us too.

We started with the miso mushroom cream udon, a dish whose name suggests depth, umami, and earthy warmth. What arrived, however, was more of a dairy-forward soliloquy. The miso was nowhere to be found, the mushrooms had apparently taken the day off, and the broth tasted exclusively like cream. To be fair, the mushrooms themselves—when encountered—were quite good, which somehow made their overall absence more tragic.

The beef udon fared better. The beef was well-cooked and nicely seasoned. The broth, however, pulled a classic bait-and-switch: it smelled rich and inviting, only to taste far more subdued than expected. Aromatically impressive, flavor-wise a bit shy.

The unagi onigiri was decent by Montreal standards, and honestly one of the safer bets on the table. If you go, I’d gently nudge you in that direction.

We noticed an impressive lineup of desserts, though we didn’t partake. The café was busy, which is always a good sign, but unfortunately not a great justification for service that felt a little rushed and impatient—less “welcome in” and more “what’ll it be.”

Overall, it isn’t a culinary catastrophe, but it’s also not a destination. If you’re downtown, cold, and craving something warm, it’s perfectly serviceable. Just don’t go out of your way for it.

February 4th, 2026 – Japanese Cuisine Quest Stop 16 – Café Noya
✨Overall Score 7.1/10✨
Ordered:
🍜: Beef Udon, Miso – Mushroom Cream Udon
🍙: Unagi Onigiri
💰: 💸💸