Café Noya offers a refined Japanese-inspired culinary experience, seamlessly blending the comforting essence of a café with expertly crafted dishes. Patrons can savor authentic ramen bowls, rich in complex broths and fresh ingredients, alongside delicate sushi and sashimi selections that highlight the quality of the seafood. The atmosphere provides a serene backdrop, perfect for enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal or a light repast. Beyond the savory, discover an array of delightful pastries and expertly brewed coffees, showcasing a commitment to both traditional Japanese flavors and international café culture. Each visit promises a moment of sophisticated yet accessible enjoyment.
Café Noya is a popular spot in Montreal known for its cozy atmosphere and quality Japanese-inspired menu, particularly its flavorful udon dishes, variety of onigiri, and matcha-based drinks. Many customers appreciate the welcoming service and find the space well-suited for both casual dining and studying, though the café frequently gets busy, which can lead to longer wait times and limited seating. While opinions on portion sizes and flavor profiles vary, with some finding specific dishes bland or overpriced and others praising the authentic taste and comforting quality, the overall consensus highlights it as a reliable destination for a quick, satisfying meal or a refreshing beverage.
I got the beef udon soup & it was pretty good objectively, although the flavor didn't really suit my palate. The seating area is well decorated. I think the service could have been warmer. It's a great place to visit if you really like umami flavors & east Asian cuisine!
Ordered the omurice through Skip & was pretty disappointed. What we received was essentially a fried egg placed on top of rice, not the style of omurice shown on their Instagram or what people would expect when ordering omurice.
The edges were heavily browned/crispy & the dish looked very different from their promotional videos on Instagram (ie: arethaeats). The beef udon & matcha latte were not as bad; however, clearly lacked flavour. It tasted very watered down.
I emailed the restaurant first to ask about it & didn't receive a response, so unfortunately I'm leaving this review instead.
May 21, 2026
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Nice atmosphere, stopped here on a whim, did not check out reviews prior. The roof was great, both the beef udon & beef don were delicious, not over seasoned or salty like some places. The cocktails were also very good. I would recommend
I had the miso cream with added beef. It was delicious & so flavorful. I ate on the terrace since the weather was so nice, which made the experience even better~
I LOVE Café Noya. As you can tell by my pictures, I come here quite often & I've eaten a lot of items here & love all of it. The food here is so satisfying: hearty, tasty & yet not too fatty. Perfect balance as Japanese food always achieves.
The chicken katsu onigiri is seriously addicting (I could eat A LOT of those). You also can't go wrong with the creamy miso udon. Honestly, everything they have tastes fantastic. My go-to, though? Spicy chicken rice with extra beef. I could eat that every day (& I almost do lol).
The location is also very convenient if you take public transportation as it's right next to Peel metro.
I'm telling ya'll, Café Noya is a gem. I love the food, I love the staff. It's my favourite place to eat at after work.
I was quite disappointed by this place because my expectations were high. I initially wanted to rate this place 2/5 but my partner liked his dish so I give 1 more star.
I ordered a matcha tiramisu. They had a very nice dessert shelf so I was excited for it. Turns out it was just cream cheese on top of the matcha, nothing close to the tiramisu flavor. The matcha in itself was good, but nothing exceptional.
For the udon, I took the miso & mushrooms one. As one of the other comment was mentioning, the miso flavor was lacking & it was more creamy udons. I took an extra tempura shrimp (+3$), & I had to look for the shrimp in all of the fried paste. Absolutely not worth the extra. Noodles were good.
My partner really liked his beef udon on the other side.
Generous portions, but I think it is more of a student café/snack bar rather than a restaurant. Prices were very correct, especially for the onigiris.
Delicious, hearty beef udon soup & kind, genuine service!
Diner vibe was nice but could be a cozier.
I wish more meat was given for the price, especially the gy?don, I felt it was skimpy.
We decided to visit what is proudly advertised as Montreal's first Udon café-a title that immediately raises expectations &, unfortunately, also the stakes. The space itself is undeniably cute, the menu sounded promising, & the inclusion of onigiri excited us too.
We started with the miso mushroom cream udon, a dish whose name suggests depth, umami, & 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, & 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 & nicely seasoned. The broth, however, pulled a classic bait-&-switch: it smelled rich & inviting, only to taste far more subdued than expected. Aromatically impressive, flavor-wise a bit shy.
The unagi onigiri was decent by Montreal standards, & 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 & impatient-less'welcome in' & more'what'll it be.'
Overall, it isn't a culinary catastrophe, but it's also not a destination. If you're downtown, cold, & craving something warm, it's perfectly serviceable. Just don't go out of your way for it.
