Yume Ga Arukara

"The recipient of a long list of accolades, this small udon shop is tucked into the Porter Exchange food hall and reliably has an eager line of diners. The restaurant offers bowls of chilled and hot hand-cut udon. Don’t be shocked when you see people adding on double and triple portions of their sliced beef — this is a case where it is good to follow the crowd and do the same. Lots of other great spots are tucked in this hall, too, namely Japanese izakaya Ittoku, Japanese comfort-food favorite Cafe Mami, and Sapporo Ramen." - Nathan Tavares, Julian Cohen

"Not to be confused with the nearby ramen dream shop Yume Wo Katare, Yume Ga Arukara is an udon-focused shop that allows to-go orders. (The two businesses once shared a founder, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, but have since split off into separate entities.) The order choices are limited — cold, spicy cold, hot, or spicy hot — and any way you get them, the bouncy udon noodles are among Boston’s best dishes. Don’t wait too long to dig in. And, if you find yourself in the Seaport, check out its recent expansion in that neighborhood." - Erika Adams

"The kind of spot that locals will brave an hour of the MBTA for, Yume Ga Arukura is an udon sensation, serving a very simple menu of udon. Specifically classic niku udon, cold niku udon and spicy versions of both. There’s often a line at this full-service restaurant, but you can also order online and take your soup to go. Always order extra beef." - Tanya Edwards

"Yume Ga Arukara is hyper-focused on udon, serving just a hot and a cold version and nothing else, aside from occasional specials. Both are incredible, but in cold weather, you’ll probably want to go with the hot version, which is also substantially more brothy. The cold version has a bit of broth, but the hot version is much more of a soup. Double up on the beef and add an egg. There’s likely to be a line at this and Yume’s new Seaport location, but it moves fast and is worth it." - Tanya Edwards, Rachel Leah Blumenthal

"We’d happily stand outside in 30-degree temperatures (with wind, no less) to eat the housemade noodles from Yume Ga Arukara. If you’re familiar with the Cambridge location, you won’t find any massive surprises here: lines, excellent ramen, and a tiny dining room. But the addition of a Seaport outpost means you might have a chance of getting in slightly faster. Come for lunch to get one of the cold and hot niku udon with tender strips of beef. The noodles are gelatinous, the broth is deep and rich, and you’ll be back to stand in line again within days. " - tanya edwards