The Best Japanese Restaurants in London


 

Personally I cannot keep up with London’s food trends. A few days ago I was walking through Brixton and passed by a sign that read “Japanese inspired Mexican”.

My first thought was “why?”. My second thought was “I wonder if it’s any good”. My third thought was “but why?”. In my opinion, both Japanese and Mexican foods were doing just fine independent of the other, but I suppose that’s why they pay me to write and not to cook.

itsu in London – by itsu – Sourced from their Facebook

If you, like me, are happy with Japanese the traditional way, then you’ll like these eateries around London.

Eat Tokyo in London

Soho’s best kept secret; to the tourists, at least. Eat Tokyo is small, unassuming and affordable… exactly how I like my sushi.

The menu is traditional Japanese with sushi and bento boxes. Unlike the rest of London, you won’t pay an arm and a leg to eat here. Japanese food has become, shall we say, somewhat of a trendy cuisine in this part of Europe. One can easily splurge hundreds of pounds on a meal for two.

by Richard Iwaki – Unsplash

Because of its affordability, Eat Tokyo is always filled to the brim. Expect a bit of a wait at the door.

Something almost no one knows is that Eat Tokyo have three branches all within close proximity to one another. If one is overly packed you can be at the next one in just a few minutes by taxi or tube.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 12pm to 10:30pm
Address: 16 Old Compton St, Soho, London W1D 4TL, UK
Metro Station: Tottenham Court Road

Aqua Kyoto in London

There’s not a lot you can’t do in London’s Mayfair neighborhood: shop new, shop vintage, visit a photography gallery, watch a concert at Wigmore Hall, take a guided walking tour through to Trafalgar Square and now eat outstanding Japanese food at the new kid on the block, Aqua Kyoto.

This is London’s new rooftop hot-spot, renovated to hold this Japanese eatery and executed to perfection. Your bank account is going to loathe you after a meal here, but the experience is very much worth it.

Aqua Kyoto in London – by Aqua Kyoto – Uploaded by them

Because of the views and the ambience, everyone wants a seat on the terrace. Aqua Kyoto does not offer the ability to book any of these tables, you simply need to get there first and early if you want one.

They do a “bottomless bubbly” special that gets you as much Champagne as you can drink for a set fee. It’s worth it if this is your boozy beverage of choice when you eat Japanese.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 12pm to 2:30pm // 5pm to 10:30pm
ADDRESS: 5th Floor, 240 Regent Street, (Entrance 30 Argyll St, W1F 7EB, London W1B 3BR, United Kingdom
Metro Station: Oxford Circus Underground

Hot Stone Steak and Sushi Bar in London

I eat Japanese in London a lot due to its availability and convenience. But it’s not often that the eateries offer the traditional hot stone meat searing experiences as part of the menu.

At Hot Stone Steak and Sushi you’ll start with small sushi plates to get the evening going. You’ll then move on to the main meals which are variety hot stones that come with meat and vegetables of your choice. A hot stone is a meal cooked by you, at your table.

Hot Stone Steak and Sushi Bar in London – by Hot Stone Steak and Sushi Bar – Uploaded by them

It’s a brilliant concept that requires impeccable service and operation to be properly executed for so many customers in a single space. Hot Stone Steak and Sushi have perfected the entire process; you’ll have a table of very happy guests by the end of the meal.

My only critique is that you’ll be charged if you ask for wasabi. Call me crazy, but when you’re spending over two hundred pounds on a meal you’d think they could throw some free wasabi in there somewhere.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Tuesday to Sunday — 6pm to 9:30pm
ADDRESS: 9 Chapel Market, The Angel, London N1 9EZ, UK
Metro Station: Angel

itsu in London

Itsu is London’s fastest Japanese cuisine. They have over 20 stores across the city, meaning there is usually one within walking distance of wherever you are if you are exploring the city center.

Instead of regular sit down dining, itsu runs as a grab-&-go restaurant; similar to a Pret or a Starbucks. They make hundreds of trays of fresh sushi, salads and noodles every day and fill the chillers with different options.

itsu in London – by itsu – Sourced from their Facebook

The hot meals, like soups, are ordered behind the counter and made fresh. They go for around just £4 a dish, which makes this the most affordable Japanese cuisine in the city. The first time I ate here I overheard the man at the table adjacent to me tell his partner that if he could franchise an itsu in their house, he would. I think that about sums it up.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday — 10am to 10pm
ADDRESS: Various
Metro Station: Various

Restaurant Yoshino in London

Yoshino is another hidden gem of an affordable Japanese restaurant perfectly situated between Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park. Considering that these streets are packed with tourists almost year round (sight seeing, guided walking tours, retail hubs etc) it’s always a pleasant surprise to be able to walk into Yoshino and have a table immediately.

Restaurant Yoshino in London – by Restaurant Yoshino – Sourced from their Facebook

They don’t do hot stone dishes the way the afore mentioned restaurant do, but they have a few table top cooked meats that the hostess will bring and cook in front of you. It’s a fun experience for anyone who has a limited perception of Japanese cuisine.

Some online platforms have Yoshino listed as open on Sundays; to clarify, they are not.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
OPENING HOURS: Monday to Saturday — 12pm to 11pm
ADDRESS: 3 Piccadilly Pl, Mayfair, London W1J 0DB, UK
Metro Station: Piccadilly Circus Station

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