SL’s Favourite Sushi Restaurants In London
BEST FOR SAKE: Sosharu
Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton turned his attention from best-of-British fine-dining to Japanese pub grub (izakaya) in 2016. Soharu’s interiors are styled like a traditional Japanese minka house and reflect the country’s landscape. This natural element also works its way onto the menus, with seasonal dishes spanning yellowtail sashimi and Cornish cod tempura through to wagyu beef and chicken wings cooked on a hibachi grill. The moody 7 Tales cocktail bar resides in the basement and channels the buzz of night-time Tokyo with an extensive sake list.
64 Turnmill Street, Clerkenwell, EC1M 5RR
Visit SosharuLondon.com
BEST FOR AFFORDABLE FUN: Sticks‘n’Sushi
This acclaimed Danish sushi house now has sites in Covent Garden, Victoria, Canary Wharf, Greenwich and Wimbledon (plus spots in Oxford and Cambridge). Focusing equally on traditional sushi and yakitori sticks from the grill, there’s a selection of chicken, pork, beef and vegetable skewers for those not so keen on fish. Our favourite spot in London is the Henrietta Street branch – dim lighting and large round tables make it the perfect spot for getting a group together to devour one of its platters (we like the san-ban menu, which features scallop ceviche, wagyu maki and miso black cod).
Various locations across London
Visit SticksNSushi.co.uk
BEST FOR ATMOSPHERE: Dinings SW3
A Grade I-listed mews set the scene for this beautifully designed sushi restaurant. The izakaya-focused kitchen takes the tradition and heritage of Japanese cuisine and mixes it with modern European cooking techniques, creating an interesting menu that features the likes of tar-tar chips topped with Scottish native lobster and jalapeño mayonnaise; sea bass sashimi with tosazu jelly and fresh truffle; and Cornish spider crab and soft-shell crab sushi roll with yuzu. Live cooking demos and sushi-making masterclasses are available to book.
Lennox Gardens Mews, Chelsea, SW3 2JH
Visit Dinings.co.uk
BEST FOR BOOZING: Freak Scene
Scott Hallsworth (formerly of Nobu and Kurobuta) describes Freak Scene, his fun new place on Frith Street, as a place for discovering ‘curious Asian plates’. We recommend starting with the nori tempura, flavour-packed chilli crab and avocado wonton ‘bombs’ (they go incredibly with a cold beer), before progressing to the miso-grilled black cod tacos with sushi rice and scorched red chilli salsa (a highlight). The sashimi pizza (Loch Duart salmon sashimi, truffle ponzu, jalapeno and wasabi fish roe) is a must-try for sushi fans.
54 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4SL
Visit FreakScene.london
BEST FOR DATE NIGHT: Yen London
This Japanese restaurant might specialise in traditional handmade soba noodles, but these freshly prepared bundles (made in the Soba Room) are also accompanied by sushi, sashimi, tempura and offerings from the robata grill. The first offshoot of the Michelin-starred original in Paris, this Strand restaurant serves tasty light options such as sashimi and mizuna salad and homemade tofu and seaweed salad, while larger courses include chargrilled fresh eel with teriyaki sauce and slow-cooked duck breast. An impressive wine and sake menu offers the perfect accompaniment to the extensive a la carte sushi menu, which includes snow crab nigari, squid sashimi and sea urchin.
190 Strand, Covent Garden, WC2R 3DX
Visit Yen-London.co.uk
BEST FOR A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE: Sakagura
This steak kitchen and sake bar offers a hands-on Japanese experience on Heddon Street. Another spot that shies away from fine-dining in favour of izakaya-style feasting, the menus at Sakagura focus on sharing: we’d go for the tako octopus, suzuki sea bass and hotate scallop. Away from sushi, guests are invited to get interactive by grilling their own seafood, meat and vegetables on a personal sumibi barbecue or trying their hand at the ishiyaki stone wagyu menu, where they’ll sear steaks on a hot lava stone. The paper aprons you’re given add an element of fun, and the raindrop cakes are a must-order.
8 Heddon Street, Mayfair, W1B 4BU
Visit SakaguraLondon.com
BEST TO IMPRESS: Taka London
Opened at the end of 2017, this new eatery offers classic Japanese dishes in a contemporary setting. Inspired by owners Andrey and Anastasia Datsenko’s spot in Tokyo, this Mayfair interpretation has taken over a prime piece of real estate within the 18th-century Shepherd Market; the interiors are mainly wooden, which creates a cosy but sleek environment. The menu focuses on prettily presented crowd pleasers – think tataki, tempura, salads, sashimi platters, inside-out rolls and yakitori. We really like the downstairs 16-seat Sake Den, where the bartenders whip up shochu martinis and matcha coladas.
18 Shepherd Market, Mayfai,r W1J 7QH
Visit TakaLondon.com
BEST FOR PRE-DINNER COCKTAILS: ROKA Charlotte Street
A Fitzrovia staple, ROKA’s Charlotte Street site is our favourite of the group’s four spots. That’s mainly down to the fact that it’s a little more rustic and dressed-down, plus we’re big fans of the downstairs Shochu Lounge, which specialises in cocktails made with Japanese plum wine (you can even book in to make your own batch). Centred around an open kitchen and the heat of the robata grill, the main restaurant serves the likes of octopus with seaweed and ponzu dressing; and wagyu tempura maki with oscietra caviar. When the weather’s warm, the glass walls open onto the street to create a semi-alfresco feel.
37 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 1RR
Visit RokaRestaurant.com
BEST FOR DESSERTS: Zuma
Given its location, Knightsbridge’s Zuma offers a surprisingly informal night out. Designed to be shared between groups its menu serves up authentic maki, sashimi, tataki and grilled meats from the robata grill. A selection of signature dishes include the likes of crispy fried sole with spicy ponzu sauce and green onions; roasted lobster with green chilli and garlic hojiso butter; and grilled Chilean sea bass with green chilli and ginger dressing. Make sure to leave room for dessert – the pecan pie with kokuto caramel sundae is incredibly moreish.
5 Raphael Street, Knightsbridge, SW7 1DL
Visit ZumaRestaurant.com
BEST FOR CASUAL DINING: Akari
Located in an old pub on the Essex Road, Akari in Islington is great for a midweek dinner. A bit of a hidden gem if you’re not familiar with N1, the small-plates restaurant offers a prime spot at the bar to watch the chefs prepare fresh sushi in front of you. Our favourite dish is Tako Butsu: boiled octopus leg with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger.
196 Essex Road, Islington, N1 8LZ
Visit AkariLondon.co.uk
BEST FOR AUTHENTICITY: Dotori
Finsbury Park’s Dotori is the place to go for a real authentic take on sushi. Almost impossible to get into, once you’re actually through the door expect the place to be rammed. This might sound unappealing, but trust us it’s completely worth it, and offers guests a truly authentic experience. With a fusion menu that’s split between Japanese and Korean dishes, we like to pair gyoza and dragon rolls with haemultang, a spicy Korean soup filled with cod, squid, prawns, mussels, tofu and vegetables.
3 Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, N4 2DQ
BEST NO-FRILLS EXPERIENCE: Tenshi
A sign proclaiming “We have no wi-fi, please talk to one another” sets the scene for this dining experience (it also makes us smile). In the same vein as Dotori, but located across in Islington, Tenshi gives its guests an original experience. The surroundings (particularly the presence of paper lanterns dotted everywhere) make you feel like you're in Japan. Offering Japanese ‘comfort food’, donburi and sushi, we love the pumpkin croquettes with tonkatsu sauce and fried soft-shell crab with teriyaki sauce.
61 Upper Street, Islington, N1 0NY
Visit TenshiLondon.com
BEST TO SEE & BE SEEN: Sexy Fish
This Caprice Holdings restaurant is one of the most glamourous in Mayfair. With mermaid artwork by Damien Hirst dotted around the place and a James Bond-style lair downstairs (it’s a private dining room), this celeb favourite serves Asian plates with a twist and sushi from its raw bar: expect to sample the likes of burrata with kimchi; king crab and udon salad; and Isle of Mulls scallops with jalapeno sauce and pickled green apple. Its late-night bar stocks the second-largest Japanese whisky collection in the world plus an array of traditional and innovative cocktails.
Berkeley Square, Mayfair, W1J 6BR
Visit SexyFish.com
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