From Mayfair and King's Cross to Knightsbridge and Notting Hill, The Resident picks out some of London's best Japanese restaurants for you to try. 

 

1 Pantechnicon

Pantechnicon is three floors of Japansese gastronomic goodness and dreamy interiors. The roof terrace over looks Motcomb street and the foliage covered watering spot has an indoor section too for winter. Found in the lower ground vaults, sachi is a refined yet casual enough Japanese restaurant that comes with an extensive sake menu and a seamless Japandi interior. Lastly, find Café Kitsune on the ground floor, if you’re in the mood for a coffee café-style nosh and pastries with a Japanese riff.

Address: 19 Motcomb Street SW1X 8LB

Website: pantechnicon.com

2 Dinings SW3, Chelsea

An izakaya-style sushi bar that comes with buckets of refined elegance, befitting for its Chelsea/Knightsbridge locale. The venue has a hidden garden filled with greenery, offering diners the chance to sample a cocktail or two along with a superb selection of small plates using top British produce.

Address: Lennox Gardens Mews, SW3 2JH

Website: diningssw3.co.uk

3 SUSHISAMBA, City & Covent Garden

Bold and big and maximalist, SUSHISAMBA is a popular choice because of its slick design and mix of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian dishes. City location, found on the 38th and 39th floors of the Heron Tower, has one of the highest outdoor dining terraces in Europe which comes with a 360-degree view of the City - it's a good place to impress out-of-towners with. The Covent Garden location is far less suit-y and way more florally than its City sibling and has a lovely terrace overlooking Covent Garden's comings and goings.

Address: 110 Bishopsgate EC2N 4AY; 35 The Market, WC2E 8RF

Website: sushisamba.com

4 Sushi on Jones

After starting as an al fresco Japanese omakase bar in New York, Sushi on Jones in King's Cross is altogether more intimate and elegant in its surroundings. Loosely translated as 'I leave it up to you' this is a Japanese culinary adventure with the chef serving you what they want rather than you ordering. Sit back and enjoy the ride with morsels of halibut and lime zest, scallop and smoked sea salt or tuna with pickled daikon.

Address: 11 Goods Way, N1C 4PW

Website: goodsway.co.uk

5 KOYN, Mayfair

A contemporary izakaya inspired by the Mount Fuji's natural beauty, and a really sleek restaurant, KOYN is the newest restaurant by the father-daughter team behind Michelin-starred Jamavar, MiMi Mei Fair, and Socca. A venue with sublime style and a menu to match, at street level there's a sushi bar and an elegant, creamy dining room. Descend to the ground floor to find the 'dark volcanic' heart of Mount Fuji that comes with the heat of a charcoal robata grill, sommelier station and guest DJs - not a bad place to end up by any means.

Address: 38 Grosvenor Street, Mayfair W1K 4QA

Website: koynrestaurants.com

6 Kibako, Fitzrovia

A restaurant by Islington’s Hot Stone team and which takes its name from its starring dish, Kibako’s speciality is kibako – omakase-style boxed containing six and 12 handcrafted sushi and sashimi dishes. If that doesn’t take your fancy, there’s a three-course omakase menu on offer, or just go a la carte for a range of sushi, sashimi, maki and carpaccio dishes, as well as a selection of hot seafood and wagyu dishes. With 50 seats and traditional wooden-panelling, it’s a cosy little restaurant too. If you want a bit of theatre with your meal, sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs at work.

Address: 3 Windmill Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 2HY

Website: kibakolondon.com

7 Taku, Mayfair 

Chef Takuya Watanabe, formerly of Jin, the first sushi omakase in Paris to receive a Michelin star, heads up this new, sublime sushi omakase in Mayfair that hits both traditional and modern notes. Using British Isles ingredients, the venue has a lunch, signature and prestige menu that changes daily and made with daily catches, seasonal produce and Taku’s skill. With just 16 covers, the venue is small so expect an intimate experience, and with menus starting from £180, expect a superb meal.  

Address: Ground Floor, 36 Albemarle Street, Mayfair W1S 4JE

Website: takumayfair.com

8 Mayha & The Bar Downstairs, Chiltern

A small Japanese omakase-style restaurant that leaves your dinner or lunch in the hands of the experts. Dine at a curved stone counter on a menu that changes daily but always features the freshest seafood and high-quality ingredients. Lower ground level boasts a cosy bar that can fit just six people at a time. Head here for cocktails and sake and for a concise version of the main omakase menu found upstairs.

Address: 43 Chiltern Street, Marylebone W1U 6LS

Website: mayhalondon.com