London is home to some of the finest Japanese restaurants in the world and is a great city to visit if you love sushi, noodles, and Asian fusion cuisine. Japanese dining hot spots in London range from stylish sushi bars with inventive cocktail menus and night-time entertainment to family-owned restaurants for a quick bite on a night out. Try delicate monkfish sashimi presented in fine dining style or go big and hearty with a stellar Wagyu hotpot.
Curry lovers can get acquainted with creamy katsu curry based on the traditional Japanese recipe. Meanwhile, robata grill restaurants allow you to char your meat at the table to bring out the smokiest of flavours. Amongst the best Japanese restaurants in London there’s a modern dining room with virtual entertainment for kids and adults alike and spots that capture the sophisticated yet unpretentious feel of traditional Japanese dining.
Say “itadakimasu” at these standout London spots and book your table on OpenTable today.
The 10 best Japanese restaurants in London – read on for our guide
For a vibrant fancy experience at one of the best Japanese restaurants in London – try Sexy Fish London in Mayfair
With its sophisticated nightlife vibe and premium whisky collection, Sexy Fish London Mayfair is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London for a fancy evening out with friends. The restaurant’s decor is opulent yet elegant and the menu offers a creative blend of classic Japanese sushi sets, as well as vegan and vegetarian dishes. Late-night diners can enjoy a particularly vibrant experience at the weekends, with live music and entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. The restaurant is also ideal for a working lunch and offers a business set menu featuring tempting dishes like the caramelised black cod with spicy miso or the wagyu beef and truffle gyoza. Finish your meal off with one of the high-end whiskies on the drinks menu. Try malts from Japanese distilleries or indulge in a sweet whisky cocktail infused with lapsang and peach.
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For fusion Asian cuisine in London – try Flesh and Buns in Covent Garden and Oxford Circus
Step into Flesh and Buns in Covent Garden and Oxford Circus to find a cosy, intimate feel inspired by casual izakaya eateries. The menu offers a range of Asian dishes and specialises in bao buns, steamed buns stuffed with fillings such as crispy pork belly or tender beef short ribs. Highlights on the menu include the buttermilk fried chicken and the tuna maki served with tempura prawns. Decorated to look like a modern Japanese drinking house, with its subterranean bar located below the dining room, the trendy yet casual atmosphere makes it a great place for a catch-up with friends. For a boozy group meal, don’t miss the bottomless Sunday brunch featuring a feast of small plates paired with prosecco or wine.
📍 Covent Garden — Check Availability
📍 Oxford Circus — Check Availability
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For one of London’s best sushi restaurants for Kobe beef – try Kibako in Fitzrovia
Kibako in Fitzrovia is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London for classic sushi. The kitchen here is manned by renowned chef Padam Raj Rai, who has more than 20 years of experience working in London’s fine dining restaurant scene. Dining at Kibako centres around traditional Japanese dishes, like sushi and sashimi, presented with precise modern flair. One of the most popular options here is the omakase tasting menu, the chef’s curated sushi-sharing platters. Omakase experience at Kibako features delicacies such as premium fatty tuna and Japanese yellow tail sashimi. Start your meal off with a luxurious starter course of oysters and champagne – perfect for a special occasion. You can also enjoy a hot main course, like grilled unagi eel or a plate of Kobe beef that’s famous for its melt-in-the-mouth texture.
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For a luxurious afternoon tea at one of London’s best Japanese restaurants – try Akira at Japan House London in Kensington
Located inside Japan House – a cultural hub for Japanese art and history – Akira at Japan House Kensington is the perfect place to experience traditional Japanese dishes in a stylish and immersive setting. Expect sushi sets and meats cooked on a robata charcoal grill, with a focus on elegant presentation and exquisite tableware. The open kitchen means that diners can watch the chefs at work, while the omakase – chef’s choice – menu is ideal for trying the wide choice of Japanese classics in one meal. The three-course robata menu includes chicken thigh skewers with wasabi mayonnaise and miso-infused pork belly. Afternoon tea is also a great choice at Akira, featuring Japanese teas, sushi platters, and a variety of traditional desserts. The wagashi mochi – a rice-based sweet treat popular in Japan – is particularly memorable.
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For traditional Osakan food at one of the best teppanyaki restaurants in London – try Okan in Waterloo and Brixton
Translating to ‘mum’ in Osakan slang, Okan in Waterloo and Brixton recreates the warm, homey atmosphere of a small Japanese diner right in the heart of London. The kitchen is run by Osaka-born chef and specialises in preparing home-cook-style recipes popular in Japan. Okan has a cosy dining space with a casual feel – although it’s still a good idea to book ahead, as table seating is limited. This intimate vibe makes it a great place for a relaxed date night or a quick post-work dinner. The menu revolves around simple yet satisfying dishes, like teppanyaki pancakes made with beef, tofu, or squid. You can also try the restaurant’s most popular dish, Okan okonomiyaki – a teppanyaki variation made with king prawns, squid, and kimchi and served with a fried egg. Truly one of the best Japanese restaurants in London for delicious, straightforward food.
📍 Waterloo — Check Availability
📍 Brixton — Check Availability
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For Western-Japanese fusion cuisine at one of London’s best Asian restaurants – try Shack-Fuyu in Soho
Inspired by Yoshoku – or Western-influenced Japanese food – Shack-Fuyu in Soho has a fun, youthful look and is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London for fusion cuisine. The food has garnered rave reviews in London publications like Time Out and the Evening Standard, and the fast-paced, friendly service gives the restaurant a buzzy vibe. Pre-theatre express menus also make this a great spot to visit if you’re going to see a play in Soho or heading to a West End show. Popular Japanese menu items include chicken katsu – breaded chicken in a mild curry sauce – and miso glazed aubergine. You can also try sumptuous wagyu beef cooked sukiyaki, or hotpot, style. If you’ve still got room for dessert, the Kinako french toast is a must-try. Macha-flavoured and served with a scoop of soft serve, this memorable dessert keeps diners coming back for more.
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For a fun interactive Japanese experience – try Inamo in Soho and Covent Garden
Inamo in Soho and Covent Garden is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London for an interactive dining experience. Diners at Inamo can order food, play interactive games, and enjoy puzzles and virtual activities on their touchscreen tables. Play together or use your touchscreens – the futuristic set-up and arcade-like decor offer a truly innovative meal out that’s great for families or groups of friends. While the concept may be high-tech, the menu at Inamo is traditional with a twist and is great for anyone who loves classic Japanese dishes, like sushi or noodles. The restaurant’s signature dish is the dragon roll – an eight-piece tempura shrimp sushi dragon roll. Both Inamo venues in London also have a private games room with games consoles, TV screens, and even a karaoke machine for parties.
📍 Soho — Check Availability
📍 Covent Garden — Check Availability
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For outstanding Japanese curries at one of London’s best katsu restaurants – try Tanakatsu in Clerkenwell
Family-owned Tanakatsu in Clerkenwell is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London for katsu and teriyaki. With a background in classical French cooking and experience travelling to Japan to learn about the food culture, chef Joe Vidakovic blends Western techniques with classic Japanese dishes. The menu features several katsu types – meat, fish and vegetables deep-fried in panko breadcrumbs. If you’ve never tried pumpkin katsu curry before, this is the place to do it. As well as katsu, Tanakatsu also serves up a fantastic range of teriyaki dishes, meat and fish marinated in a traditional sweet soy and teriyaki sauce. The glazed teriyaki salmon served with rice and cured ginger is a beautifully light lunch.
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For fine dining at one of London’s best Japanese restaurants – try Roketsu in Marble Arch
For the ultimate fine dining experience, Roketsu in Marble Arch is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London. The menu is based around kaiseki, a traditional Japanese multi-course meal incorporating traditional cooking techniques and ingredients. Diners at Roketsu can experience a real taste of Japan as the interior decor was designed and built in Kyoto by famed Japanese architecture company Sotoji Nakamura. Roketsu focuses on tasting menus in traditional haute cuisine style. Renowned chef and owner Daisuke Hayashi has worked in numerous high-end settings, including curating the Japanese menu at the G8 summit. Dining options at Roketsu include the 10-course tasting menu, which features delicacies such as a steamed turnip futamono soup made with red mullet and crab and monkfish and lobster sashimi. Be sure to book your table in advance, as there is usually a two-month wait list.
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For fabulous group dining at one of London’s best Japanese restaurants – try Kintan in Oxford Circus and Chancery Lane
If you love all things BBQ, Kintan Oxford Circus and Chancery Lane is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London for grilled meat and seafood. Inspired by Japanese yakiniku cuisine, meaning grilled meats, Kintan has smokeless grills incorporated into every table, so you can cook your food to perfectly suit your taste. The restaurant has a modern, casual feel and is an ideal spot for groups. Kintan’s menu is divided up into generous sharing platters of meat, seafood, and vegetables brought to the table raw to be charred on the grill. Meat lovers can sink their teeth into premium beef cuts, like tender Harami skirt steak or flat iron steak marinated in sweet soy sauce. Seafood dishes like fresh miso scallops or squid marinated in soy and garlic take on a deliciously smoky flavour when charred.
📍 Oxford Circus — Check Availability
📍 Chancery Lane — Check Availability
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London has so much to offer Asian food lovers, from traditional Japanese cuisine to innovative new dishes and flavours. Whether you love classic sushi and sashimi sets, warming noodle soups, or innovative fusion cuisine, you can find Japanese restaurants in London to suit your tastes. This list of the best Japanese restaurants in London is just the start.
