The Best Japanese Restaurants in London

The iconic Television Centre in White City has hosted many treasured cultural moments over the years, so it’s fitting that it now provides a home in which to indulge our love affair with Japanese food. ‘Sushi in the clouds’ is how Yokohama-born Endo Kazutoshi describes his restaurant on the top floor, where guests gather round a counter to enjoy his beautifully crafted creations.

A trendy restaurant in a trendy area, this modern take on the traditional izakaya does a great job of marrying British produce with Japanese techniques and refinement. The two experienced chefs at the helm appear to have got everything spot-on, with plates designed for sharing and cooking that shows all the impressive craft of an authentic Japanese kitchen. A wine selection complete with sake and shochu just adds to the fun and authenticity.

When eating out in Japan, you tend to decide what style of Japanese food you want and then go to the appropriate restaurant, as most specialise in just one type of cuisine, be it sushi, tempura, ramen, etc. This long-standing institution in St James’s offers, in effect, three restaurants in one, as it boasts three counters at which you can enjoy sushi, teppanyaki or robata.

There is a real creativity and theatricality to the consistently impressive tasting menu at this Soho counter restaurant. The ingredients are of superb quality and thankfully the chefs know what to do with them, as evidenced by the sashimi, the sukiyaki and even the shokupan bread. The look is dark and moody inside, with music playing over the speakers and an engaging service team on hand to assist.

Anyone who’s tried finding a restaurant in a Tokyo side street will be familiar with the bewilderment induced when scurrying around Shepherd Market in search of Maru’s front door. There’s extra pressure from knowing that guests are all served together so you need to be on time. This counter restaurant comes courtesy of a Nobu alumnus and his omakase menu features plenty of Cornish seafood.

Husband and wife team Tamas and Tomoko own and run this intimate restaurant tucked away down a passageway in the heart of Mayfair. They’re together in the kitchen too, preparing an 8 course omakase menu, with plenty of dishes coming before the nigiri. Dishes are kept fairly traditional and pair Japanese techniques and flavours with mostly British seafood produce, including the likes of lobster, squid and hand-dived scallops.

Endo Kazutoshi features twice on this list, as Sumi is his de facto diffusion line; a baby sister to Endo at the Rotunda. This Notting Hill restaurant comes with a laid-back, neighbourhood vibe and a younger crowd. The menu is largely sushi-based, with some dishes from the robata grill, and a side of miso soup is well worth ordering too. The cocktails are great and there is a fun, relaxed atmosphere to the place.

As is so often the case with the very best cooking, first-rate ingredients are the bedrock of this restaurant. A choice of omakase menus of varying degrees of luxury are available, each one showcasing dishes with a refinement and deft balancing of flavours befitting of such high quality produce. A good range of sake is available and there is a stylish feel to the room, with everybody sitting a handsome oak counter.

The beautiful city of Kyoto, Japan’s former capital, is where many traditions are still faithfully honoured and that includes the art of kaiseki. Here at the impeccably run Umu, the subtlety of Kyoto cuisine is combined with top quality ingredients from around the British Isles. Tables and chairs may be preferred to tatami, but you’ll still leave feeling as though you’ve had a special Japanese experience.