Some of London's great lunchtime deals come in the form of bento boxes, or the more ornate hakozen boxes. Here's our pick of the best out there.
Kioku by Endo
Whitehall - 6th Floor, The OWO, 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX
From third-generation sushi master Endo Kazutoshi and Executive Chef George Gkoregias, Kioku by Endo has introduced a new Kioku Bento lunch. Served in traditional bento boxes from Japan, the Kioku Bento features highlights such as miso soup, chirashi sushi, and your choice of a delicious main. For £40pp, available for lunch, Wednesday - Saturday.
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UBA
Shoreditch - 61 – 67 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HU
For a City lunch with a difference, the lunchtime bento boxes at UBA are worth checking out. They offer a choice of three at £19, all of which include chilli crisp fried egg rice and mixed salad. You choose between meat, fish or vegetarian which might include Korean chicken, rock shrimp tempura or aubergine and chestnut dim sum.
Akira at Japan House
Kensington - 101-111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA
If you're looking for a glamorous spot in Kensington for lunch, you can't go wrong with Akira. Here, the lunchtime offering consists of two set menus, with a hakozen box at the centre. The two-course menu (£70) features a nine-compartment box along with a series of appetisers. If you opt for the three-course, your hakozen box features 15 compartments, and also appetisers and dessert.
Miki Meshi
South East London
Japan-born chef Aki Henderson is Koya's pickling expert. She also runs a monthly vegetarian and vegan bento box delivery service, bringing amazing bento to parts of South East London (New Cross/Peckham). Every month, there's a different homemade pickle to enjoy; most recently, that was a Kyoto speciality turnip senmaizuke.
Eat Tokyo
Across London
This micro chain has a perma-queue outside its Soho location and for good reason - the sushi is good and it’s superb value, two things that don’t often go together. The bento box options here are a much-loved item featuring rice, a choice of fish or meat - think katsu, tonkatsu, teriyaki - with a selection of cooked or pickled vegetables.
Sagamiya
South Bank - County Hall, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 7GP
Chefs Takagi Chiyomi have been working together for three decades at this bustling Japanese restaurant down on the South Bank. Lunchtimes are always busy with their various bento sets ranging from fried pork, chicken or prawn to salmon and chicken teriyaki and grilled mackerel. You'll need to go early if you want to get their signature bento featuring Japanese chicken rice wrapped in omelette - they only do five portions a day.
Engawa
2 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT
Tucked away from the Soho bustle on Ham Yard, Engawa's always been known for its exquisitely presented bento boxes. At lunchtime, there are three varieties of box options to choose from. The jubako boxes are tiered boxes which also feature bowls of chawanmushi and butter miso soup. There's classic sushi, grilled seafood or even a wagyu version to try. Alternatively, go for one of their signature hakosen boxes - there's both a 12 and 15 compartment option, as well as a shojin box for vegetarians.
Michiko Sushino
74 Salusbury Rd, London NW6 6NU
There are no fewer than six lunchtime bento options on the menu at this popular Queen’s Park sushi spot. A basic veggie bento set features a mix of sushi and some pickles, whereas the top-of-the-range special bento box offers a mix of tempura, sushi, gyoza and fruit.
Nobu
Mayfair and Marylebone
If you're looking for an entry-level way to enjoy the Nobu experience, their lunchtime bento offering is an idea, with prices for a vegetarian bento starting at under £40. Both Nobu Portman Square and Nobu Old Park Lane are also useful family-friendly venues, with a children's bento box costing just £25.
See also: Tonkotsu - Sadly, it's only kids who get to enjoy a bento meal at ramen group Tonkotsu. There are three okosama bento boxes. Cheeky chicken includes chicken katsu and noodles, Yummy Yasai is the veggie edition and they also do a chicken or vegetable katsu curry box with rice and a seasoned egg.
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