From seriously fancy omakase counters to innovate hand roll operations and everything in between, here's our guide to navigating where to find the best sushi across London.
Eel Sushi
Notting Hill - 118 Talbot Road, London W11 1JR
Boasting amazing fish courtesy from their own fish shop down the road, as well as an amazing cellar from sibling restaurant Dorian across the road, Eel Sushi had everything going for it on launch. The constant battle to get a seat there is testament to how good the a la carte sushi offering is here. You'll want everything on the menu, and the sashimi selection is a work of art.
Follow them on Instagram: @eelsushibar
Himi
Carnaby - 4 Newburgh St, London W1F 7RF
If you loved the now-closed Roji, then you'll be wanting to follow chefs Tamas Naszai and Tomoko Hasegawa to their new Carnaby restaurant. As an izakaya, sushi isn't the sole focus, but the offering is extensive. The chef's choice of nigiri would be our preferred way to go, but we're also hearing very good things about their hay-smoked otoro hand roll too.
Follow them on Instagram: @himi_ldn.
Sushi Kyu
Soho - 30 Brewer St, London W1F 0SS
The words affordable and sushi don't get bandied around too much, particularly in London, so the omakase lunch menu at this Soho restaurant is definitely worth knowing about. From the same restaurant group as Cube in Mayfair, all the chefs here have been trained up under ex-Nobu chef Takamasa Mogi.
Follow them on Instagram: @sushikyu.soho.
Ukiyo
Covent Garden - 8 Slingsby Pl, London WC2E 9AB
Ostensibly a hand roll bar, the nigiri and sashimi at Ukiyo are also worth shouting about. Tucked away off the main Covent Garden drag in the new development The Yards is where you'll find this all-counter sushi spot. Sets and tasting menus are probably the best way to enjoy the best of their offering, whether that's all their hand rolls or a mix of tartares, cut rolls, hand rolls and nigiri.
Follow them on Instagram: @ukiyo.handrollbar
Endo at The Rotunda
White City - Television Centre, 8th Floor, The Helios, 101 Wood Ln, London W12 7FR
It’s all about counter dining here at chef Endo Kazutoshi’s ultra-modernist. Michelin-starred restaurant with a view at Television Centre. They describe it as "sushi in the clouds". There are two omakase sittings each day it’s open, to allow Endo to guide you through his singular sushi vision. It's recently had a huge revamp, making the space more spectacular than ever.
Follow them on Instagram: @kazutoshi.endo
Also see: For more high-rise Endo sushi, Kioku at the OWO is worth a look (and easier to get into)
Sushi Kanesaka
Mayfair - 45 Park Ln, London W1K 1PN
All the coverage when this new omakase restaurant opened focused on the price point. And while that is seriously punchy (£420 per person at the time of writing), the key question is - is it good? Clearly, Michelin thought so, awarding Shinji Kanesaka’s London restaurant a star just seven months after it opened. It’s a full-on omakase experience with up to 20 dishes involved.
Follow them on Instagram: @sushikanesakalondon
Takahashi
Merton - 228 Merton Rd, London SW19 1EQ
Chef Nobuhisa Takahashi (ex-Nobu) runs this tiny neighbourhood sushi spot with his wife Yuko. The restaurant has, in recent years, transitioned to being a fully omakase offering with the menu fully dependent on what's good that day. What you can rely on is superb sushi, expertly prepared in front of you.
Follow them on Instagram: @takahashi_wimbledon
Juno
Notting Hill - 2-4 Farmer St, London W8 7SN
For sushi with a twist (in this case, Mexican) you can’t do better than booking a seat at London’s smallest omakase counter in Notting Hill. Executive Chef, Leonard Tanyag, is ex-OKKU and Zuma and serves up a daily-changing omakase menu that is gluten and nut-free as well as super sustainable.
See also: The same team have recently opened the City-based omakase restaurant Luna.
Follow them on Instagram: @juno.omakase
Sushi by Masa
Knightsbridge - 87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL
Inside the Harrods Dining Hall, the biggest restaurant is the central counter of Sushi By Masa. Chef Masayoshi (‘Masa’) Takayama's original restaurant in New York boasts three Michelin stars and here in London, he's offering a choice of a la carte sushi or a tasting menu. The signature dish is the very luxe Masa toro tartare with caviar. Chef Masa is also opening a standalone restaurant inside the Chancery Rosewood soon.
Follow them on Instagram: @sushibymasa
Sumi
Notting Hill - 157 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RS
Endo Kazutoshi’s more casual restaurant in Notting Hill still features his superlative sushi but the focus here is more on the temaki side of things where the hand rolls could feature diced scallop with shiso flowers and soy or soy marinated ikura. Think high-end sushi, at less painful prices than usual.
Follow them on Instagram: @sumilondon.
Maru
Mayfair - 18 Shepherd Market, London W1J 7QH
This omakase restaurant in Shepherds Market is a very small affair serving a daily changing 20-course menu to 10 guests only each evening. Expect the same dry-aged fish techniques they first showcased at Taka with third-generation sushi chef Taiji Maruyama in charge.
Follow them on Instagram: @maru__london
Sushi Tetsu
Farringdon - 12 Jerusalem Passage, London EC1V 4JP
This teeny Clerkenwell sushi restaurant is one of the best in town, run by husband-and-wife team Harumi and Toru Takahashi. With only half a dozen seats inside, each item served to you will be almost a work of art. Booking was always a complicated task, involving having to call up at a certain time of the month. It's now gone online but that doesn't make getting a seat here any easier.
Follow them on Twitter: @SushiTetsuUK
Photo by Samphire & Salsify
Sushi Revolution
Brixton and Shoreditch
Purists should turn away now - Sushi Revolution serves up the classics but also, as the name suggests, turns that on its head too. So you're as likely to enjoy yellowtail nigiri as you are soft shell crab roll with kimchee hummus. Founders Aidan Bryan and Tom Blackshaw are ex-Sticks ‘n’ Sushi.
Follow them on Instagram: @sushirevolution
My Umami
East Finchley - 7 Fortis Green, London N2 9JR
East Finchley locals may try and gatekeep this neighbourhood sushi spot, but word is already getting out about the quality of the sushi here. Expect to find both classic sushi alongside chef's specials including flamed fatty salmon with yuzu jelly.
Follow them on Instagram: @myumamiizakaya
The Araki
Mayfair - Unit 4, 12 New Burlington St, London W1S 3BF
Now that founder Araki Mitsuhiro has returned to Japan, it's head chef Marty Lau, who trained under Araki, running the show here. The £310 omakase menu showcases some of London's best sushi but with just nine seats getting a reservation is always going to be hard. If you do secure one, sit up at the counter (a gift from composer Ryuichi Sakamoto) and enjoy the experience.
Follow them on Instagram: @the_araki_london
Photo: Elliot Grover
Temaki
Brixton - 12 Market Row, London SW9 8LB
Billed as London's first bar dedicated to temaki hand rolls, Chef Shaulan Steenson who trained in Japan is serving up a mixture of superb handrolls (make sure you try his Surprise Me one which is topped with caviar) along with small plate options like veggie tempura and sashimi.
Follow them on Instagram: @temakihandrollbar
Chisou
Chelsea and Mayfair
Chisou’s two restaurants are all about the counter dining experience - they also pride themselves on their sake selections (both of which are reflected in their delivery offering). Expect classic, no-gimmick sushi.
Also see: Right next door to Chisou in Mayfair is their 10-seater omakase restaurant Roji.
Follow them on Instagram: @chisoulondon
Cubé
Mayfair - 4 Blenheim St, London W1S 1LB
This Mayfair restaurant specialises in a more contemporary take on omakase, so their eel roll comes with foie gras and there's an interesting tapas section too where you might find tuna tataki with kurokosho sauce. Their lunchtime bento boxes are particularly good value for this part of town.
Follow them on Instagram: @cubemayfairuk
Dinings SW3
Chelsea - Lennox Gardens Mews, London SW3 2JH
Masaki Sugisaki’s Chelsea Japanese restaurant serves up sushi which is - almost - too beautiful to eat. Sustainability is key here, with all the fish either from Cornish day boats or ethical suppliers in the UK and Japan. There's also usually something interesting going on in the way of collaborations too with other chefs and restaurants.
Follow them on Instagram: @dinings_sw3
Jin Kichi
Hampstead - 73 Heath St, London NW3 6UG
This popular family-run Hampstead izakaya is probably better known for its yakitori than its sushi. But that doesn't mean the sushi is an also-ran. From exemplary eel nigiri to their Hampstead sushi rolls you're always sure of great dishes from chef Atsushi Matsumoto and his staff. Kate Moss picked it as one of her favourite restaurants in London.
Nanahoshi (formerly Jugemu)
Soho - 3 Winnett St, London W1D 6JY
This hole-in-a-wall Soho joint features as many negative reviews about its idiosyncratic service as it does positive ones about the amazing sushi. Chef Yuya Kikuchi is in charge here, and the menu is very dependent on what’s been good at the fish market that morning. Sit up at the bar, if you can, for his hand rolls which are excellent.
Follow them on Instagram: @jugemu.uk
Nobu
Mayfair, Marylebone and Shoreditch
This is the mothership where so many of London's sushi chefs trained. Their menus feature so many well known sushi dishes from the crispy sushi with spicy tuna to yellowtail with jalapeno. The newest addition to the group is the Nobu Hotel in Portman Square which has a glorious dining room and pretty terrace for alfresco dining.
Follow them on Instagram: @nobuoldparklane.
Kibou
Wandsworth - 175 Northcote Rd, London SW11 6QF
This Battersea spot is the London branch of a well-respected Cheltenham restaurant. Alongside hot dishes like gyoza and ramen, their sushi options are pretty eclectic - think kimchi seafood rolls, ebi yukari Californian rolls and their very popular volcano roll. They're particularly good on catering for vegetarian and vegan sushi lovers.
Follow them on Instagram: @kiboubattersea
Sushi Atelier
Fitzrovia, Shoreditch and St John’s Wood
If it’s modern sushi you’re after, then look no further. Allow the chefs here to make their choice for you and go for one of their omakase platters. Alternatively, if you fancy having a sushi gathering in your own home, they do a nice line in takeaway party platters.
Follow them on Instagram: @sushiatelierlondon.
Sasa
Angel - 370 St John St, London EC1V 4NN
Islington sushi lovers have known for some time about this little family-run restaurant at Angel. Owner Mr Pham trained up at Suntory and Miyami. In a different take, the menu lets you pick the fish first and choose whether you want it as nigiri, sashimi, tataki and so on. They've recently moved to bigger premises further down the street, taking over the old The Gate site.
Follow them on Instagram: @sasasushilondon
Yashin Sushi and Yashin Ocean
Kensington
Founded by ex-Nobu and Yumi head chefs Yasuhiro Mineno and Shinya Ikeda, both the Yashin restaurants serve up sushi with a bit more modernity and theatre than you might find elsewhere. Expect dishes like yellowtail carpaccio with orange soy and chilli oil while even their delivery options come paired with sakes.
Follow them on Instagram: @yashinlondon.
See also: their sushi counter spin-off Sushi Kamon at Arcade on Tottenham Court Road and Battersea Power Station.
Roketsu (closed temporarily)
Marylebone - 12 New Quebec St, London W1H 7RW
Roketsu comes from Daisuke Hayashi (previously Executive Head Chef at Tokimeitē) and this is very much a passion project. The restaurant revolves around a Japanese kaiseki tasting menu, taking dashi as its base. Particular care has been taken with the design, with elements that have been imported from Japan - it looks amazing as a result.
Follow them on Instagram: @roketsulondon
Also see
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