Directly translated to English, the Japanese word ‘omakase’ means ‘I leave it up to you’. In many sushi bars in Japan, which traditionally didn’t have menus, omakase is considered the connoisseur’s choice and the best possible order.
While the precise dishes remain a mystery, the experience tends to entail a multi-course dining adventure that champions seasonality and the philosophy of the chef, most often carried off with pared-back artistry.
If you’re going to leave your meal in the hands of the chef, you’ll want to be sure they’re an exceptionally good one. Luckily, London is blessed with some of the world’s brightest talents, who are more than up to the challenge. And in the business of delegating decisions, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to provide you with a selection of some of the finest omakase experiences in the capital – from the traditional hotspots attracting Michelin stars to innovative additions to the scene. The only necessary choice, it seems, is which to try first…
Taku
Tiny but mighty, this 16-seater omakase restaurant on Mayfair’s Albemarle Street is a masterclass in the form. The menu changes daily, but expect some of the best fish you’ve ever eaten, prepared Edomae style (a traditional method that dates back to the 1800s) and served over 20 awe-inspiring courses. This is a place for purists, with a serious ambience – think nigiri that must be eaten within 10 seconds and an air of hushed reverence – maintained under the masterful eye of chef Takuya Watanabe. In 2023, just four months after opening, it received a well-deserved Michelin star.
Sushi Kanesaka
Places are too often described as ‘hidden away’, but Sushi Kanesaka is truly concealed behind an unsuspecting door on the first floor of the glossy 45 Park Lane hotel. This only adds to the experience of discovering the space, clad in pale wood and run in the spirit of omotenashi, the tradition of wholeheartedly looking after guests. After a few sips of the many Japanese whiskies on offer here, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d blinked and landed in Tokyo’s Ginza district, where Edomae master Shinji Kanesaka hails from. His precise technique earned this place a Michelin star within seven months of opening, and it’s a surreal luxury to try his creations through 18 faultless courses.
INÉ By Taku
Among the cobblestoned charm of Hampstead, a new sushi spot is making waves on the scene: INÉ. It’s from the team behind Michelin-starred Taku, and features an eight-seater omakase counter (alongside near à la carte seating) where superior chefs prepare 15 ever-changing courses for the relatively excellent value of £100 a head. The elegantly narrow dining space is full of pale wood and an air of friendly informality. That’s not to say the food isn’t impeccable; the plentiful sashimi and nigiri are perfect (plump prawns, silky sea bass, dreamy otoro). But it’s the innovative starter courses that shine the brightest – just pray the yuzu jelly streaked with celeriac cream and topped with two gleaming slivers of sea bream is on the menu when you visit. They’ve also just opened a new sake lounge and gallery space, Upstairs at INÉ, which makes a great spot for a nightcap after your sushi experience.
Beaverbrook Townhouse
The younger sister to everyone’s favourite eclectic country house in the Surrey Hills, Beaverbrook Townhouse is a lovely place to stay. Not least because of its excellent Japanese restaurant, The Fuji Grill (previously for hotel guests and walk-ins only but now open to all) and its secret Sushi Bar hosted by head sushi chef Jan Horak. Over nine courses, this omakase experience breathes modern life into dishes made with authentic techniques. The shifting menu tends to include favourites like silky o’toro and perfectly crisp black cod tempura, though you never know quite what you’ll get here.
Maru
Since 2021, this Shepherd Market spot has become a well-respected classic on the London omakase scene. Notably free from any truffle-glazed Mayfair distractions, it’s an intimate, authentic space that combines British ingredients (think Exmoor caviar, Orkney scallops and Cornish crab) with classical training and techniques over the course of 20 delicious courses. The chef Taiji Maruyama is a third-generation sushi-maker who cut his teeth at Nobu and Beaverbrook, so you can be very comfortable leaving your night in his hands.
KOYN
KOYN, the gorgeous Japanese spot from ever-impressive London restaurateur Samyukta Nair, has an even more gorgeous boutique marble sushi counter on its ground floor. Here, KOYN’s resident sushi master serves native lobster tempura rolls and Applewood smoked A5 Kagoshima wagyu with asparagus and black truffle. If it all sounds a little glitzy, rest assured that the quality is superb and the creations respect the understated elegance of Japanese cooking – all while making classics a touch sexier.
The Aubrey
A twist on the traditional format, The Aubrey offers a ten-course tasting menu with a dedicated sommelier to curate an omakase cocktail experience that unfolds over two hours. The restaurant is quite secretive about what exactly this entails and we don’t want to ruin the surprise, but we will say that it goes on in the beautiful wood-panelled Ukiyo Room, which centres around an extravagantly stocked bar.
Nobu Portman Square
What was life like before Nobu’s black cod entered the collective foodie consciousness? You needn’t contemplate it; just head over to the newest London purveyor of this modern classic on Marylebone’s Portman Square. You just know the dish is going to be somewhere in the omakase offering (there’s a choice of ‘signature’ or the more expensive ‘seasonal’), among freshly made sushi and a host of other delights. And you know it’s going to be as good as ever.
Zuma
It must be said upfront that Zuma does not offer an omakase experience. However, this glossy Knightsbridge classic makes the cut because if you can bag a seat at the bar, you can order a selection of sushi, sashimi, tempura and robata grill dishes and watch them all be immaculately prepared right in front of your eyes. Sometimes, it’s nice to take the menu back into your own hands.
Lead image credit: Maru, London
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