Where to find London's finest sushi

Dinings SW3 is a short walk from Harrods in Knightsbridge, should you be in the mood for modern Japanese food after splashing the cash at London’s most famous department store. Chef-owner Masaki Sugisaki is a huge fan of British seafood, showcasing ingredients like Cornish seabass and sustainable Scottish salmon, alongside Spanish tuna and Japanese yellowtail, across sushi dishes and more – even the wasabi is British. The sushi, best enjoyed at the dedicated counter, is extremely fresh and high quality.  

The team behind Eel Sushi in Notting Hill (and celeb haunt Dorian across the road) describe it as a “casual sushi bar”. Don’t let that fool you into thinking this is a run-of-the-mill Japanese restaurant, however: impeccable fish sourced from UK waters and further afield informs a sushi menu priced per piece with an array of nigiri and sashimi (chef’s nigiri flights are available if you don’t want to choose), as well as hot dishes like vegetable tempura and miso-braised beef shin. The wine list echoes Dorian’s, so expect some very fancy bottles – if that’s your thing. Walk-ins are welcome too.  

Chef Chris Restrepo trained at Tokyo Sushi Academy before setting up his eight-seat sushi counter in his parents’ restaurant in Brixton. There he serves an 18-course omakase menu to his guests twice a night, offering some of the best sushi in London. Restrepo is an engaging host, telling stories about his sushi apprenticeship and the provenance of his ingredients as he places expertly crafted nigiri, rolls and larger dishes delicately in front of you – this is not the silent reverie of traditional sushi omakase. Look out for the signature 18-times-scored scallop, which melts in the mouth.  

Moi, in Soho, is a Japanese-inspired live-fire restaurant, but amongst the bone-in sirloin, fish tempura and very good baked rice is a sushi selection that can be enjoyed at the sushi counter or at the table. Maki, temaki and more are available, but we recommend ordering a nigiri selection as a kind of stopgap in between snacks and larger plates. The fish is fresh and the rice, delicately seasoned with vinegar, is the perfect temperature. This lightness of touch is unexpected, but hugely enjoyable at a restaurant largely focused on more robust cooking. 

Roketsu, in Marylebone, is focused on the kappo style of Japanese dining, a refined yet relaxed way of eating where guests are seated at a counter and interact with the chefs whilst they cook. Said counter at Roketsu is no ordinary piece of wood; it’s made from a slab of 300-year-old hinoki cypress. That level of artistry continues into the à la carte menu, with a sushi selection of various nigiri and rolls, with standouts including otoro (fatty tuna) tartare gunkan, and scallop with nori sauce. Chef selections are also available.  

If you’re looking for the best sushi in London, Sushi Amamoto is in contention. This 16-seat omakase in Mayfair is the first international restaurant from Executive Chef-Patron, Shogo Amamoto, whose revered sushi counter in Taipei, Taiwan, is one of the city’s most sought-after reservations. With Head Chef Jongho Park, Amamoto has crafted signature dishes such as trout ohizusi (a pressed sushi from Osaka) and grilled mochi with nori and caviar, with special attention paid to the temperature of the rice, so every bite is perfect. This is high-end sushi with a high-end price tag, but worth it for a splurge or special occasion.  

Situated at 45 Park Lane, Sushi Kanesaka is one of London’s most exclusive sushi omakase experiences, hidden away on the first floor of the luxury hotel. Edomae sushi master Shinji Kanesaka has crafted an omakase menu comprised of only the finest ingredients, which includes, alongside premium European fish and Japanese rice, crowdpleasers such as king crab and Kobe beef. Head Chef Hirotaka Wada serves 18-plus courses to just nine lucky guests per sitting. Could you be next?