Islington, Japanese Restaurant Guide

“An amazing variety of small, tasty and unusual combination dishes served in a very cool environment” continues to win a thumbs up – if from a tiny fan club – for this Israeli-Japanese one-year-old in the shiny new Islington Square development.

“Proper Kyushu-style ramen with a thick, silky broth” is the secret behind this small London noodle chain from former pro cyclist Kazuhiro Kanada. “Especially great on a typical cold, rainy London day”, it’s “a go-to for a quick, cheap and (relatively) healthy supper in town” (“I’ve stopped for ramen at all the main chains and a few indies, and for my money this is the very best bowl at a great price”). The sixth branch opened in summer 2024 at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush.

“Still a bit of a hidden gem, which is a real shame as this place should be packed” – this converted pub by Essex Road station is a longstanding fixture of the area. With its mix of sushi and other “enjoyable and very tasty” fare, fans say it serves “really wonderful izakaya dishes in a pretty chilled-out environment”; and that even if “it’s not as cheap as it once was, it’s still good value”.

“Fresh, innovative sushi and sashimi” share billing with “fantastic wagyu beef cooked on stones”, according to fans of this “buzzy dining room”, which has moved from Islington to Fitzrovia in a reshuffle of ex-Zuma chef Padam Raj Rai’s restaurant portfolio. Even supporters feel “the voucher system – and the upsell when using the vouchers – can be annoying” though, while critics reckon “the food doesn’t live up to the hype, hence the constant discounted offers”.

2023 Review: Kaz Tateishi’s “conscientious and consistent” (and therefore very Japanese) sushi shop with eat-in seats is tucked away in Islington’s cute Camden Passage. A meal here (or taken away in a box) “always feels like money well spent”. There is now a second outlet in Shoreditch.