6 japanese rooms worth the trip across United Kingdom, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United Kingdom.
Koya ★ 4.7 · London
soho · 50 Frith Street, London W1D 4SQ
John Devitt's hand-pulled udon counter on Frith Street in Soho London, opened 2010, runs the city's most serious Japanese noodle kitchen. Priced at ££.
Tip: Walk-up only. Doors open 12:00; arrive at 11:45 for first sittings without a wait. Closed Sundays.
Noto ★ 4.5 · Edinburgh
new-town · 47a Thistle Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DY
Stuart Ralston's Thistle Street dining room in New Town Edinburgh, opened in 2019, a Japanese-inflected small-plates kitchen in a former townhouse basement.
Tip: Bar seats look directly onto the sushi pass. Stuart's other rooms, Aizle and Tipo, sit within a four-minute walk.
Noto ★ 4.5 · Edinburgh
new-town · 47a Thistle Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DY
Stuart Ralston's Thistle Street basement in New Town Edinburgh, opened 2019, a Japanese-inflected small-plates kitchen with sashimi, rice and fermented sides.
Tip: Counter seats look directly onto the sushi pass. Lunchtime bento sets are £25 and the best New Town lunch deal.
Harajuku Kitchen ★ 4.4 · Edinburgh
bruntsfield-morningside · 10 Gillespie Place, Edinburgh EH10 4HS
Kaori Simpson's Bruntsfield Japanese kitchen on Gillespie Place in Edinburgh, opened in 2013, a family-run kaiseki and izakaya room cooking authentic Tokyo.
Tip: The Bruntsfield branch is the original; the Stockbridge offshoot is brighter but the south-side room takes more walk-ins.
Nippon Kitchen ★ 4.1 · Glasgow
city-centre · 91 West George Street, Glasgow G2 1PB
Nippon Kitchen is a City Centre Japanese restaurant in a grand West George Street building in Glasgow, running teppanyaki grills, sushi and bento at lunch.
Tip: The lunchtime bento boxes are the best-value way into the menu before the pricier evening service.
Nanakusa ★ 4.0 · Glasgow
city-centre · 441 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3LG
Nanakusa is a City Centre Japanese grill on Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, turning out ramen, sushi and robata skewers to a steady after-work crowd.
Tip: It is one of the few kitchens on this stretch open through the afternoon, handy for a late lunch.