Harden's survey result
Summary
“A showcase for good Japanese cuisine” – the first-floor restaurant in Kensington’s Japan House cultural centre wins particular praise for its “lovely Japanese afternoon tea”. Fans also say it’s “consistently excellent” for more substantial meals – with a “sake menu that’s worth a visit in its own right” – but it can also “feel expensive” for what is delivered.
Summary
“Exquisite” (or “expensive”?) is the apposite word to describe a meal at the first-floor restaurant of the Japan House cultural centre on Kensington High Street, where tableware and presentation are given equal billing with the food. “The bento boxes are beautiful”, too.
Summary
“A revelation!” – the “pricey-but-good” first-floor restaurant (or better still “the private tatami mat dining room”) at Kensington’s Japan House cultural centre serves “food close to what you eat in Japan” alongside an extensive sake menu, and “everything is beautifully presented”. “Quite apart from the food, the entire experience in the building and the Japanese welcome make a visit worthwhile”.
Summary
“This showcase of Japanese culture” – an upmarket restaurant within the Japanese government’s Japan House cultural centre in Kensington’s former Derry & Toms department store building – “delivers an on-the-whole good dining experience”, which includes “beautiful food, beautifully presented and it’s all delicious”. The main caveat is that it is “a little pricey” Top Tip: “the sake menu is worthy of the cultural centre”.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Akira at Japan House?
101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £85.00 |  |
|
|
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £8.50 | £29.00 | £8.50 | £10.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £43.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 15.00% |
101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑6 pm |
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