Notting Hill, Japanese - Restaurant Guide

2025 Review: This 15-strong London noodle chain (now with branches in Brighton, Birmingham and Bristol) is “a good stand-by” – perhaps it’s “not as good as some of its competitors”, but it is widely seen as “good value”: in particular “the lunch-time meal deal” is a winner.

“Outstanding sushi and friendly service” in a chic minimalist setting make star-chef Endo Kazutoshi’s Notting Hill venture a very adequate (and significantly cheaper) alternative to his superlative flagship, Endo at the Rotunda. Named after his mother, it features a handrolled ‘temaki’ style of sushi developed by the Kazutoshi family, as well as a selection of hot dishes from the robata grill. Terrace seating is “great for lunch” in warmer weather.

“With its eclectic Mexican/Japanese fusion fare”, this duo of funky bar-restaurants offer a “fun” time as a “great location for drinks and snacks with fabulous cocktails and tacos” and is “especially good if you’re dining with a few people so you can share dishes”. At least that’s what most folks feel about these surprisingly vibey and “buzzy” haunts in Notting Hill and by Liverpool Street station. On the downside, “it is easy to rack up a large bill and service can be erratic”. Where such criticisms are made, it’s mostly concerning the larger, newer EC2 branch (“had a rooftop meal in the City and although we knew it would not be ‘bargain basement’, we felt we were treated like cash-machines to be brought in and moved out again as quickly as possible”). See also Juno and Luna. Top Menu Tip – “nearly everything is gluten-free” and also nut-free.

Chris D’Sylva’s latest project – this tiny, 10-seater Notting Hill sushi bar launched in May 2025 opposite his phenomenally successful Dorian (see also) and here he channels his learnings from his earlier Japanese debuts nearby, Urchin and Tuna Fight Club. The early word on the street is excited, and in his June 2025 review, The Standard’s David Ellis couldn’t have raved much more if he’d tried (“This is fish better than I have ever had it in London…”; “this is London’s best sushi, and a restaurant to go toe-to-toe with any other”). Reports please!

Within Holland Park urban legend ‘The Supermarket of Dreams’ owner Chris d’Sylva (also of Dorian, see also) has installed chef Yuji Shimokawa to run this evening-only pop-up capitalising on the tremendous produce in the store to create a so-now menu of sushi, sashimi, tempura dishes (like venison or quail) and steamed fish and lobster. The venue also hosts the ‘Tuna Fight Club’ – a regular £250 per person night that’s the subject of columns in places like the NY Times: “you watch a giant (about 230kg on the night I went) tuna fish get butchered and eat bits of it as they go”. (To apply for tickets, you now first have to have eaten either at Urchin or Dorian). All feedback so far in our annual diners’ poll says it’s an “exceptional all-round” experience.

2024 Review: After shopping hours, the Supermarket of Dreams in Holland Park Avenue morphs into an upscale Japanese restaurant, with guests seated at a long central table. It started as a pop-up, and announced it was to become a permanent feature in March 2023. Dishes are created by Juan Cardona (formerly of Endo at The Rotunda), and Jaime Finol (formerly of Sumi) and sushi is the mainstay of the menu (as you’d hope, given the stellar renown of both those places in that respect). Reports please!

This “unusual omakase hidden over a Mexican/Japanese bar” in Notting Hill inspires relatively few reports: perhaps not surprising as it only has 6 seats. It’s the passion project sideline for the executive chef, Leonard Tanyag, of the wider Los Mochis business and offers 15 courses for £230 (before drinks) available at 6.00pm and 8.30pm, Tuesday to Friday, and 1.00pm, 6.00pm and 8.30pm on Saturdays. Though limited, feedback thus far is nothing but glowing.

Open in Notting Hill in June 2025, a ‘neo Nikkei omakase’ from a trio of friends who originally developed their take on Japanese/Peruvian cuisine in Lima, adding Chinese and other global influences to the mix. Now they’ve imported the full experience to London, which extends across 11 courses – reports please!