23 Places You Must Eat Sushi Before You Die

Sushi is expensive, don't get ripped off.

1. Japan Centre

Instagram: @japancentre

Japan Centre is my favourite place in London. Not only do they have a whole shop full of imported Japanese goods (you will find the most amazing instant ramen of your life here), they also easily do some of the best value takeaway sushi in the city. You can get 4 pieces of sushi for about £3 to £4, which is cheaper than most of the UK's bog-standard sushi chains. And it's better quality too.

On a non-sushi related note, they also regularly do a ton of offers on their Japanese foodie products which I would highly recommend checking out.

Location: Piccadilly Circus

2. Maze

Maze

Maze is part of the Gordon Ramsey group, who can usually be trusted to put out really good food. Maze is no exception, and does some bloody good sushi alongside the rest of its french-asian fusion small plates and incredible steaks.

They also do Bottomless Sushi Sundays, which is exactly what it sounds like: £40 a head for all you can eat and drink across an hour and a half. I'm telling you this because I know you guys will be able to do justice to all-you-can-eat sushi. I believe in you.

BTW If you want more bottomless "drunches" (I love this word so much), there's 17 of them here.

Location: Mayfair

3. Zaibatsu

Facebook / Via Facebook: Zaibatsu

Zaibatsu was one of the best things to come from my last relationship – my ex lived about a five minute walk away, and introduced me to this place. Even if you're not local, it is worth the journey to North Greenwich to eat here.

It doesn't look like much (that's an understatement), but that's part of the charm. The food is cheap as chips, and just so tasty. I would advise skipping the mains and instead ordering small plates – specifically the sweet potato croquettes, the nasu goma and the salt and pepper squid – and a few of the bigger sushi rolls. Both the dragon roll and the volcano roll are amazing.

Location: North Greenwich

4. Eat Tokyo

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There are a few things I must tell you about Eat Tokyo. 1. All the bento boxes here are hella good value 2. You must get a sushi bento because it is a sushi bento of dreams (seriously, look at it, that's sushi, tempura, sashimi and chirashi all in one box) 3. If there are enough of you, forget the sushi bento and get a SUSHI BOAT, aka an actual wooden boat filled with sushi.

Location: Soho, Holborn, Notting Hill, Golders Green, Hammersmith, Covent Garden

5. Atari-Ya

sushibaratariya.co.uk

Not only does this place have a chain of restaurants around London that serve classic, high quality sushi, they also supply high quality fish to the rest of London as a fishmonger (this also means they have some of the widest range of sushi toppings in the city). Because if you want fresh fish, you may as well go to the source right?

Location: Ealing Common, Swiss Cottage, Golders Green, Oxford Circus

6. Dozo

Instagram: @valecoghez

When it comes to sushi, I'm a big believer in you get what you pay for. You're not going to find high quality sushi sets or bentos for *that* cheap, because it's sushi, that's just how it works. Except for Dozo. Dozo is the exception.

They do a special lunch set menu for £6.90, and it is literally such a good deal. You can get sushi and sashimi sets that will actually fill you up. There's chirashi, unagi dons, tempura, teriyaki and katsu bentos and ramen, and it is all delicious and all £6.90.

Seriously, I was in two minds about putting this in here, because I go here every week and I like that I'm always able to get a table because not that many people know about it. But I'm telling you anyway because I AM SUCH A GOOD PERSON.

Location: Soho

7. Tetsu

Instagram: @terryong

Not going to lie to you, Tetsu is so expensive it will make you question what you're doing with your life. It's so expensive that sushi is not served in pairs, but as single pieces. But holy shit it is good.

Testu's widely regarded as *the* best sushi in London, and I'm not going to disagree with that. So if you have a spare £100, and want to have the best sushi London has to offer, go here. You have to book a month in advance, but if you're super impatient, put yourself on their waiting list and they'll let you know about any cancellations.

Location: Farringdon

8. Dinings

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Nobu isn't on this list, and that is because I think you're better off going to Dinings (SORRY NOBU) or just paying the extra and going to Tetsu. Nobu may have celebrity sightings a-plenty, but Dinings has former chefs from Nobu that are now doing better things (in my opinion). The food is a new take on Izakaya cusine: essentially Japanese tapas with a European twist.

You'll get incredibly good classic sushi here, but you'll also get nigiri with truffle and miso soup with lobster in it. Sushi purists will hate it, but honestly I know very little that isn't made better with truffle.

9. Yashin

yashinsushi.com

Yashin is just so stylish. It looks stylish and it tastes stylish. The restaurant itself is compact and tasteful, and so is the food (see what I did there?). Each sushi piece is done with its own unique flavouring (either a quick blast from a blow torch, or a delicate scoop of something delicious on top), and can be paired with the kaiseki style tapas on the menu.

Location: South Kensington

10. Shoryu

Instagram: @sisalvoajl

Shoryu is predominantly known for their incredible Tonkotsu ramen, but what a lot of people don't know is that you can get delicious sashimi and sushi as side dishes. 100% would recommend adding onto your next ramen fix.

Location: Soho, Covent Garden, Liverpool Street, Carnaby and Regent Street

11. So

Facebook / Via Facebook: So

So is a very decent, upper-end Japanese restaurant. The things they do best are rolls, tempura bento boxes, and the set lunch menu. It's pricey, yes, but not astronomical, as so many sushi restaurants can be.

Location: Piccadilly Circus

12. Yoshino

Instagram: @certifiednosh

Yoshino is both a restaurant and a delicatessen, so you can either eat in or takeaway your sushi. Like Atari-Ya, Yoshino twigged a while back that having super fresh fish is the key to success – they are also a fishmonger and have a fail-safe supply of truly high-quality fish.

Whether you're eating in or taking away, if you're on a budget you should ignore the a la carte dinner and go for a sushi set lunch. The chirashi sushi is wonderful, as is the rolled sushi assortment.

Location: Mayfair

13. Sake No Hana

Facebook / Via Facebook: SakeNoHana

Ok, first things first. Unless you are a kazillionaire, DO NOT eat a la carte here. It's eye-wateringly expensive.

What you need to do is save up £47 for the Sushi Saturday menu. Yes, £47 on a single meal feels like a punch to the gut BUT you get a cocktail, a half bottle of fancy champagne, and SEVEN courses of food (including dessert). Like, three courses, a cocktail and a half bottle of champagne in London would usually come to way more than that. I think that's a pretty good deal for a swanky meal out in London with all the trimmings.

14. Sasa Sushi

Instagram: @sasasushilondon

An un-presuming little spot in North London, this place doesn't look like much on the outside, but is actually lovely looking when you get in. The fish is fresh, and the sushi good, just don't go for anything too wild on the menu – stick to the classics.

Location: Islington

15. Oka

Facebook / Via Facebook: OkaRestaurant

Please pair the sushi here with other food on the menu– it would be a crime to miss the karaage chicken. Sure, the restaurant isn't that ~authentic~, but they're not trying to be, and i'm cool with that – as long as the food tastes good right?

Location: Kingly Court and Chelsea

16. Chino Latino

Instagram: @ettorega

Apparently asian and latin food are just star-crossed lovers who cannot be kept apart, because there are so many asian-latin fusion restaurants here. So many. Out of the bunch, Chino Latino looks the most sophisticated, and would be great for anyone who craves taquitos alongside their sashimi (me. That person is me).

Location: Vauxhall

17. Sushi Waka

Instagram: @riku_uk

A totally unpretentious restaurant in Camden, this place does bangin' sushi for not that much at all: lunch boxes start from £7.

Location: Camden

18. Misato

Instagram: @ninewisnew

I've been going to Misato for nearly ten years now and in all honesty, it's probably not as good as it was in its mid-2000s hey-day. But it's still some of the most affordable sushi (and Japanese food) you'll find in London, and I'm nothing if not fiercely loyal when it comes to restaurants.

Be prepared to queue to get in, but also be prepared for portions that are absolutely mammoth. No really – to this day they serve the biggest chicken katsu I've ever seen.

Location: Chinatown

19. Chisou

Instagram: @chisoulondon

Impeccably sourced fish served traditionally is what Chisou is good at. Definitely order some sake to go with your sushi, they're also very good at that too.

Location: Knightsbridge and Mayfair

20. Yoobi

Facebook / Via Facebook: loveyoobi

London's first Temaki bar, Yoobi is fun and cheap and tasty. You'll find hand rolls starting from £3.20, and a whole host of interesting Brazilian twists on this classic Japanese food (don't ask me why, it tastes good, just go with it).

Location: Soho

21. Midori

Instagram: @laurendaltonx

A hidden sushi gem in Putney. It's a bit far out, but also they do delivery so if you can't be bothered going all the way out just have them come to you.

Location: Muswell Hill and Putney.

22. Roka

rokarestaurant.com

Roka is by the same group as Zuma – Zuma is very famous and has no prices on its online menu, so I've just assumed I can't afford it. I've been to Roka a few times though, and while it *is* is on the more expensive end of the spectrum, I think it's worth it. The interiors are slick and sexy and I have inappropriate feelings about their crispy prawn and avocado roll.

Location: Mayfair, Charlotte Street, Aldwych, Canary Wharf

23. Chotto Matte

Facebook / Via Facebook: ChottoMatteSoho

Japanese Peruvian fusion. If you haven't tried this kind of fusion, you have not lived. Chotto Matte is the best Japanese Peruvian fusion you'll find in London (to me it's a better value Nobu. SORRY NOBU), and also one of the most surreal dining experiences ever. It's basically multiple floors of glamorous people doing glamorous things and loud music. Which normally I wouldn't like, but it turns out if you just keep feeding me good sushi I'll be happy.

Location: Soho