The World's 25 Best Sushi Places Outside Japan
Sushi is an addiction that has conquered the world in the last 50 years. Here is our list of the 25 top sushi places, outside Japan.
New York
Bar Masa
Masa, the main restaurant, is undoubtedly one of the top sushi places globally – but with a hefty price tag of US$450 for the full menu, you are better off visiting Bar Masa next door to treat yourself to a US$50 omakase at the same quality. barmasanyc.com
Sushi Yasuda
It’s the purest of all sushi bars: bamboo, wood and nothing else, apart from excellent seafood – incredibly, one can even choose between seven grades of tuna fattiness. The best place for a sushi lunch in midtown Manhattan. sushiyasuda.com
Sushi Yasuda
It’s the purest of all sushi bars: bamboo, wood and nothing else, apart from excellent seafood – incredibly, one can even choose between seven grades of tuna fattiness. The best place for a sushi lunch in midtown Manhattan. sushiyasuda.com
San Francisco
Akiko
If you want to visit only one sushi place in San Francisco, choose this one. Seafood comes from local fishermen or is flown in from Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market. Don’t stop at their nigiris, make sure to have their famous rolls: negitoro with tuna belly, spring onion, pickled and sesame. akikosrestaurant.com
Los Angeles
Matsuhisa
Nobu Matsuhisa’s entry in the sushi gourmet world helped him to meet investor Robert De Niro and found the Nobu chain. But his original restaurant in Beverly Hills is still the place to be in L.A. – see him and indulge in his Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. matsuhisabeverlyhills.com
Vancouver
Minami
The sister restaurant of the famous, but pricy Miku – same genuine quality, but for a US$50 bargain you get seven gourmet nigiris, two rolls and soy-steak plus a yuzu chocolate brownie. minamirestaurant.com
London
Dinings SW 3
In the heart of Chelsea you will find the outstanding cuisine of Chef Sugisaki, enjoy fatty tuna, Cornish lobster and black cod – try to reserve your seats at the six-place sushi counter. diningssw3.co.uk
Kiku
It’s London’s oldest family restaurant, in the middle of Mayfair. Kiku is offering 29 different nigiris from razor clam to abalone. Plus, all the menus are under £100 for thirteen courses. kikurestaurant.co.uk
Paris
Sushi B
One of the most sophisticated sushi places in Paris, just across from the National Library. Calm, serious, zen decor, minimalistic atmosphere, everything is impeccable – from the sushi to the crockery. sushi-b-fr.com
Sushi Okuda
Chef Okuda was originally trained in Koju, the best sushi place in Tokyo – and you can taste it. You cannot get closer to Japanese culture, not only in terms of the food, because flowers, plants, textiles and architecture result in a Gesamtkunstwerk. sushiokuda.com
Brussels
Kamo
At a little distance from the EU campus, but worth the trip to Ixelles for a bento box or a sushi dinner. They also prepare probably the best take-away for anyone who wants to feed friends and colleagues at home. You never know when the next lockdown may come round. restaurant-kamo.be
Berlin
Sasaya
Of course, choosing one of the many Berlin sushi places comes down to personal preference. But if you want intimacy and quality head to this small sushi studio at Prenzlauer Berg – it’s not chichi, it’s just very good. sasaya-berlin.de
Düsseldorf
Yabase
Düsseldorf is home to Germany’s largest Japanese community and therefore the best city to enjoy sushi. Medium-priced Yabase specialises in eel and serves twenty inventive nigiri from yellowtail to foie gras. yabase-ddf.com
Vienna
Shiki
Violinist and conductor Joji Hattori has created the best sushi place not only in town but in the whole of Austria. Try before or after the opera, you won’t regret it – and ask for the six-seater kitchen table to watch the chefs prepare your dinner. shiki.at
Zurich
Makoto
Zurich’s best sushi place is hidden away in the industrial quarter of town – 20 minutes from the main railway station. It is worth the trek; the Swiss owners work with Japanese precision. Try the crunchy roll and choose one of the sakes to accompany your meal. makoto.ch
Madrid
99 Sushi Bar
With four locations – Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Marbella – 99 is the local hero of sushi in Spain. They are innovative too, there is sushi toro flambé with tomato purée or shrimp with wasabi mayonnaise. 99sushibar.com
Moscow
Tokyo Sushi
You can choose between the flagship Tokyo restaurant and the more intimate Tokyo sushi bar in the central market. Seafood is flown in from the Russian Pacific, from Japan and France – certainly the best sushi on offer in the Russian capital. tokyosushibar.ru
Bangkok
Sushi Misaki
Chef Misaki mixes Japanese and Thai flavours and techniques but there is no reason to fear this fusion, in the end it is Tokyo-style. You will love this fun place in Sukhumvit with its lively ten-seater bar. bandaragroup.com
Singapore
Hashida Sushi
You have to make a personal choice between the many excellent sushi opportunities in Singapore. At Hashida you get all kinds of different flavours with your seafood sushi – fresh, aged, smoked, roasted, with yuzu, you name it. hashida.sg
Hong Kong
Sushi Saito
This Hong Kong branch of the famous Tokyo Saito restaurant is located in the Four Seasons hotel, and is of the same quality. Book weeks ahead in order to nab a seat and if you are able to secure your own sushi room, chefs will teach you how to make sushi at home. fourseasons.com
Sydney
Sashimi Shinsengumi
As the name suggests, the speciality here is sashimi, and you won’t find it fresher anywhere. But that doesn’t diminish the excellent sushi. You will become a return customer to this eatery in the North Shore suburb of Crows Nest. sashimi-shinsengumi.business.site
Melbourne
Minamishama
You can sit at the counter, in the dining room or in two private rooms for family or business occasions – the choice is yours. The sushi is served on lacquered plates, thirteen nigiris for a mere AU$50. minamishima.com.au
Rio De Janeiro
Sushi Leblon
This is the place where the rich and famous flock to because of the ambiance and the quality, the best in Rio. Go for the sushi, but also for fusion cuisine like tuna with foie gras and wasabi. sushileblon.com
Global Chains
Of course, there are famous chains which serve great sushi all over the world. Two are outstanding:
Nobu
Forty nine locations from New York to Dubai. The brainchild of Nobu Matsuhita and Robert De Niro is known for sushi, tiraditos and the famous miso cod, often imitated, but best at Nobu.
ZUMA
Founded by the Anglo-German chef Rainer Becker. 16 locations from London to Mykonos, offering the most diverse selection of nigiris and rolls plus delicious Asian specialities.
Sushi Code
Sushi has just three simple rules:
1. Eat it with your fingers or chop sticks – do not divide or destroy it, one bite is best.
2. Especially in the west, people like to dip their finely-tuned sushi into soy sauce and wasabi – don’t. If you really want to have more soy sauce, put some drops on the fishy side, never on the rice, which will soak it up and destroy the delicately calibrated aroma.
3. Entering the sushi bar, greet the chef with a friendly nod and pay respect to him – never forget, he is an artist.
Oslo
Omakase by Vladimir Pak
Probably the best Northern sushi bar, Edo-mae style – Edo is the former name of Tokyo and mae stands for local. And local it is: all the fish comes from Norwegian waters, great stuff. omakaseoslo.no