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This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to London
Sake, Japan’s celebrated fermented rice drink, dates back over 2,000 years and is a key part of the country’s regional and cultural heritage. Following the explosion of interest in Japanese cuisine around the world, sake — known in Japan as nihonshu (Japansese alcohol) — is also growing in popularity: its export value has doubled in the past 20 years and there are now more than 40 sake breweries outside of Japan (including three in the UK).
Despite its decline in popularity among younger Japanese generations, many breweries have found international success by creating a range of diverse styles that appeal to both traditionalists and and the more adventurous, from sparkling, cloudy and low abv (alcohol by volume) sakes to fresh Nama (unpasteurised), pure and bright Ginjo, rich and bold Kimoto Junmai and sweet Kijoshu.
Sake can be served chilled, at ambient room temperature, and warm or hot, according to the season or the food it is paired with. And with an abv hovering just a few per cent above that of wine, but about half that of spirits, it is becoming fashionable as a lower-alcohol alternative in cocktails such as Bloody Marys, highballs or martinis.
London is one of the best places to drink sake outside of Japan. In bars and restaurants across the capital, you can now taste a wide variety of quality sakes in cocktails, paired with food or as a digestif. Some restaurants are serving it as an accompaniment to a variety of cuisines too — with oysters at Oystermen in Covent Garden and with crudo-style dishes at Mayfair fusion restaurant Humo. The two-Michelin-starred west African restaurant Ikoyi pairs turbot and egushi miso with honeyed brioche with Kongiku Snow Crescent Nama Nigori sake, which harmonises the texture of the food with its bright citrus notes. Its signature smoked jollof rice is matched with Daruma Masamune, a sake aged for five years, which brings out the dish’s complex umami flavours.
In order to make it on to this list, the establishments below had to meet four criteria: a diverse (although not necessarily large) selection of sake highlighting subtlety, purity and the expressiveness of each producer; an atmosphere conducive to trying something new and different from your ordinary drink choices; engaging and knowledgeable staff; and delicious food that works perfectly with sake. Here are the six that made the cut.
Ikoyi
180 Strand, London WC2R 1EA (Tube: Temple/Holborn)
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Good for: Perfect for very special occasions
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Not so good for: The selection of sakes available by the glass is small (seven varieties). The menu is very extensive (and expensive) — come prepared in terms of appetite, time and wallet
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Opening times: Monday–Tuesday, 6pm–8pm; Wednesday–Friday, noon–1.30pm and 6pm–8pm. Booking required (reservations released on the 1st of every month)
This two-Michelin-starred restaurant opened by Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale was recently listed number 42 in The World’s Best 50 Restaurants. Chef Chan is constantly pushing culinary boundaries with his artistic and analytical approach, incorporating west African ingredients to create original, elegant, even provocative dishes. His umami-led, exquisitely flavoured and spiced cooking works incredibly with sake. Go for the tasting menu (£350) with sake pairing (£180) — a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Kwãnt Mayfair
52 Stratton Street, London W1J 8LN (Tube: Green Park)
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Good for: A wonderful spot for aperitifs and after-dinner sake
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Not so good for: The sake selection is neat but quite small. Ask them to expand it!
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Opening times: Daily, 4pm-1.30am. No booking required for drinks but required for the seasonally changing tasting menu
This stylish bar has an extensive menu of cocktails, vintage spirits and — the most recent addition — a small list of five sakes, available by the glass. Founder Erik Lorincz (former head bartender at The Savoy’s American Bar) and bar manager Gento Torigata recently visited Japan together and decided to include sake on their menu to please adventurous mixology fans. In Japan sake is commonly drunk with food, but because of its diverse flavour profiles there are many styles that work perfectly as an aperitif (sparkling sake and aromatic Daiginjo, for example) and as a digestif (such as aged Koshu and sweet Kijoshu categories).
The decor is elegantly tropical with a large open central bar that has a tiny Zen garden in the middle. Sit at the counter to witness the white-jacketed bartenders in action as they whip up a refreshing Thin Man — a mix of Hendrick’s gin, lacto-fermented cucumber with Takashimizu Junmai sake, champagne and sea salt. Kwãnt manages to combine elegance, fun and serious expertise in one.
Roketsu
12 New Quebec Street, London W1H 7RW (Tube: Marble Arch)
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Good for: An authentic Japanese dining experience and a stellar 70+ sake range selected by its sommelier, Ryosuke Mashio
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Not so good for: The 10-course kaiseki menu costs £190, with sake and wine-pairing menus starting at £95 (but they are worth it)
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Opening times: Tuesday–Wednesday, 6pm–10pm; Thursday–Saturday, noon–2pm and 6pm–10pm. Booking required (the downstairs Bo-sen lounge accepts walk-ins)
Chef Daisuke Hayashi trained in Kikunoi, an iconic Kyoto restaurant that is over a century old and has three Michelin stars. At Roketsu, he offers an intricate and authentic kaiseki tasting menu with a particular emphasis on seasonality. It changes every month to showcase the freshest produce, and meticulous attention is paid to the presentation of dishes. Tableware is even linked to seasonal colours and Japanese cultural events such as the Doll Festival in March, or cherry blossom season in April.
Assembled by Kyoto’s Nakamura Sotoji Komuten, who specialise in traditional Sukiya-style architecture, the space is elegant and exclusive, with a beautiful 10-seater counter made from 300-year-old hinoki cypress wood. Downstairs, the Bo-sen lounge offers a more relaxing, private atmosphere to enjoy sake by the glass from a 70-plus-strong menu — perfect for before or after your meal — and some à la carte dishes.
Sake Collective
144 Commercial Street, London E1 6NU (Overground: Shoreditch High Street)
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Good for: Great range of sakes to take home or try by the glass
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Not so good for: No food is served (except at pairing events) and it closes early
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Opening times: Tuesday–Saturday, 1pm–9pm
This shop and bar specialises in sake and other drinks from Japan. Its imported range of 100-plus sakes, shochu and fruit-based liquors come from independent producers. You can purchase them by the bottle or try them by the glass — supervisor Satoshi Hirasaki and his knowledgeable team are more than happy to help you with your choice. Sake Collective also occasionally hosts tastings.
Kanpai
48 Druid Street, London SE1 2EZ (Tube: London Bridge)
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Good for: Friendly and attentive staff, a cosy local vibe and delicious, freshly brewed Nama (unpasteurised) sake on tap
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Not so good for: As children and dogs are welcome (although they are great company), it’s perhaps not for anyone seeking a quieter environment for sake tasting
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Opening times: Wednesday–Thursday, 5pm–10pm (happy hour, 5pm–7pm); Friday, 5pm–10.30pm; Saturday, noon–10.30pm; Sunday, noon–7pm
Previously based in Peckham, Kanpai founders Tom and Lucy Wilson relocated their sake brewery — the UK’s first — to the Bermondsey Beer Mile last year, introducing the drink to this south London craft beer, cider and gin scene. Visit its taproom to try British sake — the mezzanine has a viewing platform over the brewery, which offers tours on Saturdays, followed by a sake tasting.
Since the Wilsons began making sake in 2016, their team has expanded to six. This year they were awarded a gold medal at the IWC (International Wine Challenge) for their aged Kura 2020, a sweet style of sake. You can taste around 10 sakes on tap by the glass, and the entire range is available by the bottle to take home. The kitchen does casual izakaya-style dishes such as a katsu sando “dunker” (toasted pork or tofu sandwich with a pot of curry sauce for dipping) and homemade gyoza.
Takagiya
102 Fortune Green Rd, London NW6 1DS (Tube: West Hampstead)
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Good for: Home cooking-style hearty dishes paired wonderfully with a choice of 20-plus sakes. Best neighbourhood option for affordable sake evenings
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Not so good for: It’s a small family restaurant, and you may have to wait a little longer for food to arrive. Also no space for drinks-only guests.
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Opening times: Wednesday–Friday, 6pm–11pm; Saturday, noon–2pm and 6pm–11pm. Booking advised
This cosy and unpretentious local eatery in West Hampstead is run by husband-and-wife team Makoto and Yuko Takagi. Chef Makoto spent many years at London’s Zuma and often travels to Japan for inspiration for food and drinks.
The à la carte menu consists of simple yet delicious dishes such as seared yellowtail tataki with ponzu sauce and chopped shiso; nasu dengaku — grilled aubergines with saikyo and hatcho miso sauce; and fillet beef steak with Takagiya wafu sauce and yuzu mayo. The sake menu highlights small artisanal and exclusive sake brands. More than half are available by the glass or carafe, and you can buy them all by the bottle.
Natsuki Kikuya is a sake sommelier and the founder of Museum of Sake
Where do you go to enjoy sake in London? Tell us in the comments below. And follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter
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