THE BEST SUSHI YOU CAN FIND IN ROME

Don’t be fooled: sushi is an art, and as such it must be respected. After all, those who love Japanese cuisine know that it is not limited to raw fish in various forms, but that it offers a surprising variety of dishes with raw and cooked ingredients of all kinds; the watchword, however, must be it’s authentic- ity. And, of course, quality. Here then are the most famous and delicious Japanese restaurants in the capital, where Japanese tradition, art and culinary culture come together to offer a real journey to the Far East, with an environment that will welcome you. In short, forget the easy and very fake All you can eat: here we get serious!

Sushisen

Chef Eiji Yamamoto welcomes you to his philosophy of Japanese cuisine, with his Sushisen restaurant, which has been in the capital for eighteen years and is mentioned in the 2022 Michelin Guide. Tradition and creativity go hand in hand in this restaurant, where the ingredients are of the highest quality with attention to seasonality, and where many typical dishes of the Rising Sun are revisited. You can take reserve your seat in the room with the tables, or sit around the counter, with the belt on which the dishes slide. In addition to the menu, you can also enjoy an exclusive course known as Omakase (literally “I trust you”), where the chef will delight customers with refined dishes. Not only sushi and sashimi, but also cooked dishes and meat. He has an excellent list of sake and shochu, a particular Japanese distilled beverage.

Via Giuseppe Giulietti 21A

Hasekura

A small and authentic place with very few seats and where there is the highest respect for original Japanese recipes and where quality is worth more than quantity. The fish is very fresh and local, and comes from Civitavecchia, Anzio or Sardinia. No contaminations or fusions: here you eat as you would eat in Japan, according to the philosophy that has been followed by the restaurant since its opening way back in 1993. The lunch menu formulas are interesting, ranging from 18 to 20 euros, while for dinner there are set menus between 35 and 40 euros per person. The wine list and typical sake are also excellent.

Via dei Serpenti 27

TAKI

If you want to experience something that truly takes you to the Land of the Rising Sun, you have to try Taki: guests here can truly immerse themselves in the Japanese culture as well as cuisine. It starts with the outdoor space designed with bamboo plants, and carries through to the inside’s tra- ditional furniture decorated with original Japanese ceramics. Plants and flowers, both inside and out, follow the course of the seasons.

Here, in addition to hot and cold dishes typical of Japanese cuisine, you can taste the famous and exclusive Japanese Hida Wagyu meat known for its delicious marbling. You can taste it in the form of steak or in the typical “Shabu shabu”, where the thin slices are heated and cooked in boiling broth together with the vegetables. Among other specialties are Kamo Roast duck breast cooked at low temperature and seared with soy, rice vinegar and yuzu.

Via Marianna Dionigi 54-62

Hamasei

We could not fail to suggest the very first Japanese restaurant that opened in Rome in 1974 as a branch of the Tokyo restaurant Kaiseki Hisagoan, and which has become a real institution, and every year finds its place in the inevitable Michelin Guide. In the center of the city, on Via della Mercede, it has 140 seats and all the typical dishes of the Japanese tradition, including various fish carpaccios, such as amberjack or sea bass, grilled lobster, and the Japanese beef is absolutely worth trying.

Also for a quick tasting, the lunch menu at 15 euros which consists of a main course of grilled fish or sushi and sashimi, together with an appetizer is excellent.

Via della Mercede 35-36

Kiko Sushi Bar

In the heart of San Lorenzo, the Kiko Sushi Bar offers cuisine from Chef Atsufumi Kikuchi, known for having combined Japanese and New York traditions. There are 45 seats, but if you want you can also eat at the sushi bar, with the classic belt that carries the dishes.

For those who want a more exclusive experience, we recommend booking the Paradise private room, furnished in a minimal style. There are several set menus for lunch at 25 euros, with sushi, sashimi, tempura and salads, but there are also tasting itineraries and à la carte menus. One of the specialties of the restaurant is a sushi experience directly at home: you choose the menu or leave it to the chef, and Chef Chiho Mikami will prepare the express menu and set the table at your home.

Piazzale del Verano 90