Omakase in Marylebone: chef’s choice, your rules
Aki is a contemporary Japanese omakase restaurant at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA. Reimagining the traditional counter experience,...
Aki is a contemporary Japanese omakase restaurant at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA. Reimagining the traditional counter experience, Aki serves architectural shared omakase platters featuring wild bluefin tuna, Scottish salmon, hand-pressed Edomae nigiri (from £24), and sashimi selections (from £38.50).
The traditional omakase restaurant in London is often defined by a rigid script: a silent Hinoki wood counter, a hushed room, and a slow succession of single bites served over three hours. While that ritual has its place, modern London diners increasingly seek the mastery of a chef’s selection in a vibrant, social atmosphere. At Aki, located in a Grade II-listed former bank in Cavendish Square, we have reimagined the experience: the day’s finest seasonal catch arrives as an architectural omakase platter at your table, designed to be shared, enjoyed at your own pace, and paired with fine wine, sake, or cocktails alongside resident DJ sets.
THE TAKE
Social omakase in London: Aki’s shared platters in Marylebone
Aki offers an accessible, social omakase experience in Central London, minutes from Oxford Circus and Bond Street. Instead of an isolated counter service, our head chef composes the day’s finest seasonal catch into shared dining platters that combine Edomae precision with a lively West End atmosphere.
Available as sashimi omakase (9 to 21 pieces, from £38.50) or hand-pressed nigiri omakase (6 to 32 pieces, from £24), every selection is curated daily using Spanish and Portuguese wild bluefin tuna, Scottish salmon, hamachi, seabream, aged red akasu rice, and our house 30-year-aged soy sauce. Enjoy world-class Japanese sushi without counter rigidity at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone.
Reservations: Tables for our omakase lunch and dinner service can be reserved directly via SevenRooms.
The tradition
What is omakase? Meaning, origin, and the Aki approach
Omakase (お任せ) is a Japanese phrase that translates directly to “I leave it up to you.” Rooted in Edo-period sushi dining, it represents an act of complete trust: the diner yields control of the menu to the sushi master, who selects the finest seasonal seafood available at morning fish markets.
How Aki delivers a social omakase in London:
- Shared table service: Enjoy a chef-curated selection as an architectural centrepiece rather than a procession of isolated bites
- Your pace, your evening: Savor each cut at your own speed without the rigid timing of a counter tasting menu
- Accessible scale: From an introductory 6-piece selection (£24) to an extravagant 32-piece grand platter (£115), choose the exact scale for your table
- Authentic Edomae foundation: Sourced with wild bluefin tuna, aged akasu sushi rice, fresh grated root wasabi, and 30-year-aged soy
- Vibrant dining room: Serious sushi craft paired with creative cocktails, rare sakes, and late-night lounge music at Kiyori
Why Aki is redefining the omakase restaurant experience in London
Trust
Mastery without pretension
You place your evening in the hands of our master sushi chefs without the pressure of a quiet counter. The kitchen maintains rigorous knife work while you relax and converse freely.
Abundance
A composed platter, not a drip-feed
Instead of eighteen individual courses stretched across three hours, the day’s finest catch arrives as a breathtaking presentation, allowing your party to explore flavors together.
Provenance
Pristine sustainable sourcing
Portuguese and Spanish wild bluefin tuna, Scottish hand-dived scallops, fresh Shizuoka-style root wasabi, and house-brewed aged soy. Every element reflects patient craftsmanship.
Atmosphere
Heritage room, West End energy
Resident DJs curate an ambient soundtrack that builds through the evening. Exceptional sushi, artisanal sakes, and signature cocktails in a converted banking hall.
The anatomy of Aki’s London omakase platters
At Aki, every omakase platter is a balanced culinary composition. Our chefs arrange each cut to guide your palate from delicate white fish to rich, marbled tuna and umami-dense finishes.
The seafood
Wild bluefin tuna and seasonal catch
Our chefs source wild bluefin tuna across the marbling spectrum: lean, ruby akami; rich, buttery chu-toro; and melt-in-the-mouth o-toro. Alongside it, Scottish salmon, yellowtail hamachi, seabream, and sweet Botan ebi represent the peak of seasonal sourcing.
The shari
Aged akasu seasoned sushi rice
Great sushi requires perfect rice. Our shari is cooked to an exact bite, conditioned to human body temperature, and seasoned with traditional aged red sake lees vinegar (akasu) for rounded acidity and umami.
The finishing touch
30-year aged soy and fresh root wasabi
Every piece of nigiri is brushed tableside with our house-matured 30-year-aged soy sauce. Grated fresh root wasabi adds a clean herbal aroma, while oscietra caviar and creamy sea urchin (uni) provide luxurious salinity.
Omakase menu options: sashimi and nigiri selections
Purity of the cut
Sashimi omakase platter
9 pcs £38.50 | 15 pcs £76.50 | 21 pcs £104.50
A pure expression of the morning catch, sliced to order and served over crushed ice with fresh root wasabi and aged soy. Focused entirely on knife technique and raw freshness without rice.
- Wild bluefin tuna — akami, chu-toro, o-toro
- Scottish salmon, Japanese hamachi, line-caught seabream, and saba
- Garnished with ikura salmon roe and oscietra caviar
- Accompanied by fresh root wasabi and 30-year aged soy
Best for: Light luxury dining, power lunches, and low-carb dining.
The Edomae journey
Nigiri omakase platter
6 pcs £24 | 18 pcs £70 | 32 pcs £115
Hand-pressed Edomae nigiri draped with precision over warm, akasu-seasoned rice. From accessible dining to a grand 32-piece feast, this is the definitive shared sushi experience in Marylebone.
- Spanish and Portuguese bluefin tuna flights
- Hamachi, Scottish salmon, seabream, and sweet freshwater unagi
- Luxury accents of Miyazaki A4 wagyu, ikura, and oscietra caviar
- Brushed with 30-year aged soy tare
Best for: Date nights, client entertaining, and group omakase dining.
Table reservations
Book your shared omakase experience in Marylebone
Experience world-class sushi craft in a vibrant Marylebone setting. Enjoy hand-pressed nigiri, sashimi platters, artisanal sake, and signature cocktails at 1 Cavendish Square.
Pairing drinks with omakase at Cavendish Square
Unlike rigid counter services that mandate fixed beverage pairings, dining at Aki gives you the freedom to explore our sommelier-curated sake cellar, fine wines, and mixology program.
Curated sake & wine
Artisanal junmai and mineral whites
Our cellar spans rare regional sakes from Hyogo and Niigata alongside crisp Chablis, mineral white Burgundies, and vintage Champagnes that lift the richness of o-toro and caviar.
Japanese mixology
Cocktails and rare whiskies
Pair delicate sashimi with our yuzu-infused highballs, or descend to Kiyori in our bank vault after dinner for rare Japanese single malts and late-night drinks.
Accessible luxury: lunch and dinner omakase near Mayfair
Traditional multi-course omakase services frequently take two to three hours, making them difficult for corporate lunches or spontaneous dinners. Aki’s platter presentation offers total schedule flexibility.
The Marylebone lunch
Efficient power dining
Because our omakase arrives as a complete composition, business guests can enjoy a Michelin-standard sushi lunch within 45 to 60 minutes without feeling rushed.
The evening anchor
A vibrant celebration
By night, our omakase platter becomes the centerpiece of an extended evening. Combined with robata dishes and cocktails, it provides effortless group dining without ordering friction.
Plan your visit
Omakase dining details: Aki Marylebone
- Address: 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA (Two minutes from Oxford Circus and Bond Street Elizabeth Line).
- Service hours: Lunch and dinner seven days a week from 12:00 PM. Late-night dining Thursday to Saturday until 2:00 AM.
- Pricing: Nigiri omakase from £24 (6 pcs) to £115 (32 pcs); Sashimi omakase from £38.50 (9 pcs) to £104.50 (21 pcs).
- Atmosphere: High-ceilinged Grade II-listed former bank hall featuring resident DJ sets on weekends.
- Dietary flexibility: Let our reservations team know of shellfish or fish allergies upon booking so our sushi masters can adjust the platter.
- Table bookings: Advance reservations recommended via SevenRooms.
The modern standard for omakase in Central London
Omakase dining in London should celebrate both exceptional Japanese craft and the pleasure of conversation. At Aki, you enjoy masterfully sourced wild bluefin tuna, conditioned akasu rice, and aged tare sauces on your own timeline. Reserve your table at 1 Cavendish Square and discover social omakase in Marylebone.
Aki London is a design-led Japanese restaurant set inside a converted Grade II-listed former bank at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone W1G 0LA. Renowned for its social omakase platters, Aki also serves binchotan-fired robata, certified Kobe beef (License No. 2077), and seasonal sashimi. Downstairs, Kiyori occupies the original bank vault with craft cocktails and live DJs Thursday to Saturday. Open seven days a week from 12:00 PM.
Reserve your table
Experience London’s premier shared omakase at Aki
Reserve your table for lunch or dinner at 1 Cavendish Square and experience chef-curated nigiri and sashimi platters in the heart of Marylebone.
Frequently asked questions about omakase in London
Everything you need to know about pricing, ingredients, and reservations at Aki
What does omakase mean in Japanese?
Omakase (お任せ) translates to “I leave it up to you” in Japanese. In culinary tradition, it means entrusting the sushi chef to select, prepare, and serve the freshest seasonal fish sourced from the market that day.
How much does omakase cost in London?
Traditional counter omakase in London typically ranges from £150 to over £400 per person. Aki provides an accessible luxury alternative: our hand-pressed nigiri omakase starts from £24 (6 pieces) up to £115 (32-piece grand sharing feast), while our sashimi omakase ranges from £38.50 (9 pieces) to £104.50 (21 pieces).
How is Aki’s social omakase different from a traditional sushi counter?
Traditional omakase seats 8 to 12 diners at a quiet wooden counter where individual courses are placed one by one over two to three hours. Aki serves omakase as an architectural sharing platter at your table, allowing guests to converse, share, and enjoy premium sushi at their own pace in a lively room with music and cocktails.
What seafood is included in Aki’s omakase platters?
Our head chef curates daily selections featuring wild Spanish and Portuguese bluefin tuna (akami, chu-toro, and o-toro), Scottish salmon, Japanese yellowtail (hamachi), line-caught seabream, Botan ebi, unagi, and luxury accents of oscietra caviar, uni, and Miyazaki A4 wagyu.
Can I book omakase for a group or date night?
Yes. Unlike counter-only sushi bars that limit parties to 2 or 4 guests, Aki’s table-service platters are ideal for romantic dates, corporate power lunches, and group celebrations. Advance booking via SevenRooms is recommended.
Where is Aki located and how do I get there?
Aki is located at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA, just a two-minute walk from Oxford Circus and Bond Street (Central, Jubilee, Bakerloo, and Elizabeth lines) stations.
