Instagrammable restaurants in London: inside Aki in Marylebone
Ask anyone for an instagrammable restaurant in London and the same few names come up. Aki isn’t one of them, at least, not yet, and that’s exactly why it’s worth knowing about.
THE TAKE
Aki: the most instagrammable restaurant in Marylebone
Aki (@akilondon) is a Japanese restaurant inside a converted Grade II listed bank on Cavendish Square, Marylebone, designed by Francis Sultana with soaring ceilings, marble surfaces throughout, and a hidden cocktail lounge, Kiyori, set inside the building’s former bank vault. The menu leans into the same theatrical instinct as the room, with dishes like the blue fin tuna tartare with oscietra caviar and a Kobe sirloin seared tableside. On Saturday evenings, a live DJ plays in the main dining room. It’s become one of the most photographed restaurants in the area, not because it tries to be, but because very little here was left to chance.
There’s a particular kind of restaurant that exists purely for the follow up question: “wait, where is this?” Aki is that restaurant. Set inside a converted Grade II listed bank on Cavendish Square, it was built by people who understand that a room this good deserves food that can hold its own against it. If you’re the kind of guest who plans a table around the shot before the starter arrives, this is your Marylebone address.
Forget quiet, hushed fine dining. Aki trades in reveals, a tuna tartare topped with oscietra caviar, a Kobe sirloin with marbling you can see from across the table, a wagyu tataki finished tableside with truffle ponzu. This is a restaurant that understands theatre is not a gimmick when the craft underneath it is real. Nothing here was left to chance, least of all the plate in front of you.
The in the know address
Aki London: where Marylebone’s most photographed table sits inside a former bank
Cavendish Square isn’t where you’d expect to find the room everyone’s been quietly talking about. Aki keeps a low profile from the street, but inside, it’s a different story.
What earns Aki its reputation:
- A gallery of a room: original contemporary art curated to turn every table into its own private view – meet the artists
- A Grade II listed setting: soaring ceilings and marble surfaces inside a former banking hall
- Kiyori downstairs: the restaurant’s original bank vault, now a cocktail lounge behind steel doors
- A menu built to be noticed: dishes designed to draw a reaction the moment they land on the table
- Theatrical plating: a tuna tartare with oscietra caviar, a Kobe sirloin seared tableside
- Newly Michelin listed: added to the Michelin Guide less than a year after opening
- Address: 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA. Two minutes from Oxford Circus and Bond Street (Elizabeth Line).
Why Aki has become the room everyone’s talking about
The crowd
Where the in the know table sits
Aki has quickly become the kind of place regulars mention quietly rather than shout about, the sort of address that circulates by word of mouth among people who already know where to eat in London.
The reveal
Built for the wow moment
Certain dishes here are engineered to get a reaction the second they land, the caviar topped tartare, the seared Kobe, the smoking robata plates. This is food that announces itself.
The setting
A former bank, reimagined
Marble runs through nearly every surface of the room, from the entrance floor to the dining hall to the sculptural bar counters, a defining material chosen to shape both form and atmosphere across the space.
The craft
Serious enough to back up the drama
The showpiece dishes aren’t style over substance, they’re built on genuine technique, 30 year aged soy, binchotan grilling, and ingredients most kitchens wouldn’t attempt.
The dishes and cocktails built to get a reaction
Some plates are quietly excellent. These are not those plates. Every item below was chosen for the shot it creates the moment it lands on the table, not just the moment you taste it.
The centrepiece
Blue fin tuna tartare
£26
Nuka pickle, oscietra caviar, puffed brown rice, finished with 30 year old soy.
The instagram shot: the caviar catches the light the moment it’s spooned on, and it doesn’t last long enough on the table to get a second take.
The rarity
Kobe Japanese sirloin
£170
Authentic Kobe beef, 140g, certified by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, a certification held by only a handful of restaurants in the UK, seared to let the marbling speak for itself.
The instagram shot: the marbling alone tells you this isn’t wagyu adjacent branding. It’s the real thing, and the room knows it.
The rare pour
Oscietra caviar
£54
Served simply, so nothing distracts from it.
The instagram shot: a small dark mound of it against a plain plate is one of the most restrained, most photographed things on the menu.
The texture play
Fuji wagyu beef tataki
£24
Beer mustard pickles, Japanese chives, brown butter truffle ponzu.
The instagram shot: the contrast of seared edge against raw centre makes this one of the most photographed dishes on the menu before it’s even the most talked about.
The lacquered plate
Caramelised black cod
£38
Shio koji den miso, nuka cucumber, finished with Japanese herbs and yuzu dashi.
The instagram shot: the caramelised glaze catches the room’s lantern light like lacquer, one of the most photographed plates on the table.
The showpiece cocktail
Tōkaiden
£20
Mizuho mild five year awamori infused with kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, Okinawa citrus liqueur, sansho leaves cordial, Japanese bitters.
The instagram shot: ordered as much for the way it arrives at the table as for what’s in the glass.
The citrus showstopper
Yuzukō
£16
Kiyomi Japanese rum, El Dorado 3 rum, La Yuzu liqueur, lime juice, grapefruit bitters, yuzu air foam. Green sugar cane – yuzu – vibrant.
Non-alcoholic version: Yuzubai (£12) – Tanqueray 0.0 infused coffee bean, coffee cordial, homemade yuzu soda. Roasted – silky citrus – fizzy.
The instagram shot: the yuzu air foam sits like a cloud over the glass, a cocktail designed to land with as much presence as the plates around it.
The grand finale
The Black Pearl
£20
Smoked white chocolate & vodka cremeux, kristal caviar, nori opaline, dark chocolate Japanese rice.
The instagram shot: a dark, glossy sphere that cracks open to reveal layers of smoke, chocolate, and the unexpected pop of caviar. Designed for two spoons and a moment of silence.
The reaction table
Some restaurants serve dinner. Aki serves a moment.
From caviar spooned tableside to Kobe beef seared to order, this is a menu built for the table that wants more than just a good meal. Come and see what the fuss is about.
Beyond the dining room: dinner and drinks at Aki
The vault
A second room few know about
Downstairs, Kiyori occupies the restaurant’s original bank vault. Regulars know to save room for a drink there after dinner.
The culture
A room that draws its own crowd
From an encounter with artist Yoshirotten during Frieze week to quiet regulars who simply know the room, Aki attracts the kind of guest who notices detail.
The staff
Service that knows exactly what it’s serving
Our floor team, Stefano, Eduardo, Charan and the rest, understand the theatre of the menu and pace each course so the reveal lands exactly when it should.
The follow-up
One visit is never quite enough
Between the seasonal menu changes and the sheer range of showpiece dishes, most regulars are already planning their next visit before the first is over.
Why London’s design press and diners can’t stop photographing Aki
The design press has taken notice too. MaltaToday called the interiors a study in “a careful balance of light, texture, and materiality, with marble forming a defining element of the architectural expression,” while Hospitality & Catering News described the space as “a bold European-Japanese fusion design” that preserves the building’s historic grandeur while layering in Japanese-inspired artistry.
“At first glance, the establishment looked more like an exclusive private club than a restaurant. The ambiance deserves special mention. The interior design is impeccable, tastefully decorated with meticulous attention to detail. For London standards, this level of sophistication in setting is truly impressive.”
Two ways to experience Aki
The full menu
À la carte, built around the showpieces
Small plates from £10, robata from £29, showpiece dishes from £24
Order from our full robata, sushi and sashimi menu, and let our team steer you toward the dishes that make an entrance, the caviar topped tartare, the wagyu tataki, the Kobe sirloin.
- Small plates (Spinach Salad) from £10
- Robata dishes (Baby Chicken) from £29
- Showpiece dishes including Kobe beef from £24
Best for: Guests who want the full range of drama the menu has to offer.
The vault
Kiyori, our underground cocktail bar
From £12 per cocktail
Skip dinner and head straight downstairs into the restaurant’s original bank vault. Try the Yuzukō or the Tōkaiden in a room behind steel doors that photographs like nowhere else in London.
- Late night DJ on select nights
- Signature cocktails including the Yuzukō (£16) and Tōkaiden (£20)
- No reservation needed, walk-ins welcome
Best for: A late night drink somewhere genuinely unlike anywhere else.
Plan your visit
All the details you need
- Where: 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA. Two minutes from Oxford Circus and Bond Street (Elizabeth Line).
- Opening hours: Seven days a week from 12pm. Late night dining Thursday to Saturday until 2am.
- Dietary needs: Vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten free dishes available. Let us know when you book.
- Dress code: Smart casual. The room and the menu both reward a little effort.
- Best light for photos: Early dinner, before 7pm, when natural light still reaches the main hall.
- Saturday vibe: Live DJ in the main dining room every Saturday evening.
- Reservations: Essential, especially weekends. Book your table via our website or call us.
Why Japanese plating photographs so well
There is a reason Japanese cuisine dominates food photography. Precision plating leaves negative space around each element, the kind of composition photographers spend hours arranging elsewhere. Colour is used deliberately, not decoratively, the deep red of tuna against white rice, the dark gleam of caviar against a plain plate. And the showpiece format, tableside searing, a single spoonful of something rare, means every course arrives as its own small scene rather than a crowded plate. At Aki, that precision meets a room built with the same intention, so neither the food nor the interior is ever fighting for attention. As The Upcoming put it ahead of the restaurant’s opening, “the space was conceived to bring together historic grandeur and contemporary Japanese design in a way London hadn’t quite seen before”.
Aki London is a design led Japanese restaurant inside a converted Grade II listed bank at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone W1G 0LA (nearest tube: Oxford Circus and Bond Street). Expect soaring ceilings, marble surfaces designed by Francis Sultana, a live DJ in the main dining room on Saturdays, theatrical plating including a tuna tartare with oscietra caviar, authentic Kobe beef, and Kiyori, a cocktail bar set inside the restaurant’s former bank vault. Open seven days a week from 12pm, with late night dining Thursday to Saturday until 2am. Vegan and vegetarian options available. Reservations essential.
Reserve your table
The room everyone’s talking about is easier to book than you’d think
From the caviar topped tartare to the Kobe sirloin seared to order, this is a menu that earns every reaction it gets. At 1 Cavendish Square.
Frequently asked questions about Aki’s showpiece menu
Everything you need to know before you visit
What is Aki’s most talked about dish?
The blue fin tuna tartare with oscietra caviar and puffed brown rice is one of the most talked about dishes on the menu, alongside the restaurant’s Kobe sirloin and the theatrically presented Black Pearl dessert.
Does Aki really serve authentic Kobe beef?
Yes. Aki is certified by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to serve authentic Kobe beef, a certification held by only a handful of restaurants in the UK, listed on the menu as a 140g Kobe Japanese sirloin.
Who designed Aki’s interiors?
Aki’s interiors were designed by Francis Sultana, who preserved the building’s Grade II listed architecture while drawing on the Japanese Screens exhibition at the Met in New York for its plaster trees, cloud motifs, and kimono fabric details. The curated art collection features works from both Japanese and international contemporary artists.
Is Aki’s bank vault bar open to the public?
Yes. Kiyori, our cocktail lounge, occupies the restaurant’s original bank vault and is open to walk-ins as well as restaurant guests after dinner. No separate reservation is needed for a drink.
Do I need to book in advance for a table?
Yes, Aki is highly sought after, particularly on weekends. We recommend booking two to three weeks ahead, especially if you want a table near the art collection or the main hall.
What’s the best time to visit for photography?
Early dinner, before 7pm, when natural light still reaches the main hall and softens the room’s warm lantern lighting. For more dramatic shots, head to Kiyori, downstairs, which is better suited to evening visits.
