The Autumn of Aki: a season of changing colours in Cavendish Square
The last days of summer recede and a familiar quietude settles over Cavendish Square. The afternoon sun casts a longer,...
The last days of summer recede and a familiar quietude settles over Cavendish Square. The afternoon sun casts a longer, more golden light on the Georgian facades of Cavendish Square, and a new energy begins to stir. It is the arrival of autumn. Then, you see it in the trees that frame the square. The deep green of the plane trees begins to soften at the edges, a subtle surrender to the coming season. A single, brilliant yellow leaf detaches and spirals to the ground, a quiet announcement of what is to come. It is the arrival of autumn, a season of undeniable magic and a time of profound and beautiful transition. For us, this is the most significant time of the year. It is the season that shares our name.
Aki: our season, our spirit
t is a happy coincidence, a serendipitous harmony, that Autumn is called aki (秋) in Japan. While our own name, Aki, is taken from akitsu, the dragonfly, we have always felt a profound connection with the seasons, which is reflected on our food and cocktail menus, but also to the season we share our name with. The dragonfly, a creature of balance and light, is most visible in this period of graceful transition. Its spirit is the very one that guides us: poised, deliberate, and finding beauty in the moment. It is, in every sense, the dragonfly’s season. This alignment of name, spirit, and season is the bedrock of our philosophy: it reminds us to operate with intention, to value the transient beauty of our ingredients, and to create an atmosphere that allows our guests to find their own moment of quiet reflection, away from London’s unceasing rhythm.
A deeper meaning: celebrating the arrival of autumn at Aki
In Japan, the turning of the leaves is a cultural event cherished with the same passion as the spring cherry blossoms. This vibrant transformation, known as koyo (紅葉), is celebrated through the quiet pilgrimage of momijigari, or “autumn leaf hunting.” A tradition dating back to the aristocratic courts of the Heian period, it is a national pastime dedicated to a single, simple act: finding a moment of stillness to appreciate the fleeting beauty of nature.
This reverence is rooted in a deep philosophical awareness. For followers of Shinto, the colours are a source of awe, a sign of the spirits that inhabit the natural world. For Buddhists, the falling leaves are a poignant reminder of life’s cycles and its beautiful impermanence. This feeling is captured in the Japanese concept of mono no aware—a gentle, untranslatable sadness or pathos for the transient nature of things. It is not a feeling of loss, but a deep appreciation for the beauty of a moment precisely because it will not last.
From philosophy to plate: autumnal Japanese food at Aki
It is a philosophy that finds its truest expression on the plate, shaping our approach to autumnal Japanese food. The concept of mono no aware guides our chefs’ hands, inspiring a menu that captures the ephemeral, deeply nourishing character of the season.
Our broths, the heart of our kitchen, are simmered for hours, developing a profound, savoury umami that offers a taste of pure comfort against the growing chill. From this foundation, we build dishes that celebrate the harvest. You will discover the deep, earthy sweetness of roasted kabocha squash, the delicate minerality of greens freshly harvested from our eighty in-house farms, and the rich, luxurious texture of perfectly grilled Wagyu, its marbled fat melting against the heat of the robata.
Yet, autumn is also a season of encroaching darkness, and our menu seeks to provide moments of surprising light. You will find it in the bright, clean acidity of a yuzu dressing, a surprising citrus note that cuts through richness and awakens the palate. You will taste it in our sashimi, where pristine, cold-water fish is sliced with a precision that honours its fleeting perfection. Every dish is a reflection of this transient beauty, the very essence of seasonal Japanese food.
Ultimately, Aki is a place to connect with the soul of the season. It is a sanctuary to step out of the city and into a space that encourages you to embrace the quiet, introspective beauty of this time of year.
The Spirit of the Season: sakes and cocktails at Kyori lounge
Aki’s autumnal philosophy extends, naturally, to our drinks and cocktail menu. In the low, amber light of the Kiyori lounge, our mixologists become interpreters of the season, capturing its essence in liquid form. The bright, energetic cocktails of summer give way to a more contemplative and complex menu, built around the warming character of aged spirits, smoked infusions, and the earthy sweetness of seasonal fruits like persimmon and nashi pear.
A cocktail might arrive with a wisp of fragrant smoke, evoking the scent of burning leaves. Another might balance the deep notes of Japanese whisky with the subtle, spiced sweetness of a house-made syrup. It is a cocktail menu designed to be savoured slowly. For the purist, our sommelier curates a selection of seasonal sakes—richer, fuller-bodied brews that offer a quiet warmth. The ritual of enjoying a cup of gently warmed atsukan sake on a crisp autumn evening is, perhaps, one of the season’s most profound and simple pleasures, a taste of comfort and tradition in a modern setting.
This is the meaning of autumn at Aki: it is a season to be observed, to be inhabited. A time to find a quiet, peaceful place against the growing chill to celebrate the profound beauty of the here and now.
Experience Autumn at Aki for yourself.
