This September, London’s dining scene will welcome Aki London, a stylish new Japanese restaurant with a Mediterranean soul opening its doors at One Cavendish Square, with an exclusive sneak peek into its Kyoto-inspired, farm-to-table menu.
Aki is the first international outpost from Malta’s Lifestyle Group, known for creating refined hospitality experiences. Since opening in Malta’s capital Valletta in 2020, Aki has gained a loyal following and earned a spot on the Michelin Guide for four consecutive years — and now, it’s London’s turn.
Aki’s menu will draw inspiration from Kyoto’s farm-to-table culinary ethos, utilising modern techniques such as fish-to-tail cooking to create signature dishes that are equal parts surprising, natural and refined. Diners can expect a contemporary twist on traditional Japanese cuisine, showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients and inventive flavour pairings spanning sushi, robata, and kushiyaki. Hero dishes will include:
- Tuna Tartare with Japanese brown puffed rice and aged soy – a theatrical dish served on an ice plate with caviar;
- Wagyu Tataki with Japanese beer mustard pickle, truffle, brown butter, and enoki mushroom with crispy leeks,
- Hay-Smoked Scallop with tofu and fennel cream, fuji apple tosazu jelly, with myoga & hanaho (an edible flower from the shiso plant)
- Natto and Yuzu Marinated Lamb with ume boshi and house-made herb miso
The restaurant will feature 80 in-house ‘micro-farms’ including aquatic farming for seaweed grown in recyclable coconut husk, without the use of pesticides. Using these purpose-built modular farms, Aki will be able to explore unique Japanese herbs and flavours in abundance without the carbon footprint.
The kitchen will also use in-house fermentation methods using nukadoko, a fermented rice bran, to create pickles also known as nukazuke, as well as various medicinal herbs such as yomogi, a flavourful herb native to Asia but grown in the UK. Aki is licensed to serve authentic Kobe beef – a rare certification held by few restaurants and signified by an official gold plaque which will be placed in the restaurant.
Aki’s menu will create a meaningful bridge between Maltese and Japanese cuisine by thoughtfully incorporating honey, one of Malta’s most treasured local exports, into selected dishes. Honey, an ingredient that holds special cultural significance in Malta, is weaved thoughtfully into specific Aki dishes, highlighting the connection between the two cuisines whilst adding a delicate, local sweetness to complement the refined flavours of Japanese cuisine.
Guests will also enjoy a cocktail list inspired by craftsmanship, seasonality, and the quiet poetry of Japanese ingredients. Each creation on the menu is a tribute to the subtle elegance and complexity found in Japan’s rich culinary heritage, from fragrant yuzu and umami-laced miso to rare teas, artisanal Awamori, and house-infused Shochu.
Set in a Grade II-listed former bank that has undergone a £15 million transformation, Aki London is designed by acclaimed British-Maltese designer Francis Sultana, known for his elegant blend of historical charm and contemporary sophistication. Guests can look forward to dining beneath soaring ceilings in an 80-cover central dining room, sipping cocktails in the stylish vault bar, or enjoying intimate gatherings on the mezzanine terrace and private dining area.
Throughout the restaurant and bar, visitors will discover curated art pieces, enhancing the refined, immersive atmosphere.
“We’re thrilled to launch Aki in London — one of the world’s most exciting culinary capitals,” says Robert Debono, CEO of Lifestyle Group. “This marks an exciting new chapter for us as we share our passion for Japanese cuisine, elevated hospitality, and Maltese warmth with a global audience.”
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