Two of the coolest Japanese-inspired dining experiences are heading to London this October

an image of the omakase bar at JUNO restaurant

(Image credit: JUNO)

published 18 September 2025

There is a lot of love for Japanese culture at the moment, and with World Sake Day, you basically have carte blanche (or 白紙委任) to explore some of London’s best 居酒屋 (hotspots).

If you’re not au fait with sake, it’s a kind of Japanese rice wine that’s fermented like beer and overall is a pretty tasty tipple. Plus, you can get sparkling sake, which is pretty similar to a prosecco alternative.

Sake Flight at Los Mochis

an image of the interior of the restaurant

Launching 1st October, Los Mochis introduces the Toko Sake Experience (£70pp) - a premium sake flight featuring the ultra-rare Toko Fukuro-Tsuri Ultralux Junmai Daiginjo paired with signature dishes. You can also enjoy a brand-new sake cocktail, the Melon Crush, blending Kay Sake, Patrón El Alto, lemon, green melon, agave and mint. Basically, it’s a cocktail experience and tipple tasting that will definitely add a little sparkle to your Saturday. Or, you know, whatever day you go.

Omakase at JUNO

two images spliced together of plates and sake from the restaurant

In case you didn’t know, Omakase is a pretty cool dining experience - it literally translates to “I leave it up to you”. In reality, it’s used as a dining experience where the chef selects and crafts a multi-course meal, using seasonal ingredients. It’s sort of like a tasting menu exclusively for high-quality Japanese cuisine.

Juno over in Notting Hill is London’s most intimate six-seat omakase with a seriously premium 15-course tasting menu, complete with new sake pairings carefully selected by Michele Orbolato. Highlights include Hakkaisan Snow Aged Junmai Daiginjo and Shindo Uragasanryu Fuka Junmai, paired with Chef Leonard Tanyag’s exquisite Japanese-Mexican dishes.

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Hermione Blandford is the Content Editor for Shortlist’s social media which means you can usually find her scrolling through Instagram and calling it work, or stopping random people in the street and accosting them with a mini mic. She has previously worked in food and drink PR for brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon's, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Don Julio which means she is a self confessed expert in spicy margaritas and pints, regularly popping into the pub in the name of research.

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