About The Araki
The Araki occupies a discreet Mayfair basement on New Burlington Street and seats only nine diners at its hinoki-wood counter. It was the first sushi restaurant in Europe to hold three Michelin stars and remains the category-defining omakase experience on the continent. The chef, Marty Lau, trained under founder Mitsuhiro Araki and runs a strictly traditional Edomae programme — rice aged and seasoned in-house, fish flown from Tsukiji and Toyosu, and a 15-20 piece tasting that runs roughly two hours.
The format rewards clients who understand what they're experiencing. The counter seats give each diner a direct view of the knife work; the chef explains each piece in English; and the progression — from lighter whitefish through the tuna cuts to the uni finale — follows the classical Edomae sequence without shortcut or ornament.
Pricing is at the top of London's sushi market at around £300 per person before drinks. The sake list is short but serious, curated toward producers that pair with the specific rice and seasoning profile the kitchen uses. Service is Japanese-formal: minimal, precise, and entirely focused on the food at the counter.
Best Occasion Fit
Client dinners at The Araki work because the room's scarcity is the signal. Nine seats, a three-month waitlist, and the only European three-star omakase mean that simply securing the booking communicates that you take the relationship seriously — before the first piece of sushi lands on the counter.
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