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, selected 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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