Sumi

Like Googling ‘how to get paid for doing nothing’, or scrolling through Twitter before bedtime, there are some things we do everyday. But there are also things we wish we could do everyday. Like eating the excellent sushi at Sumi.

This low-key spot on the corner of Westbourne Grove has a Muji-meets-raw-fish aesthetic that says it’s all about the food, and an outdoor terrace that, when the sun’s out, says ‘let’s all pretend we’re on holiday’. It’s a combination that’s risky if you’re going for a quick business lunch, but perfect if after your first hotate temaki you decide you never want to leave.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Unlike some other high-end sushi spots that prepare their sushi with truffle shavings in the shape of a starfish, or smoke-filled domes with a single piece of sashimi on a mountain of ice, Sumi isn’t about that. Instead, it lets the top-quality fish speak for itself. The single-sheet menu is mostly nigiri, sashimi, and handrolls, with an excellent seaweed salad here, and a £55 wagyu steak there. That means there are different ways you could play this restaurant. But when you get to the temaki, you’ll know you’ve got to the really special part.

No matter where you’d put yourself on the sushi-eating spectrum, the hand rolls here are excellent. The kind of excellent that makes us suspect that they’ve got some sort of supernatural power that rewires the human brain to crave yellowtail three times a minute. From the soy marinated red tuna, to the diced scallop with hanahojiso flowers, they look too good to eat, taste too good to just look at, and are up there with the best sushi experiences you can have in London. Friendly warning: will be ordering a second round.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Sumi is the second restaurant from Endo Kazutoshi, and having visited his omakase spot in White City, we’re not entirely surprised at just how great this place is. Head here when you’re meeting that friend who’s always complaining that ‘London has no good sushi’, for a date with someone infinitely cooler than you, when you’re tired of doomscrolling on Twitter, or if you’re simply in the mood for some unforgettable sushi with the price tag to match.

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Food Rundown

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Konbu Garden Salad

Green beans, radish, carrots, cauliflower, baby corn, this salad is crunchy, fresh, and all-round lovely.

Seaweed Salad

Salty with nice nutty undertones. This salad should be on your table.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Hotate Nigiri

Of all the nigiri, this is our favourite. The wasabi cuts nicely through the saltiness of the rice, and the scallop melts in your mouth. It’s the closest anyone will get to a sushi candyfloss collaboration and you shouldn’t miss it.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Salmon Temaki

These are the best hand rolls we’ve had, ever. And once you try one, you’ll want to keep them coming.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Toru-Taku & Scallop Temaki

So fresh. So good. And there’s not much else to say other than the sooner you get them in your mouth the better.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Mushroom Gohan

This mushroom-heavy hot pot is earthy, wholesome, and a good way to absolutely ensure you leave this meal with a full stomach.

Matcha Mille

Soft, light, and matcha-ey without being too strong, this is delicious.

Ice Cream

The soy-plant ice cream is sweet with just a hint of salt. A great way to end your meal.