9 Must-Visit Japanese Restaurants in Newcastle
Discover Newcastle’s best Japanese restaurants
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Japanese food has been slowly gaining ground in the UK since the 1960s, but really took off with the opening of the first branches of Wagamama and YO! Sushi in the ‘90s.
Now most cities will boast at least a couple of Japanese restaurants and Newcastle is home to a handful of fabulous eateries serving delicious food bound to get your taste buds tingling. Read on for our round-up of Newcastle’s best Japanese restaurants.
Nudo Sushi Box, Grainger Street & Northumberland Street
The sister restaurant to popular local eatery Nudo Noodle House, Nudo Sushi Box boasts nine branches – two of which are located in Newcastle city centre. The focus is on quick, tasty, healthy lunches and snacks – sushi and sashimi, rice bowls (donburi), curries, soup and sandwiches – made with the freshest ingredients. They deliver too, so why not have some grub delivered directly to your home or workplace?
Butakun, Percy Street
A Newcastle newcomer, Butakun opened in the summer of 2022 on Percy Street and quickly became admired for its extensive, authentic menu. As well as a long and tempting food menu that varies from the more mainstream (ramen, gyoza, katsu, tempura) to the more unusual (Chawanmushi – Japanese steamed egg, Seared Earth Dragon sushi roll - crispy sweet potato and fried salmon with cheese sauce), there’s a long sake list featuring around twenty varieties in various styles. Other Japanese spirits and beers are available too.
Wagamama, Eldon Square
Wagamama is the grandaddy of Japanese food in the UK (and now the world) – with more than 150 restaurants in the UK alone – and is synonymous with tasty, fresh food of a high quality and reasonable price. The vast Eldon Square branch is a light, airy space in which to enjoy Wagamama’s renowned ramen, donburi, curries and more. There are always some intriguing starters (the Asian-style padron peppers are amazing) and invigorating juices, and while white chocolate and ginger cheesecake might not be especially authentic, it is especially fantastic.
YO! Sushi, Grainger Street
The other pioneer of Japanese cuisine in the UK is YO! Sushi, opening a couple of years after Wagamama but making an especially big splash because of the conveyor (‘kaiten’) belts and colour-coded plates. Common in Japan, this food delivery system blew British minds and the whole concept is still innovative and exciting. The food is great too, and being able to watch the chefs working inside the ring of conveyor belt adds a little excitement to every meal.
Sushi Me Rollin’, Grey Street
One of the newer kids on the Japanese block (well, Grey Street!) is Sushi Me Rollin’. A funky little joint, the guys behind Sushi Me Rollin’ have two branches (the other is in Whitley Bay) serving a modern, Californian take on sushi – lots of maki, California rolls and the rest – in a variety of platters and selections, There’s a hefty cocktail list too – including such Asian-twist drinks as the Lychee & Chili Sour.
St Sushi, Westgate Road
St Sushi has been flying the flag for excellent Japanese cuisine for almost two decades and places an emphasis on authenticity and quality. Whether you’re looking for a sit-down meal with a long and varied menu, or some takeaway options – the bento boxes and sushi selections have a great reputation – St Sushi is a popular and award-winning destination.
Hanahana, Bath Lane
Deep in the heart of Chinatown, Hanahana specialises in teppanyaki - the Japanese iteration of the Asia-wide practice of cooking on a hot plate. The cooking can be done by you at your table or in the kitchen but either way, it promises a selection of very tasty and very fresh dishes – meat, fish, veggies, surf and turf – cooked just how you like. There’s plenty of sushi and sides of course, but it really is all about the grill!
Fujiyama, Bath Lane
Just round the corner from Hanahana you’ll find Fujiyama, another restaurant mixing sushi with teppanyaki (and they’ve been doing it for a quarter of a century!). At Fujiyama, every table comes with its own personal chef and everything is cooked right in front of you, from a long and very appealing menu including some teppanyaki set menu options. All the teppanyaki options come with rice, miso soup, vegetables and a house salad and it all happens right before your very eyes.
Dojo, Stowell Street
Another Japanese interloper in the heart of Chinatown is Dojo, which has been serving up great Japanese food for almost a decade. The kitchen has a great reputation – diners especially love the ramen and the soft-shell crab – and Dojo has one key advantage over the competition: karaoke. So if you fancy knocking out a version of Don’t Stop Believin’ after a pile of katsu curry and a couple of glasses of sake too many, this is the place to be.
Japanese cuisine is varied and exciting, and so much more than just sushi. It’s worth exploring this rich kitchen culture in full, and thankfully Newcastle has plenty of places to try it all out.
