Japanese culture is as popular as ever in London. Whether it’s the insane matcha craze, the appetite for the country’s Instagrammable baked goods, or festivals like Hyper Japan celebrating pop culture and street food, we Brits just can’t get enough of it. In fact, UK tourists visiting Japan in 2025 rose by around 43% compared to the previous year. But what if I told you you didn’t have to hop on a plane to get an authentic taste of Japan? Cue Roketsu in Marylebone.
Having opened in 2022, Roketsu gained recognition as one of London’s leading kaiseki restaurants. But late last year, they had a bit of a rebrand, and now instead offer a new kappo-style dining experience. It’s a high-end, interactive Japanese approach, where you have a chat with your chef/server and select dishes that interest you, and those that don’t, and they will shape a personal menu for you. You'll then watch as they use their masterful knife skills to prepare fresh, seasonal ingredients right in front of you. I hadn't experienced this dining style before, so was excited to visit Roketsu to try it for myself.
We sat at the far end of this beautifully designed seven-metre counter, overlooking the chefs.
My Review Of Roketsu In Marylebone
Need To Know:
- Address: 12 New Quebec Street, W1H 7RW
- Area: Marylebone
- Cuisine: Japanese, specifically kappo-style dining
Ambience & We Think Perfect For
- Atmosphere: down the ever-trendy but wonderfully quiet New Quebec Street, this intimate, stylish restaurant showcases interior design by Kyoto master builder Sotoji Nakamura – the kind that transports you right to Japan. Walk past the sliding screen doors from the foyer into the dining room, which features a central seven-metre hinoki counter with just 8-10 seats (from here, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the chefs at work - such as fanning the grill and meticulously plating up sushi, which they often handed directly to us), as well as a couple of tables behind it. The smooth sounds of jazz drifted through the space, completing the suave yet relaxed vibe of the restaurant.
- Perfect For: date nights, intimate dinners, special occasions.
Service & Price
- Service (Out Of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value For Money (Out Of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Cost: around £260 for two, including drinks
Assorted sashimi (left), horenso Goma-ae (upper right), and foie gras miso monaka (bottom right).
Menu Highlights
The a la carte menu, which is what we ate from, is divided into appetisers, raw, fried, sushi, grilled, and rice and soup, although you can also opt for one of their seasonal or celebration tasting menus. Kappo-style dining features lots of small, refined dishes, so we had more than is listed below, but here are my highlights:
- Foie Gras Miso Monaka (£15) - one of their signature dishes, this little, unique bite featured crisp rice wafer cradling Saikyo miso-marinated foie gras - which was silky smooth like butter, with a slightly nutty aftertaste. It was topped with plum sake jelly, adding a floral element, as well as pear and pickled cucumber, which cut through the richness.
- Cornish Crab Chawanmushi (£12) - this umami wonder was an absolute delight; think petite bowls filled with a smooth, savoury custard and dashi stock that added a moreish depth of flavour, with little gems of crab meat, mushroom and roe dotted through each spoonful.
- Assorted Sashimi (3 kinds/6 pieces, £40) - it's a little crazy how a plate of what is essentially just raw fish can be so exceptional. The generously sliced trout, tataki tuna and turbot were clearly of a premium quality, vibrant and clear in their colours. We dipped each in the rich, salty soy sauce with a dab of wasabi on, eyes widening in glee as we demolished the plate.
- Lotus Root & Prawn Shinjo Hasamiage (£18) - not something I would normally have ordered myself off the menu, but I'm so glad I tried it. Perfectly crisp lotus root, which retained a delicious bite within, sandwiched sweet, soft chopped prawns, served with a side of vibrant green matcha salt for dipping.
- A5 Wagyu Beef (£48) - just, wow. This is some of the best wagyu I've ever had. Though petite, you don't need much of this wonderful plate of food - perfectly pink slices of succulent beef (that I bet you could have sliced through with a spoon) came drizzled in a glossy, beefy jus, with a side of yuzu oroshi that added a light tartness, pairing with the fatty meat well - served alongside hen of the woods mushroom, and an adorable little carrot.
Black Chalk Wild Rose (left) and A5 wagyu beef (right).
Drink: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Roketsu have extensive wine and sake lists, with pairings available at request.
- Black Chalk Wild Rose (£13.50 per glass) - before we kicked off the meal, we both enjoyed a glass of this pale-pink English sparkling rose, which is from the winery Black Chalk, of which Kenya Matsumoto, the owner of Roketsu, is a co-owner. I loved this little touch to the wine menu, and the glass of enticing bubbles tickled on the tongue with fruity aromas.
- Gokeiji Jummaiginjo Hitachinishiki (I believe this was off menu) - creamy and subtle, this delicious sake offered sweetness through juicy peach notes, while not being overpowering enough to overtake the light produce-forward dishes we were eating.
Our Overall Experience At Roketsu
DesignMyNight Review Out Of 5: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Roketsu felt refined and sophisticated, while also being warm and welcoming, with an incredibly intimate atmosphere on the evening I came (there were only 5 other diners), making it feel extra special. Most of the dishes were fairly simple, but perfectly executed, with the premium quality of the produce and masterful chef skills shining through. The staff were also incredibly knowledgeable and fantastic at selecting dishes and drinks that would suit our palates, so a big hats off to them. My only constructive feedback would be that I would have loved a little more interaction with the chefs, given its kappo dining, although the servers were excellent at explaining everything to us.
