Most people are discovering this awesome Japanese dish every day. One of which is sushi, an authentic Japanese cuisine dish that is now served worldwide. Sushi is nothing but a tiny piece of rice roll that is traditionally made with ingredients consisting of raw fish such as tuna, salmon and bream placed upon a layer of sticky Japanese rice. These may or may not be surrounded by a wall of dry seaweed paper which is known as ‘nori.’ And if you have a good spice tolerance you may also add some wasabi to it. Surprisingly, people are very fond of this delicious side dish and look forward to trying it out in various restaurants.
However, if you are a sushi-lover and follow the Islam religion, there are certain food restrictions that you cannot ignore. But finding sushi that is both halal and appetizing can be quite a task, especially in London.
But not anymore! We have come up with a list of the 11 best places that offer delicious halal sushi in London. Stick through the end of the vlog to know what they are and what other halal Japanese foods you can try besides halal Sushi.
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What types of sushi are halal?
Halal sushi is a type of Japanese cuisine that meets Islamic laws and beliefs concerning the preparation of food and ingredients that can and cannot be consumed. Halal sushi is a series of small side dishes containing one or two beds of rice rolled with fish, vegetables or other meats (excluding pork) placed at the top. One of the most familiar types of sushi in Western countries is the California Roll. This sushi is made with fillings like cucumber, rice, avocado and crab meat and should be considered halal for the majority of Muslims. There’s also another variant of sushi with filling containing dashi maki egg and other vegetables and that is considered halal too!
Besides, Maki sushi (usually filled with ingredients like fish or vegetables, on top of sushi rice and wrapped with toasted nori seaweed sheets), Nigiri Sushi (mostly made up of vinegar-infused sushi rice and topped with seafood and wasabi) Chirashi sushi (comes in a bowl of vinegar-infused rice with a variety of toppings, like raw fish and vegetables) Temaki sushi (Usually made with nori sheets are filled with sushi rice and fillings that is wrapped into a cone shape), Inari sushi (vinegar-infused rice is filled with deep fried tofu known as abura-age), Gunkan Maki (sushi rice surrounded by a strip of nori seaweed and then topped with salmon or fish), Oshi sushi (made by a unique technique, this sushi are topped with fillings first, followed by the rice which is then moulded into bite-size pieces) and Sashimi (sushi rice that is filled with ocean meat) are some of the best halal sushi that you must try at least once in your lifetime.
11 Best restaurants where you can get Halal Sushi
Cha Cha Roll
Cha cha Roll is a no-nonsense Asian restaurant, located in Soho that offers an array of various authentic flavoured food. Each roll offered has a unique pair of sauces and is filled with complimentary refreshing and crunchy veggies like carrots, cucumber, tobiko and lettuce. It is surprisingly easy on the pocket and if compared to the quality of food, it is worth every penny.
The restaurant serves the finest collection of sushi that is made with authentic Japanese cooking fundamentals and ingredients. Apart from sushi the restaurant also offers Tori katsu curry, soft shell crab and the flavourful bento box. Volcano Roll and EEL Supreme are some of the signature servings of the restaurant. We also recommend trying the sushi burritos, it is something that can make your tastebuds breakdance.
Besides, the restaurant also offers Japanese pancakes and matcha drinks. We recommend trying their souffle pancakes and Crème Brûlée, trust us when we say it’s just the perfect choice to satisfy your sweet cravings. The souffle pancake has a delightful eggy flavour to it and the Creme Brûlée is an equally delicious crunchy dish with a subtle sweet flavour.
House of HO
House of Ho is a halal restaurant that serves dishes based on Vietnamese, Japanese and Thai cuisine. The venue has a very chic, sophisticated and modern decor that fits right for family and friends gatherings. Although the main dining space is small, it’s sure that you won’t feel crammed in. The restaurant is located just behind Oxford Street in Charlotte street.
The menu features a large range of Japanese dishes that includes not only sushi and sashimi but also different types of dumplings and grilled food. They are always so a bit extra while presenting their food, be it a liquid ice-smoking tray of sushi or sashimi on a platter of crushed ice. Trust us when we say, the platter presentation is incredibly Instagram-worthy. Alongside the mains, you can add dishes like tuna, sharmachi tartare, salmon, yellow tail and more. All the ingredients used are purely halal and fresh, especially the fish. Oh, and alongside all these delicious dishes do not forget to reserve a plate for dessert, we are sure that you will be amazed by its taste.
Although we are no sushi connoisseurs, all that we can say is that the £35 price tag is justified when you receive a sushi box that tastes just similar to various renowned restaurant platters. However, there’s no comparison when it comes to the freshness of the fish.
Chotto matte
Now, if you’re looking for a halal Japanese restaurant in London in Soho, Chotto Matte is made for you. The restaurant lets you choose from countless sushi options, and has the best Japanese food you would find in any Japanese restaurant in London. This elegant and sophisticated joint can be easily reached from the Convent Garden, Trafalgar Square, and Leicester Square stations. Even though the restaurant incredibly plays the modern and traditional Japanese food chords, it still has a little quirk: it is more of a Japanese and Peruvian fusion food place. And that makes it unique from the rest of the restaurants mentioned in this list.
Moving on to the delicacies the restaurant has to offer, we have Nikkei cuisine. The food offered in this cuisine involves a purely halal meal and it is the most delicious of all, and that’s a fact! Some of the most loved foods are slow-cooked BBQ beef, grilled chicken, and beef fillet, and you can even try octopus, for the most food adventure. However, halal Wagyu steak and halal dumplings seem to be the star of the show.
And we are sure that there are more of such dishes that are enough to satisfy a foodie’s heart. Don’t believe us? You can explore the restaurant and try it out yourself. It is a restaurant in the West End worth exploring with your friends after long hours of post-work refreshment. And considering its colourful and fancy ambience, we believe that this halal Japanese restaurant in London would be a perfect background for a first date.
Cocochan
Cocochan on James Street is one of the best halal restaurants that offer halal sushi in Central London, and it’s not the sole reason. If you’re looking for places where you can host private dining and events, Cocochan Marylebone is it. It has a generous seating capacity and welcoming ambience. This Pan-Asian restaurant for its stunning background is a great place to visit for business meetings and fancy dates. And in case you have been looking for a restaurant with outdoor seating in London, Cocochan has a terrace too. So there’s that.
Everything on the restaurant’s menu is halal, except the duck. But that’s already a pretty amazing factor for a fancy halal restaurant. The combination of Thai food, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian cuisines result in delicious delicacies. But the prominent aspect of all the servings is that its seafood is undoubtedly fresh. And it is no wonder why this restaurant has been awarded an AA Rosette and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
Besides, the restaurant serves delicious halal Chinese food and a numerous mix of halal sushi right off Bond Street. Also, not to miss some great halal Korean dishes are available at the restaurant, with delicious Asian influences. So now, it’s on your part to figure out whether you want to eat halal sushi, dim sum, or halal Chinese food. And that surely is not as easy as it seems, so good luck with that.
Overall, Cocochan proved that they simply excel at serving delicious Pan-Asian cuisine and have far exceeded everyone’s expectations in terms of food, as well as service. It is remarkable that not only the food is served within 20 minutes of being ordered, but the staff also ensures to take customer’s feedback.
Sushi Bar
Getting affordable halal Japanese food in London is good but when the food is fresh and self-sufficient, it’s even better. If you live in London, you know that affordable halal sushi is hard to come by, so if you’ve got the chance, and would like a nice little halal restaurant for a dinner or date, Sushi Bar is it.
Sushi Bar Brick Lane is one of the most renowned halal sushi restaurants in East London. As it shares a local with Band of Burgers, which is considered one of the best halal burger restaurants in London. The Sushi Bar is located on Osborne street, which is easily accessible from Shoreditch High Street and Aldgate East stations.
If you are a real Japanese cuisine lover, then Sushi bar is the one for you! The menu of this restaurant has plenty of halal Japanese food to offer like Uramaki, Nigiri, Teriyaki, and crispy chicken katsu. Besides, you can also order yourself a delicious Japanese bento box. Everything on the Sushi Bar menu is halal, and we believe those are probably the best halal sushi you can have in London.
Sushi Masago
Halal Japanese restaurants in East London are some of the best because they’re very laid back, convenient and welcoming. And Sushi Masago is evident. Located at Aldgate, near Bethnal Green, Sushi Masago is one of the freshest halal Japanese restaurants London that you will ever come across.
The restaurant’s menu features a whole deal of halal Japanese food. From their delicious halal gyoza made with meaty duck, chicken, and prawns to halal dumplings. Here, you’ve got bento boxes, maki, uramaki, and lots of other delicious halal Japanese food. So, it is for sure that it certainly isn’t just an all you can eat sushi London type of restaurant, but surely, that’s one of the most affordable.
Besides, they even have a pumpkin vegan gyoza for all the vegans customers. Therefore, it is safe to say that they have something to serve each different individual. But the question is, would you mind travelling for a few hours to dig into these delicious platters? Well, we would recommend getting out of Central London for a bit, and when you’re visiting Brick Lane, you can grab halal sushi and more halal Japanese food at Sushi Masago.
Aqua Kyoto
Just a mere distance away from Oxford Circus, you can spot Aqua Kyoto which is perched over the hustle and bustle of London’s busiest street. This 5th-floor restaurant and bar is the best example of a ‘restaurant with an exquisite atmosphere. Aqua Kyoto’s terrace boasts stunning views over the rooftops of Central London. And therefore it is the main attraction of the majority of the customers. The terrace is covered and heated so you can hang out in comfort all year round and enjoy your drink or brunch along with one of the best views in London.
If a carefully crafted and customised glass of whisky cocktails and exceptional Japanese cooking is your vibe, you’ll find yourself more at Aqua Kyoto than at home. Besides its mouthwatering range of sushi, the menu is an ultimate showcase of Japanese cuisine, bounding a wide spectrum of halal Japanese food from halal sushi and sashimi platters to wagyu beef and bold flavours from the robata grill dishes. So, considering it one of the ‘all you can eat sushi London’ types of restaurants would be a mistake.
But if you feel, the choice is a little formidable, you can settle for the Experience Menu, which serves up five appetising courses, including dishes like Iberico pork and chicken gyoza, wagyu sirloin with black garlic teriyaki and foie gras, grilled yuzu miso scallops, yuzu oba leaf cream with almond praline and sour cherry sorbet for dessert.
Similarly, the drinks menu is very thoughtful. If you are big on whisky, Aqua Kyoto is the right place for you. The restaurant serves a variety of drinks ranging from old-fashioned with a variety of aged single malts, to a good line of other whisky cocktails too. The Penicillin – (Talisker with lemon juice, honey water, ginger syrup) and Wild & Free – (Johnnie Walker Blue Label, truffle honey, white truffle bitters served with cherry wood smoke) are some particular highlights from whisky cocktails.
Necco
Necco is unbelievably one of the most underrated halal Japanese restaurants. Located on Exmouth Market, one of the cutest markets in London, Cafe Bar Necco has a quirky menu which is based on the chef’s recommendations. It is a very unique and fun way to interact with customers, and something that we have never seen before in any other halal Japanese restaurant in London, or anywhere else, for that matter.
However, not all the dishes offered on the menu are halal on the menu. But apart from halal sushi, you do have a few chicken options, like the Karaage crispy chicken and the Chicken Teriyaki Don. And to be honest, the donburi rice ball is also a very appetising dish that is perfect to enjoy in a warm cafe in London.
Besides, there are also tempting dishes like Chirashi bowls, prawn tempura, dumplings, and seaweed salad; all the classics are handmade by the chef of Japanese Cafe Bar Necco to perfection. But that’s not all. The cafe even features halal udon, unbelievable isn’t it? Their halal udon bowls are made with Japanese staple noodles, along with prawns, aubergines or fried bean curd for vegans and Muslims. Other udon bowls with beef are not halal, so you might wanna skip that!
Buddha Bar
Buddha Bar is one of the calmest and most welcoming halal Japanese restaurants in London. There are many branches of this restaurant that are located worldwide. The first Buddha Bar was opened in Paris, and there are more than a dozen spots where you can try their delicious halal sushi, grilled meat and other Japanese and Chinese food options.
There aren’t many restaurants that offer halal afternoon tea in London. And if you are on the hunt for one then you would be more than happy to explore Buddha Bar. It has not only sweet but also various savoury options to choose from, ranging from crispy black cod and mushroom wonton to a delish mango tart and passionfruit dessert, and we would recommend you to try it once in your life.
Besides serving the tempting halal sushi and halal Japanese food, the restaurant also serves halal steaks out there. So if you ever wish to try halal wagyu beef, lamb, or chicken that day, you will surely be satisfied at this fancy halal restaurant.
Mitsuryu Hampstead
Searching a halal restaurant in Hampstead? Not the effortless thing to do, right? Well, Mitsuryu, a halal Japanese restaurant London will most certainly convince you on the first try. And we are sure that you’ll be happy to dine-in in this classy halal restaurant. Mitsuryu has charmed the Londoners with authentic halal Japanese food, ever since it opened. Currently, two Mitsuryu branches are situated in London.
Some of the best dishes on the menu are: Katsu Curry, traditionally made halal sushi, bento boxes, and teriyaki. They also serve Tuna and beef tataki, and premium sashimi. We honestly don’t think that this halal Japanese restaurant can’t possibly get any better, especially since there’s no pork on the menu either.
The menu is extensive, there are options for everyone from vegan sushi to halal meats. The menu is made carefully for every budget. No matter if you’re a student, a freelancer, or a well-established couple, here you’ll find something that fits your budget. So for an affordable halal restaurant in London to hang out with friends after a long fun day or a solo after-work refreshment you know exactly where to go!
Novikov
Good halal sushi in Mayfair is what Novikov’s speciality lies in, but there’s much more to that Asian restaurant. Halal Wagyu and Sirloin can be deemed as the best halal steaks that are served as Novikov, and it is a great option to start your meals with. However, salmon teriyaki and halal wok dishes with honey and lime or sweet and sour chicken on the menu steal the spotlight and surely attract the most crowd.
There are probably some restaurants that you have come across in the list itself that serve halal ducks. But the Peking Duck dishes at Novikov have undoubtedly blown away everyone’s mind, including ours! They are not only the cheapest halal food option on the menu but also definitely a very tempting and satisfying meal. No doubt, why they claim ‘it’s worth every penny.
Novikov also serves one of the most unique dishes that can be considered one of its signature dishes, which is ‘duck salad’. Besides, since it is a halal Chinese restaurant and Japanese food, we would recommend you to try dishes like teppanyaki, crispy squid, and halal sushi.
Well, from our perspective the best restaurant is the one that makes you feel like you had the best dining experience in London like never before while leaving. Considering customer reviews and feedback, the above-mentioned were the top 11 places that offer not only halal sushi but also many more halal Japanese food options to choose from.
We assure you that all the spots mentioned are some of the best halal fancy eateries that can be nice relaxed food spots and are big on both flavour and customer service. So choose yourself a spot to enjoy your special sushi meal.
FAQs
Can I get something vegan among the Sushi delicacies in London?
Yes, you can. Visit Sushi Masago, and they have incredible vegan dishes to satisfy all customers.