Issho-Ni

Issho-Ni London is a chic Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar that’s causing quite the stir in Bethnal Green. How so? Well, Issho-Ni operates izakaya-style, which means small and delicious sharing plates are served alongside purposefully crafted Japanese cocktails to encourage the most social dining experience possible (Issho-Ni means ‘together with’ in Japanese, after all) – exactly the sort of thing that’s so popular in Shoreditch these days. The head chef at Issho-Ni has created a menu that stays true to many traditions of the Japanese kitchen whilst bending the rules just enough to ensure the food is exciting and unique. Issho-Ni London is open for lunch and dinner, of course, but also for a bottomless brunch experience that really is something to savour. You’ll find it on Bethnal Green Road, not too far from Bethnal Green train and Underground stations, where advanced reservations are essential, particularly at weekends.

Claire Su is the lady behind Issho-Ni London. Passionate about food and drink, she travelled the world and it didn’t take long for the culinary culture of Japan to fill a very special place in her heart. So, very much in love with the Japanese understanding of simple flavours and cooking techniques, she returned to London and opened her own restaurant on Bethnal Green Road in the very same spot that the area’s first noodle bar opened some years ago. These days, Issho-Ni London does a roaring trade with the simple aim of bringing people together over high-quality yet casual Japanese food and drink.

The Issho-Ni menu is brimming with quality, fresh produce but still offers plenty to choose from. Nibble on some kimchi or lotus root chips while you consider what to order, with our suggestions being the snow crab maki rolls, the tuna tataki and the white fish tartare with chilli and ginger sauce. Each of those are raw options, but if you feel like something hot and fried or grilled, try the pulled pork croquettes with a Japanese curry sauce or the chicken yakitori. The miso-marinated Chilean sea bass is also a complete delight, and then, on top of the food, three resident bartenders ensure you’ll always have the right cocktail in hand to complement your food just right. Issho-Ni is a gem of Shoreditch and Bethnal Green and you’re going to love it – just be sure to reserve a table before the rest of London beats you to it!