If you’ve been craving Japanese foods like sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, tempura, and onigiri, you’ve probably been searching for the best Japanese restaurants in Karachi that serve these and many other traditional Japanese delicacies. Well, we’ve just made your search a whole lot easier by listing down seven of the top Japanese restaurants in the City of Lights, Karachi.
Restaurants Serving the Best Japanese Food in Karachi
If you want to savour teppanyaki and sushi in Karachi, here is where you should go:
- Fujiyama
- Sakura
- Tao
- Bonsai
- Miyako
- Cocochan
- Makotoya
Below is a detailed account of each of these Japanese eateries.
Fujiyama
We start off with Fujiyama, boasting a tasteful design and authentic Japanese food, served alongside amazing views of Karachi on the 17th floor of Avari Towers. Fujiyama is said to have reinvented Japanese cuisine in Karachi, and after a meal here, you’ll surely understand why. You can begin your meal with a range of fresh sashimi and appetizers, followed by various hot and cold dishes that will tantalise your taste buds. If you want the best sushi in Karachi, here’s where you’ll find it.
Their menu includes teppanyaki as well as teriyaki with a range of proteins to choose from. You can choose à la carte or go for Live Teppanyaki cooked right in front of you. Seafood lovers can also eat their fill here with prawn, squid, crab, lobster, salmon, and tuna being served in different Japanese dishes such as Prawns Tempura, Maguro Tataki (tuna tataki), and Sake Sashimi (salmon sashimi).
You can also choose to follow a set menu from the Chef’s Special section in Fujiyama’s menu, which also includes desserts (fresh fruits or Tempura Ice Cream).
Timings: 12:30 PM to 11:30 PM (Monday to Friday), 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM (Saturday and Sunday)
Location: Avari Towers, Fatima Jinnah Road, Karachi Cantt
Contact: 021-35273476, 021-111-282-747 (Ext: 2076)
Sakura
Sakura is one of the other fine dining Japanese restaurants in Karachi, offering an amazing ambience and exemplary service along with delicious Japanese cuisine. Located in the PC Hotel, it is the perfect place to entertain your foreign guests if they happen to love sushi and sashimi.
The à la carte menu at Sakura features soups, salads, appetisers, tempuras, as well as several varieties of udon, ramen, and soba noodles. You can also choose between teriyaki or teppanyaki, with beef, chicken, lamb, salmon, and red snapper being some of the many options in terms of proteins. Alternatively, you can choose from three set menus that cater to both meat and seafood lovers, and include appetisers, soups, salads, and mains.
Sushi lovers can rest assured that there’s plenty to satiate their hunger pangs as well because Sakura actually has a second menu dedicated entirely to its range of sushi and sashimi platters. This menu includes Nigiri Sushi, Makimono Sushi, Maki Sushi, Temaki Sushi, as well as House Specials. You can also choose from a wide range of Moriawase, which is an assorted collection of sushi, sashimi, and maki, suggested by Sakura’s sushi chef.
Timings: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM (Lunch), 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM (Dinner)
Location: PC Hotel Marquee, Club Road, Civil Lines
Contact: 021-111-505-505
TAO
Bringing Pan-Asian cuisine to Karachi, TAO offers not just Japanese, but also Malay, Chinese and Thai delicacies in a relaxed and cosy setting. The concept behind the restaurant’s name takes us to the Orient, where TAO means the essential path/way/flow/route of life that we all take.
Starting in January 2015, TAO has been able to bring Pan-Asian food to the masses of Karachi with a range of starters, salads, soups, sharable sushi platters, and yummy desserts. While the menu is quite versatile, their best sellers are Pit Pat Kai Chicken, Szechuan Chicken, Crispy Beef, Hot & Sour Soup, Chili Oyster Fish, and their range of sushi.
Timings: 12:30 PM to 11:30 PM (Monday to Thursday), 1:30 PM to 11:30 PM (Friday to Sunday)
Location: D-68, Block 7, Boat Basin, Opposite Standard Chartered Bank, Clifton
Contact: 021-38899999
Bonsai
Bonsai is another Pan-Asian eatery serving delicious Japanese food in Karachi. The restaurant was initiated after four friends decided to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test and bring a blend of fine-dining and Pan-Asian foods to Karachi. The food is beautifully presented here, making it a feast for the eyes. The staff is hospitable and accommodating, ensuring that their patrons are satisfactorily catered to.
The hits from their menu are Crispy Dynamite Prawns, Bonsai Snow Mountain Maki, Special Fire Cracker Rolls, and Asian Mix Chili Prawns. All the side servings of rice are complementary at Bonsai, with Jasmine Rice and Egg Fried Rice being two of the main options. The eatery also offers an amazingly good quality of beef, keeping patrons coming back for more.
Timings: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Lunch), 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM (Dinner)
Location: 14-C, Lane 9, Ittehad Commercial Area, Phase 6, DHA OR Tipu Sultan Road (Opposite Habitt), PECHS
Contact: 0331-3266724
Miyako
Miyako offers Pan-Asian flavours in an inviting setting with wooden floors, installations, and strategic lighting adding charm and keeping the ambience warm and cosy. The menu is a blend of Thai, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine, earning it a place in our list of the best Japanese eateries in Karachi. The menu is limited with regards to Japanese dishes, but customer service here is exemplary and leaves little to be desired.
One appetiser not to be missed is Dynamite Prawns, but the Wasabi Prawns and Lemongrass Satay Chicken are good alternatives as well. The Boneless Nana Wings are starters on the spicier side for those who can handle the heat. The Fire Dragon Maki, California Maki, and Crispy California Maki are a few favourites from Miyako’s menu for people who are eager to try sushi in Karachi. You can then close the meal with a Chocolate Brownie if you have a sweet tooth.
Timings: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Lunch), 7:30 PM to 12:00 AM (Dinner)
Location: 40-C, 30th St, Main Khayaban-e-Shahbaz, Phase 6, DHA
Contact: 0333-3992227
Cocochan
Cocochan is the next eatery to be included in our list of the best Japanese restaurants in Karachi. With a central location and an amazing interior that will leave you in awe, Cocochan is the place to bring your guests to if you want to impress them. Their chef is skilled at Japanese cuisine but also juxtaposes a range of Chinese and Thai cooking methods into various dishes to create some delicious masterpieces.
Some of the highlights from Cocochan’s menu are Papaya Salad, dim sums, sushi, Pad Thai Noodles, Crispy California Rolls, Grilled Prime Beef, Crispy Fried Chicken, as well as Red Curry with the choice of either prawns or chicken. You can also opt for sushi or sashimi platters if you’re visiting with a group of people who love Japanese flavours. The best dessert here is the Lemon Cheesecake, which should not be missed.
Timings: 1:00 PM to 12:00 AM (Monday to Friday), 1:00 PM to 1:00 AM (Saturday and Sunday)
Location: Tipu Sultan Road (Opposite Habitt), PECHS OR 2nd Floor, Dolmen Mall, Marine Drive, Block 4, Clifton
Contact: 021-34552695, 021-34552696, 021-111-778-899
Makotoya
Makotoya is one woman’s dream and determination to bring healthy Japanese food to Pakistan. The owner, Rie Mihara, has been living in Karachi since 2016 and wants more people to taste wholesome and organic Japanese cuisine. The ingredients are freshly sourced from organic suppliers, and only a few key ingredients are imported from Japan, as and when the need arises.
The minimalist design of the café packs some flavoursome Japanese food with appetisers including Peppered Beef Salad, Wasabi and Basil Prawns, Chawan-Mushi (savoury egg custard), and Dashimaki-Tamago (Japanese omelette). The best main here is the Maguro Steak (tuna steak) while Matcha Pudding is the ideal way to end the meal.
Timings: 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Location: 26-C, Lane 5, Main Bukhari Commercial, Phase 6, DHA
Contact: 021-35346006
Pan-Asian eateries have flooded Karachi’s food scene, but only a few of them are worth mentioning when talking about the best Japanese restaurants in Karachi. We’ve listed down the best ones, so better get your sushi game on, and try out these amazing places for that traditional Japanese flavour you’ve been craving.
If you live in Lahore, check out the list of Japanese restaurants there. People living in the capital can also review our list of the best Japanese eateries in Islamabad.
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