Aki London to open in historic Cavendish Square

New Japanese restaurant from Malta’s Lifestyle Group, Aki London, is scheduled to open in September 2025 at One Cavendish Square in central London. Housed within a Grade II-listed former banking hall, the venue will offer a Kyoto-inspired, farm-to-table dining experience in a space designed by interior designer Francis Sultana. This marks the first international opening for the hospitality group, whose original Aki restaurant in Valletta has been featured in the Michelin Guide for four consecutive years.

The £15 million transformation of the historic building aims to blend Japanese craftsmanship with European design elements. Sultana’s interiors draw inspiration from Japanese decorative screens, incorporating features such as plaster trees, cloud motifs, and kimono fabrics. The restaurant will seat 80 guests in its main dining hall and also include a frescoed private dining room and an underground vault bar named Kiyori.

“Aki, an interior that combines the inspiration of the Japanese, mostly from my fascination with their decorative screens from the past to the present day, with the fusion of the international European style that is so part of my design language,” said Francis Sultana. “I wanted to create a grand European dining room as the centre of the restaurant, with intimate spaces like the private dining room with Japanese landscapes, and the bar lounge with its dark exotic feeling, reminiscent of the 1920s clubs in London, Paris and New York, that were so inspired by the Orient… Aki, for me, like the food, is all about fusion in design inspiration.”

The menu will feature contemporary interpretations of traditional Japanese dishes, incorporating techniques such as in-house fermentation and fish-to-tail cooking. Signature dishes include Wagyu Tataki with truffle and mustard pickle, Hay-Smoked Scallop with tofu and apple tosazu jelly, and Natto and Yuzu-Marinated Lamb. The restaurant will also be certified to serve authentic Kobe beef, a distinction held by only a few establishments globally.

Aki London will operate 80 micro-farms on-site to cultivate rare Japanese herbs, with a focus on sustainability and minimising food miles. The drinks menu will reflect Japanese seasonality and craftsmanship, offering cocktails made with ingredients such as yuzu, miso, and house-infused shochu.

An art collection curated by Polina Sulina will showcase contemporary works by artists like Yoshirotten, Ryan Gander and Bouke de Vries. The venue’s lower-level bar, Kiyori, will offer a late-night setting with a separate VIP entrance, DJ sets, and a curated cocktail programme.

“Launching Aki in London is a defining moment for Lifestyle Group,” said Robert Debono, CEO of Lifestyle Group. “Partnering with Francis Sultana has allowed us to create a space that reflects both our ambition and our respect for design and heritage.”

Food Desk

Aki London will open in September 2025 at One Cavendish Square, W1. For further information, visit the website here.