Milk Beach founders bring grab-and-go sushi concept Saltwater to Soho’s Berwick Street

Saltwater, a grab-and-go sushi outlet from the founders of Milk Beach, has just launched in Soho. The opening brings freshly prepared handrolls, nigiri and donburi bowls to a central London site.

The menu has been created by Shaulan Steenson, previously a sushi chef at Endo at the Rotunda and Hakkoku in Tokyo, alongside executive chef Tom Cajone, whose CV includes Parakeet, Granger & Co and Zafferano. The concept draws on the takeaway sushi bars of Sydney and Los Angeles, with all sushi made on-site in view of customers.

Prices start at £1.30 for nigiri, £3.40 for handrolls and £10.90 for donburi bowls. Nigiri options include Seared Salmon with miso glaze and shichimi pepper, Bluefin Tuna with fermented chilli Kewpie, Hamachi with ponzu and jalapeño, and Agedashi Aubergine with sesame. Handrolls include Salmon with Avocado and Yuzu Mayo; Bluefin Tuna with Shiso, Yuzu Kosho and Smashed Avocado; Chicken Schnitty with Avocado and Fermented Chilli Kewpie; and Maple Aubergine with broccolini and tamari roasted pumpkin seeds. Donburi bowls, served with grain-enriched rice, greens and smacked cucumber, include Saltwater Chicken Schnitty with teriyaki and Kewpie, Roasted Sesame Miso Chicken, and Sticky Sweet Aubergine with maple glaze and wakame.

Fish is supplied by True World Foods, which holds Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council accreditation and supplies restaurants including Nobu and Roka. Bluefin tuna comes from Balfegó in Spain, with salmon sourced from Scotland, Norway and the Faroe Islands, and short-grain rice from the Hadong region of South Korea. Packaging is being produced in partnership with the UK company Notpla, which makes seaweed-based, plastic-free alternatives to conventional sushi containers.

The 50-cover site has been designed by Macaulay Sinclair, the studio behind interiors for Dishoom, Hawksmoor and BAO, using blonde timbers, raw concrete, stainless steel and a palette of blues and sandy tones. A full-width bi-fold shopfront and open counter allow passers-by to watch sushi being made.

Co-founder Elliot Milne said: “London is crying out for better takeaway sushi and Saltwater is here to deliver it. Too often, sushi is piled into plastic trays and lacks freshness or personality. With Saltwater, we want to bring restaurant-quality sushi into a more accessible format, giving guests the freedom to choose from a wide range of freshly made handrolls, nigiri and hot rice bowls. We are extremely happy to have found a site with Shaftesbury Capital on Berwick Street, right in the heart of Soho’s food scene and just a few blocks away from Milk Beach.”

Emma Matus, head of restaurant leasing at the landlord Shaftesbury Capital, said: “The arrival of Saltwater is an exciting addition to Soho’s thriving F&B landscape, which continues to evolve with new concepts. It also reinforces Soho as a first-choice destination for brands looking to introduce new concepts to a discerning audience; the neighbourhood’s busy nature and diverse customer base makes it the ideal location for a fast-paced dining concept. Berwick Street is an established lunchtime hotspot, and Saltwater will bring something new to the table here.”

Food Desk

For further information, visit Saltwater’s website here.