Best Edinburgh sushi restaurants - our top 6

Edinburgh has a rising sushi scene

Published 8th Feb 2017
Updated 18 th Sep 2023

If you want to find the finest sushi in Glasgow, look no further, because we have compiled a list of the best sushi restaurants in the city.

Kanpai Sushi

(8-10 Grindlay St, EH3 9AS, 0131 228 1602)

Picture: Kanpai

Picture: Kanpai

Kanpai won the Newcomer of the Year award in the Scottish Restaurant Awards of 2012, so you know from the start that you are in for a treat. The word “kanpai” means “bottoms up” and is the Japanese way of toasting, so make sure to use it when sipping your sake.

The interior is sleek and modern, matched by the beautifully presented sushi. The Kanpai Special Roll is well worth trying, made from prawn, sweet bean curd, and avocado.

There are also sashimi and tempura dishes to try, including the divine sesame chicken wings.

Bonsai

(46 W Richmond St, EH8 9DZ, 0131 668 3847)

Filled with Japanese objects, including a metal model of Godzilla bearing a scimitar, this restaurant is a quirky, cosy place to have a meal. Bonsai has been on the go for 16 years, and has accumulated a vast range of dishes over the years.

The traditional sushi rolls are accompanied by cone-shaped temaki rolls and inside-out gaijin rolls which are filled with delicious ingredients.

There are also teppanyaki, soups, and deep-fried dishes for the sushi refusers.

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Tang's

(44 Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QE, 0131 220 5000)

Picture: Trip Advisor Traveller

Picture: Trip Advisor Traveller

Edinburgh's Old Town may not spring to mind when you think of sushi, but, in fact, it is home to a Japanese restaurant which has been very popular with tourists since it opened in 2007.

The décor is simple, apart from the bold bamboo wallpaper.

Look out for the sea bass nigri and the salmon skin maki. There are also delightful home-made gyoza if you need a warming meal.

Sushiya

(19 Dalry Rd, EH11 2BQ, 0131 313 3222)

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Picture: Trip Advisor Traveller

Picture: Trip Advisor Traveller

We recommend booking in advance for Sushiya, as it is both very small and very popular. The ingredients are always fresh, and the traditional salmon and tuna sushi is given centre stage.

However, there are also specials which are well worth a taste - tasty dumplings, and fantastic seared tuna are among them.

The presentation is immaculate, making your meal both easy on the eyes and on the taste-buds.

Yes Sushi

(89 Hanover St, EH2 1EE, 0131 220 1887)

Picture: Trip Advisor Traveller

Picture: Trip Advisor Traveller

Adorned with lanterns and Japanese prints, Yes Sushi combines traditional and modern Japanese cuisine. The food is very good for you, but that doesn't mean it's not delicious.

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If you like your sushi to have a bit of a kick, try out the spicy salmon sushi. The red tiger roll is quite a spectacle, comprising several sushi rolls and prawn tempura for the head and tail.

There are also a variety of other dishes, including the soothing prawn dumplings.

Harajuku Kitchen

(10 Gillespie Place,  EH10 4HS, 0131 281 0526) 
Picture: Harajuku Kitchen

Picture: Trip Advisor Traveller

Having been awarded the title of the UK's Best Japanese Restaurant at the Asian Curry Awards 2016, you can be sure that the food at Harajuku Kitchen will be phenomenally good.

The family recipes used to create their excellent dishes have been passed down for three generations, meaning that authenticity is very important to the proprietors. The octopus rolls and the mackerel nigri are an excellent choice for the adventurous diner.
The presentation is divine - so much so you may not want to spoil the display by eating the sushi. Furthermore, the colourful cartoons on the back wall are certain to cheer you up, even on the gloomiest day.

Maddy lives in Edinburgh and has written for the Sunday Herald and the Ed Fringe Review. She is passionate about authentic, sustainably sourced food, and is always keen to discover exciting new flavours.
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