New Izakaya restaurant coming to Edinburgh

A first of its kind for the city, Nishiki, a Japanese-fusion Izakaya, is due to open in August, founded by the team behind Yamato – one of Edinburgh's most popular Japanese restaurants.

The 40-cover restaurant, opening in the West End, will be one of Scotland’s first sake-dedicated bars. The drinks menu will be built around the famous Japanese beverage, with food inspired by izakaya-style dining. Nishiki will offer an all-day dining menu and serve breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, with a focus on sharing plates and authentic Japanese flavours.

Dining at Nishiki

The breakfast menu will feature traditional breakfast dishes, alongside Japanese fusion plates like Japanese-style French toast. There will be a drinks menu centred around premium Japanese teas and a curated matcha selection, all made using ceremonial-grade matcha powder.

After breakfast, the menu will transition to a variety of izakaya-style small plates, including freshly hand-rolled sushi and a selection of grilled dishes. The bar will feature a carefully curated list of sakes, Shochu-based cocktails and Japanese whiskies. In addition, Nishiki will serve its own signature IPA.

The restaurant space will blend minimalist Japanese tradition with modern Scandinavian simplicity. Natural materials like wood are paired with modern elements, such as steel lighting, alongside traditional features like Japanese washi paper.  

Max Wang, chef-owner of Yamato and Nishiki, comments: “With Nishiki, we wanted to create something new for the city. We’ve visited lots of Izakayas during our trips to Japan and really wanted to bring the concept to Edinburgh. We have designed the space to be welcoming for everyone. A bright, communal environment where people can come together to enjoy fantastic food and drinks.”

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