Aki is a new opening from Maltese-based Lifestyle Group and has a celebrated sister venue in Valetta serving up sushi, robata and Kushiyaki dishes.
It is set to open at the £15 million refurbishment of a Grade II listed banking hall at One Cavendish Square.
The venue will feature a separate entrance for Kiyori a late night downstairs bar in the former vault which will serve teas and Japanese-inspired cocktails.
Aki’s offer is “contemporary interpretations of Japanese culinary tradition” with “Mediterranean warmth,” so expect the likes of Kobe beef, yuzu marinated lamb, wagyu tataki, and tuna tartare with aged soy and caviar.
Further into Marylebone, Kudu is a European-South African venture which has built a huge fanbase with restaurants in Peckham and Nunhead.
Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams, who founded the business in 2017, are now relocating north, combining three restaurants in one location at Moxon Street in the heart of Marylebone village.
Posting on Instagram in May, the couple wrote: “The new restaurant will bring our three sites together under one roof, marking an exciting new chapter for our company! The site will feature brand-new dishes alongside standout favourites from both Kudu and Kudu Grill, as well as a private dining room and bar area.
“This dream project has been in the pipeline for a few years now and we still can’t actually believe it’s happening!”
Serving brunch, lunch and dinner, the open fire braai restaurant – which is named after an African antelope – will offer modern European cooking with a South African twist.
According to their website The Kudu Collective borrows “flavours and techniques from the homeland.”
“Our goal is to foster a culture of genuine hospitality, culinary excellence, entrepreneurial spirit and core family values,” they add.
Expect the likes of quail skewers, Kalahari spiced biltong, pork chop with monkey gland sauce, Cape Malay monkfish potjie, whole black bream with zhug butter rotis, and an epic Durban pineapple dessert for two with cardamom brûlée, spiced pineapple, chocolate ganache, brandy canele, and coconut soft serve.
Bookings for Kudu are now live with the restaurant opening on September 16 at 7, Moxon Street, Marylebone. www.kuducollective.com
