Sachi at Pantechnicon

Please note that this restaurant is only temporarily closed and due to reopen late Spring.

Turing into the Belgravia street where Pantechnicon finds its home, you might initially be confused by this sprawling building. A Victorian warehouse-cum-department store, the grandiose façade stretches far and wide, making it the perfect place for something special. And special, Pantechnicon is.

With a café, two concept stores, Nordic rooftop restaurant, events space, sake bar and underground Japanese restaurant, this place brings together a plethora of cultures, interests and entertainment. While there’s much to see, we particularly loved Sachi – the subterranean restaurant which celebrates Japanese cuisine, informed by Nordic touches while using British produce.

Sachi’s style is sleek and sophisticated. If you’ve heard of the interiors trend Japandi, which draws from the design-led, minimalist aesthetic of both Japan and Scandinavia, this space is a beautiful example. Natural materials, internal crittal windows and atmospheric lighting give the place an occasion feel – which is amplified by the luxurious menu. While sitting out on the floor is fun (especially as you can see the sushi bar in action), the secluded booths are also divine and feature airy, linen drapes for extra flair.

Let the wonderful staff and sake sommelier guide you through the drinks menu and while the cocktails offer flavour combinations and even ingredients you may not have tried before, the extensive sake menu simply has to be explored. We opted for a sparkling sake (which is very unusual, especially as this method was only developed in 2006) which was crisp and lively.

With options like wagyu sirloin in beetroot and miso, juicy, fried scallops and a chef’s plate of thick sashimi, this isn’t the time to hold back. For vegetarians, the halved aubergine, which has been cooked slowly until it melts in your mouth and is smothered in miso is a must-try. While the slices of tuna toro tataki, blow-torched and sprinkled with lava salt are supremely rich.

As mentioned, the sushi bar is a highlight of Sachi, offering maki rolls, gunkan and sashimi. Sachi has chosen not to feature salmon on the menu for environmental reasons, which makes way for more uncommon ingredients such as yellowtail, lobster and trout. All of which are incredibly fresh and full of flavour.

Sachi is a stylish Japanese restaurant found on the lower ground floor of Motcomb Street’s Pantechnicon, a six-storey dining destination in the heart of Belgravia.

The restaurant is a striking space, combining Japanese minimalism with an intimate warmth. The chic elements of the room are characterised by exposed brick walls, while cosy private booths can be found beneath luscious houseplants atop wooden structures, similar to a typical Japanese garden. Elsewhere, you can find an open sushi counter and a late-night bar and lounge – inspired by Tokyo’s famous speakeasies – that features a marble-topped bar.

Head chef Collin Hudston champions local ingredients by blending traditional and modern techniques to create his menu. Expect line-caught fish from across the British Isles prepared at the sushi counter, meat from heritage breeds cooked over coals and organic Japanese greens grown in Sussex. 

Plates to try on your visit include sea bass carpaccio with lava salt and sea buckthorn, as well as delicate skate wing with dashi butter. There’s an abundance of sashimi and nigiri varieties such as sea bass, otoro and scallop. Make sure to also order some of Sachi’s signatures, like the lobster tempura with chanterelle and marsh samphire, or the aubergine with sweet miso and buckwheat. Do note that dishes change weekly depending on what its partners catch or grow – see sample menus below. 

When it comes to drinks, lovers of rice wine should be sure to ask for the recommendations of Sachi’s dedicated sake sommelier, while there is also an extensive selection of rare Japanese whiskies to try, as well as innovative house cocktails. Look out for signature creations such as a Tokyo Mule and a Wasabi Margarita which put Japanese-inspired twists on classic drinks.