Kanpai

Elegant, contemporary Japanese restaurant with extensive and exciting sushi offerings.

The 2019/20 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

It's on a quiet street with an unassuming exterior, but there’s little need for fanfare to draw custom to this well-established sushi shrine. After years at the top, quality shows no signs of dipping and Kanapi continues to be marked out as one of the city’s best sushi spots. There’s nothing showy about the menu but chefs are serious about their craft; each immaculate plate of traditional sushi served on simple glazed earthenware promises clean flavours and shows beautiful presentation. Classics like tataki beef and wakame seaweed salad are perfectly executed. More unusual dishes like delicate snow crab vulcan offer a subtle balance of citrus ponzu and smoky bonito with a pleasing combination of textures. But this is a sushi-led menu and for purists the sashimi is hard to beat, especially with market specials offering some less common fish not often seen in the city.