is a
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese language, Japanese: ) is based on rice with m ...
restaurant in
Minato, Tokyo
is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is also called Minato City in English.
Minato was formed in 1947 as a merger of Akasaka, Tokyo, Akasaka, Azabu and Shiba, Tokyo, Shiba wards following Tokyo City's Local Autonomy Ac ...
, primarily known for serving
sushi
is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...
. It had three
Michelin stars
The ''Michelin Guides'' ( ; ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The ''Guide'' awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few restaurants in certain geographic ...
until it chose to stop accepting reservations from the general public.
Description
Sushi Saito, owned by chef Takashi Saito, who trained at Ginza Kyubey, is located at First Floor Ark Hills south Tower, 1-4-5
Roppongi
Roppongi (, , 'six trees') is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, famous for the affluent Roppongi Hills development area and popular night club scene. A few foreign embassies are located near Roppongi, and the night life is popu ...
,
Minato-ku, Tokyo. It moved to its current location in February 2014. The restaurant seats eight people.
[ Because of the limited seating and popularity of the restaurant, reservations have been described as essential.][ In reality, it is impossible to get a reservation at Sushi Saito unless you are a regular patron.
The prestigious publication LaListe.com ranked, in its 2024 edition, Sushi Saito as best restaurant in the world with 99.50 points, tied with other restaurants for the spot.
]
Reception
Kelly Wetherille for CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
Travel, described Sushi Saito as a "hidden gem".[ ]Fodor's
Fodor's is a producer of English-language travel guides and online tourism information. It was founded by Hungarian Eugene Fodor, who created his first travel guide, ''1936...on the Continent'', with the intention of improving upon the directo ...
travel guide described the food there as being "the freshest sushi available in the world".Joël Robuchon
Joël Robuchon (, 7 April 1945 – 6 August 2018) was a French chef and restaurateur. He was named "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau in 1989, and awarded the ''Meilleur Ouvrier de France'' (France's best worker) in cuisine in 197 ...
, who held the most Michelin stars in the world of any chef, once described Sushi Saito as "the best sushi restaurant in the world".
The restaurant gained a third Michelin star
The ''Michelin Guides'' ( ; ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The ''Guide'' awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few restaurants in certain geographic ...
on the 2009 list, having previously held two. Takashi Saito said he was "very happy" at the news. Former Michelin Guide directeur général
A director general, general director or director-general (plural: ''directors general'', ''general directors'', ''directors-general'', ''director generals'' or ''director-generals'') is a senior executive officer, often the chief executive officer ...
Jean-Luc Naret said that he "wanted to make this place my own". In the Asia-only version of The World's 50 Best Restaurants
The World's 50 Best Restaurants is a list produced by the UK media company William Reed Ltd, William Reed, which originally appeared in the British magazine ''Restaurant (magazine), Restaurant'' in 2002. The list and awards are no longer direc ...
by ''Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
'' magazine, Sushi Saito was ranked 39th in 2013. The restaurant was removed from the Michelin Guide
The ''Michelin Guides'' ( ; ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The ''Guide'' awards up to three Michelin star (classification), stars for excellence to a select few restaurants ...
in 2019 because it is no longer open to the public.
See also
* List of sushi restaurants
The following is an incomplete list of notable sushi restaurants.
Sushi is a Japanese food composed of specially prepared vinegared rice combined with varied ingredients such as (chiefly) seafood (often uncooked), vegetables, egg, and occasionall ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sushi Saito
Tourist attractions in Tokyo
Restaurants in Tokyo
Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan
Sushi restaurants in Japan
Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants