Look Inside Hiroki, Fishtown’s Long-Anticipated, Omakase-Only Japanese Restaurant

Check out the space and opening menu of Hiroki, the long-awaited Japanese restaurant from longtime Morimoto sushi chef Hiroki Fujiyama.


Hiroki Fujiyama | Photo by CJ Harker

A long-awaited modern Japanese restaurant from one of Philly’s top sushi masters is about to open in Fishtown. Hiroki, a partnership between Method Co., the folks behind Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, and longtime Morimoto sushi chef Hiroki Fujiyama, will open at 1335 North Front Street this Wednesday, May 22nd.

The space at Lee and Master Streets, around the back of the Mulherin’s building, includes 26 seats — 14 in the dining room and 12 at the sushi counter constructed from white oak. The inspiration behind the design of the restaurant was drawn from Fujiyama’s time living in Gion, a district of Kyoto in Japan — so, the circular entrance door was made using yakisugi (an ancient Japanese technique of wood preserving); the mix of raw concrete, teak flooring, bronze accents and honed stone are reminiscent of a machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse typical of Kyoto. (Look behind the sushi counter and you’ll find a small sculpture by Fishtown-based artist Drew Leshko of the building’s original facade as an old garage.)

Tour of the dining room here:

Photo by Matthew Williams

Photo by Matthew Williams

Photo by Matthew Williams

Photo by Matthew Williams

Photo by Matthew Williams

Photo by Matthew Williams

Photo by Matthew Williams

Hiroki’s opening omakase menu — which is set at $135, or $195 with the sake pairing (otherwise, drinks are a la carte) — includes 20 courses, starting with zensai, tiny dishes made with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Next comes a set of a dozen different nigiri, then a special hand roll, miso soup, tamago (a rolled Japanese omelet), and dessert. Sake is, of course, the focal point of the restaurant’s drink offerings, but the menu includes a wine list sourced from around the world, along with Japanese gin, whiskey and shoju (all put together by Method Co.’s director of operations, Hannah Taylor-Noren). Peep the menu here:

Hours at Hiroki are Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. Reservations go live today. You can make them here.