Hot Stone

Restaurant | London | England | United Kingdom

Best Japanese restaurants in London

"Hot Stone" in London, England, is an award-winning Japanese restaurant known for its unique combination of traditional techniques and luxurious ingredients. It is one of the few restaurants in the United Kingdom – specifically, one of nine – that serve certified Kobe beef, considered one of the best types of meat in the world. Under the guidance of Executive Chef Padam Raj Rai, who brings over 22 years of experience in Japanese cuisine and has previously worked at renowned establishments such as Zuma, Nobu, and Sake No Hana, the restaurant offers a culinary experience deeply rooted in authenticity. Originally started in Islington, "Hot Stone" has also opened a location in Fitzrovia, known for its central location and modern atmosphere.

Kobe beef cooking on hot stone

The heart of the restaurant is the Ishiyaki method, an ancient Japanese cooking technique where guests cook their own food on a hot volcanic stone heated to around 450 degrees Celsius. The "Kobe Sirloin Steak" is a highlight – a tender, marbled piece of meat that, when prepared at the table, gets an intense flavor and perfect texture. This interactive component makes the visit a special experience that goes beyond just eating. In addition to Kobe beef, the restaurant shines with an array of exquisite sushi served with freshly grated wasabi from the mountain regions of Japan. The "Fatty Tuna Truffle Roll" is an example of the creative sophistication offered here – a combination of buttery tuna, truffle, and caviar that delights the palate.

Interactive dining experiences in London

The side dishes and appetizers are also noteworthy. The "Miso Eggplant" impresses with its sweet and savory glaze and delicate texture, while the "Scallop Carpaccio" with plum sauce and edible flowers offers a light yet flavorfully complex option. For seafood lovers, there are dishes like "King Prawns" that can also be grilled on the hot stone and stand out with their juicy freshness. The soy sauces, aged over 100 years in cedar barrels by the Okada family, add a special depth to the dishes and enhance the natural umami flavor. For dessert, the "Black Sesame Cheesecake" offers an unusual but delicious note that is sweet and slightly nutty at the same time.

Exquisite sushi with fresh wasabi

The restaurant itself is a place of contrasts – minimalist yet warm, with interior design inspired by Japanese aesthetics and playful elements such as artificial cherry blossom trees. The open kitchen area allows guests to watch the chefs at work, strengthening the connection to craftsmanship. The service is often described as friendly and knowledgeable, with staff happy to guide guests through the menu and explain the intricacies of the Ishiyaki method. "Hot Stone" places great emphasis on details, whether in the quality of ingredients or the presentation of dishes, earning it numerous awards and recognition in the London dining scene.

Contact details

Web

http://hotstonelondon.com

Phone

+442074190305

Address

3 Windmill St

W1T 2HY London

Map view

Opening hours

Sunday	12:00 - 14:00 17:30 - 20:45
Monday	17:00 - 21:30
Tuesday	17:00 - 21:30
Wednesday	17:30 - 21:00
Thursday	12:00 - 14:00 17:30 - 21:00
Friday	12:00 - 14:00 17:30 - 21:30
Saturday	12:00 - 14:00 17:30 - 21:30

Reviews

5724 Reviews

Jocelyne Miserez

09.03.2025

Delicious

Bitten Hesse

06.03.2025

Lovely food and great location. Downside was the restaurant's interior. Old furniture, dark room. Not very cozy.

Gavin Pang

05.03.2025

We had the five course wagyu course. Everything tasted nice but if we didn't get extra sushi rolls, we wouldn't have been full. I wouldn't come the second time as the flavours were nothing special. However, for the price (only if you had a deal), it was just about worth it.

Molly Wilson

05.03.2025

Very very bad

Jay

04.03.2025

I had a wonderful time and experience tasting the sushi and Wagu here at hot stone. The staff were very efficient and knowledgeable and explained the dishes very well. The selections offered was unique and very flavourful. I really enjoyed the Japanese A5 Wagu and the mochi madness cocktail. The ambience was very busy when we arrived on a Monday but this just added to the experience and shows how popular for sushi and Wagu this restaurant really is for locals as well as travellers around the world. I will be back here for sure in the near future.

Lucy Lock Yoga

04.03.2025

Lovely busy restaurant with a buzzing atmosphere close to Tottenham Court Road station. The staff are very friendly is great service all the dishes are super tasty and nice cocktail options. Would love to come back again soon! Also would like to try their new sister restaurant Kibako :)

Hardy John Daria

03.03.2025

This is the best restaurant experience I had so far. Chef Paddam, Deepinder and the rest of the team were very accomodating and nice.

Viktorija Nekrasaite

03.03.2025

Had unlimited sushi during lunch time and it was fantastic! The flavours were excellent and the fish was fresh. Although the set menu is quite small, each dish was amazing, and they were definitely not skimping on the ingredients. The servers were wonderful, hardly needed to wait to be seated. Very attentative and helpful. The only con is the atmosphere. The restaurant is quite small and the ventilation is not the best. So if you're there during the busy periods, expect to see smoke around from hot stone dishes

Ben Piette

03.03.2025

Nice evening out.

Pau Casvill

02.03.2025

Fantastic night at the HotStone. Very good food, space and service.

Paula S

02.03.2025

I love going to Hot Stone, the food is always delicious and the staff is super attentive. Their vouchers are really worth buying.

Aylin A

02.03.2025

I saw them on the social media and wanted to try. I am not sure this is a japanese restaurant the interior does not really reflect that. I found the food very average. Sashimi is super small portion for that price, it is literally one small bite. And they bring soy sauce a little amount in a plate. Found the place weird. Wouldn’t go again.

Helena Jones

02.03.2025

The food and service at Hot Stone were top notch. Staff were welcoming, knowledgeable and helpful, and once they discovered it was our daughter's birthday, they brought a dessert over with a candle. Would definitely visit again.

Para Piccigallo

02.03.2025

Good food but small portion sizes. Perfect for light lunch

David Rock

01.03.2025

Very good service and atmosphere and the food was great

Polly Lung

01.03.2025

Small cosy Japanese restaurant in the heart of Soho. Serving Japanese food along with hot stone menu. Definitely worth to try the Crunchy hot stone prawn tempura sushi roll, spicy tuna sushi.

M. Michael (Hi-tech Investments)

28.02.2025

IN SHORT, the restaurant is disappointing. The portions are very small and unjustifiably overpriced. The restaurant claims to serve Japanese food, but unfortunately, it is not the right restaurant. Almost every dish contains sugar, which is unusual in Japanese food, and at some point, it is difficult to continue eating. We ordered the black cod, The steak was ridiculously small and cost £40, was not tasty at all, it had an aftertaste, and it seemed to be 24h in a bad marinade Also, the restaurant is not equipped accordingly. They allow diners to prepare wague meat (extremely expensive), themselves on a hot stone on the table while the restaurant is not adapted for that, the whole table is covered in fat and smoke. The scallop dish was very disappointing. They served one piece, cut into several pieces, and mixed with a lot of mayonnaise. The bottomline, it is not worth it at all. We had lunch for two and paid £239 !!! Lest I forget, a glass of wine, three sips, like they're doing you a favour. The whole staff is not Japanese, hahahahahahaha

Hannia West

28.02.2025

Had a lovely experience here this week. Service was impeccable, the staff were all incredibly friendly. The staff member who looked after our table was attentive and friendly. Couldn't have asked for better service. The food was amazing. I had a voucher for the all you can eat and we managed to sample one of everything before becoming too full to continue. It was hands down the best sushi I have ever had, the quality of every dish was of the highest standard. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone who enjoys Japanese cuisine

chris stone

27.02.2025

Just a beautiful tasty quality meal with wonderful service .

T H

27.02.2025

Mouth-watering scallops - loved them. And the wagyu beef on the hotstone was unreal. Definitely recommend to get the vouchers!

Jenna Ezra

26.02.2025

I've been wanting to visit hot stone for the longest time, and I left with the biggest disappointment. Incredibly over priced food that you have to cook in the first 5 mins of it reaching your table since the stone gets cold, meal was probably over within 20 mins and the waiters swiftly brought the cheque without you asking, as soon as desert was done. The food is essentially just seared things with rice, regardless of however great of a quality the ingredients may be, overall we ended up leaving feeling a bit scammed. It was not the leisurely, satisfying, memorable dinner as planned, but one where we felt cheated and rushed. Our stomachs weren't exactly been feeling great after the meal either, with both parties in and out of bathroom all evening since the meal. So nope, wouldn't recommend, would not return. Avoid avoid avoid.