Inside a stunning London restaurant in the old Oxford Street bank

Thursday 16 October 2025 12:34

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New London restaurant Aki has opened in a quiet area a few minutes’ walk from Oxford Street

The beautiful, high-ceilinged former bank with all the ornate ceilings and latticework from its opening in 1825 has been converted into a Japanese restaurant.

New London restaurant Aki is behind an unassuming door opposite The Phoenix pub, a few minutes’ walk from Oxford Circus, but step inside and the space is quite extraordinary, although perhaps better suited to a large party than a plate of sushi. It must have been very difficult to find furniture that fits the scope of this building and doesn’t feel drowned out by it.

The team went for luxury, although I think stripped back would have been better: simple polished wood would have left the building to make a statement rather than the furnishings, but the pieces chosen included some tacky faux marble tables. And I got suspicious when the DJ started banging in the middle of the night. In any case, this is certainly a place worth noting for dinner.

The menu created by executive chef Sameer Taneja (formerly of Benares) is imaginative and fun, but Taneja is also serious about taste. Small dishes like Fuji wagyu beef tataki and chu-toro tuna tartare with spiced fish liver pack a punch; but the highlight is the Robata: Lumina lamb chops with Yuzu Nattao and bold, subtle ume boshi; miso butter poached Chilean sea bass is lighter but has the same flavor. A dramatic destination for a very dramatic meal.

To order, visit akilondon.com