Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
Book if fermentation-forward omakase is your format.
Kabi is a Michelin one-star fermentation restaurant in Meguro, Tokyo, where Chef Shohei Yasuda fuses Japanese pickling traditions with Nordic technique. At the ¥¥¥ tier — below most starred Tokyo venues — it offers serious, concept-driven cooking at a relative value. Book 3–4 weeks out; service is Tuesday–Friday evenings plus Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.
Kabi is the right choice for a special occasion dinner in Tokyo if you want something that sits outside the conventional omakase circuit. This is a Michelin-starred fermentation-focused restaurant in Meguro that draws on both Japanese tradition and Nordic technique — a combination that makes it genuinely worth planning around for a date night, a celebration, or any meal where you want a clear point of view on the plate. If your priority is classic kaiseki or high-end sushi, look elsewhere. But if the idea of handmade miso meeting vinegar-cured mackerel, or a rice gruel reworked through the lens of fermented crucian carp, sounds like the kind of cooking you'd fly to Tokyo for, Kabi deserves a firm booking.
The restaurant takes its name from the Japanese word for mold , a deliberate provocation that sets the tone immediately. Kabi does not dress fermentation up as a trend. The philosophy here is that Japan has been fermenting food for centuries, and that Northern Europe developed parallel traditions across comparable climates. Chef Shohei Yasuda trained in Denmark and returned to Tokyo with a method that cross-pollinates these two fermentation cultures rather than simply borrowing Nordic aesthetics. The result is a menu where tsukemono (pickles) appear not as an afterthought but as a considered expression of that tradition, where the kitchen's relationship with acidity, salt, and time is the actual through-line of every course.
The aroma profile of a meal here is unlike most Tokyo fine dining rooms. Where kaiseki venues tend toward clean dashi and subtle smoke, Kabi's kitchen carries the deeper, earthier notes of active fermentation , koji, aged miso, lacto-fermented vegetables , scents that signal the kitchen is working with live cultures, not just finished condiments. That sensory context matters for a special occasion: it tells the diner from the first moments that this is cooking with a genuine process behind it, not a concept applied to a conventional French-influenced tasting menu format.
Service at Kabi is worth considering carefully before you book at this price tier. The format is dinner-only four nights a week (Tuesday through Friday), with a Saturday lunch and dinner service. There is no phone number in the public record and no website listed, which means the booking process requires navigating third-party reservation platforms. For a Michelin one-star with a Google rating of 4.4 across 308 reviews, that friction is notable. Some guests find the stripped-back contact approach adds to the intimacy of the experience; others find it an obstacle. Going in with that expectation set correctly matters, particularly if you have dietary restrictions you need to communicate ahead of arrival.
The service philosophy at Kabi appears to prioritise the food conversation over hospitality theatre. This is not a venue where you should expect the level of attentive, multilingual formality you'd find at a property like L'Effervescence or RyuGin. The trade-off is that the atmosphere tends to be more intimate and less ceremonial , better suited to a dinner where the conversation at the table matters as much as the service choreography around it. At the ¥¥¥ price tier (one step below the ¥¥¥¥ of most comparable Michelin-starred venues in Tokyo), the service-to-price equation is reasonable rather than exceptional. You are paying for what is on the plate, not for an orchestrated dining performance.
Kabi's Opinionated About Dining ranking has climbed from Highly Recommended in 2023, to #263 in 2024, to #215 in Japan in 2025 , a consistent upward trajectory that confirms this is a kitchen getting sharper, not coasting on its star. For a special occasion booking, that trajectory matters: it suggests the experience is likely to meet or exceed the version you read about, rather than a venue resting on older press.
The Meguro address keeps Kabi slightly removed from the densest concentration of Tokyo's fine dining corridor. For visitors, that means factoring in transit or a short taxi ride from the centre. For residents, the Meguro location is a practical advantage , this is a neighbourhood restaurant with national-level cooking, and it draws a local clientele that keeps the room feeling like a genuine part of the city rather than a destination designed for food tourists. If you are building a broader Tokyo trip around eating, pair Kabi with other venues in the innovative space: MAZ, AO, or Chiune are all worth considering for a multi-night itinerary. And if you are travelling beyond Tokyo, HAJIME in Osaka and Gion Sasaki in Kyoto represent the highest tier of innovative and traditional cooking in the Kansai region. For broader planning, our full Tokyo restaurants guide covers the complete picture, and you can also explore our Tokyo hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide for the full trip build.
For reference across Japan's innovative dining scene, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa each offer a distinct regional take on modern Japanese cooking. In Seoul, alla prima and Soigné are the closest comparable venues if you are cross-referencing the innovative dining category across Northeast Asia.
Reservations: Book at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance; tables fill quickly given the limited weekly service (Tuesday–Friday evenings, Saturday lunch and dinner only, closed Sunday and Monday). No phone contact is publicly listed, so use a third-party reservation platform. Dress: No dress code is listed, but given the Michelin one-star context, smart casual is the safe call. Budget: ¥¥¥ tier , positioned below most ¥¥¥¥ Michelin venues in Tokyo, making this one of the more accessible price points in the one-star category. Hours: Tuesday–Friday 7 pm–12 am; Saturday 12–2 pm and 7 pm–12 am; closed Sunday and Monday.
See the comparison section below.
Yes, at the ¥¥¥ tier it is one of the better value propositions in Tokyo's Michelin one-star category. Most comparable starred venues in the city sit at ¥¥¥¥. You get a kitchen with a clear and well-executed point of view , fermentation-led cooking that draws on both Japanese tradition and Nordic technique , at a price point that undercuts venues like RyuGin or L'Effervescence. The trade-off is a more stripped-back service experience. If you weight food over ceremony, the price is justified.
The name means mold in Japanese , that context is the key to understanding the menu. This is not a conventionally structured tasting menu with Western-influenced courses. Fermentation is the actual method, not a marketing label: expect pronounced acidity, deep umami, and textures shaped by time rather than heat. The venue operates only four evenings a week plus Saturday lunch, so your booking window is narrow. Come with an open brief rather than specific dish expectations, and communicate any dietary needs at the time of reservation given the limited contact options available.
The menu is set , there is no à la carte option at a venue of this format. The documented dishes that represent Kabi's philosophy include tsukemono (pickles) presented as a serious course rather than a side element, mackerel marinated in vinegar paired with handmade miso, and ojiya (rice gruel) inspired by fermented crucian carp sushi. These dishes are referenced in the venue's own positioning and reflect the cross-cultural fermentation concept at the core of Chef Shohei Yasuda's approach. Expect the full menu to rotate, but the fermentation thread will be constant.
It depends on format tolerance. A set-menu restaurant in this category can work well for solo diners who want to focus entirely on the food without the social obligation of sharing or conversation , and a counter seat, if available, typically makes solo dining more comfortable in Tokyo's intimate fine dining rooms. That said, no seat count is publicly listed for Kabi, so confirm availability for one when booking. At the ¥¥¥ price tier, solo dining here is financially comparable to a two-person meal at a mid-range Tokyo restaurant, which makes it a reasonable solo splurge.
No group-specific information is publicly available for Kabi, and with no phone number listed, coordinating a large party requires advance planning through the reservation platform. Given the intimate nature of a fermentation-focused tasting menu restaurant, large groups (six or more) may find the format less suited to their needs than venues with private dining rooms or more flexible seating. For groups, RyuGin or L'Effervescence would be safer choices with established group infrastructure.
No specific dietary restriction policy is publicly documented. Given the fermentation-focused format , where miso, vinegar, and koji are structural elements of many courses, not optional garnishes , strict dietary requirements (gluten intolerance, shellfish allergies, vegan requirements) may be difficult to accommodate without advance notice. With no phone number listed, communication requires going through the reservation platform. Flag restrictions clearly and early; a venue at this level will generally make reasonable adjustments, but the menu's architecture means some substitutions may not be possible.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kabi | Innovative | Kabi = Mold in Japanese. It doesn’t simply mean trendy fermented cuisine, but it rather respects the wise and sustainable tradition of fermentation that has deep roots in Japanese culture. We can’t qu...; Northern Europe and Japan share comparable climates and have cultivated similar lore in fermentation. Building on his experience in Denmark, the chef cross-fertilised the fermentation cultures of the two countries to create a cuisine bursting with originality. The item simply labelled ‘Tsukemono’ or ‘Pickles’ is a traditional element of Japanese cuisine. Mackerel marinated in vinegar is mated with handmade miso. Ojiya, a kind of rice gruel, derives inspiration from fermented crucian carp sushi, a hometown-cooking favourite. The theme of ‘fermentation’ harmonises avant-garde with tradition.; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #215 (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #263 (2024); Michelin 1 Star (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Highly Recommended (2023) | Hard | — |
| Harutaka | Sushi | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Effervescence | French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| RyuGin | Kaiseki, Japanese | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| HOMMAGE | Innovtive French, French | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Crony | Innovative, French | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Contact Kabi directly when booking to flag any restrictions. Given that fermentation is the core technique across nearly every course, severe intolerances to aged, pickled, or mold-cultured foods may limit the experience significantly. This is not a venue where a restricted diner can easily substitute dishes without the menu losing coherence.
Kabi operates on a small-counter format with limited weekly service — Tuesday through Friday evenings and Saturday lunch and dinner only. Groups larger than four should confirm availability and seating configuration when booking, ideally 4 or more weeks out. This is a better fit for intimate parties of two to four than for large group celebrations.
At ¥¥¥, Kabi earns its price if you want a Michelin 1-star tasting menu that takes a clear conceptual position rather than following Tokyo's conventional omakase playbook. The OAD ranking of #215 in Japan for 2025 (up from #263 in 2024) suggests the kitchen is improving. If you want straightforward nigiri or French technique, L'Effervescence or Harutaka may be a better spend.
Yes. Counter-format omakase restaurants in Tokyo generally accommodate solo diners well, and Kabi's focused menu suits a single guest who wants to engage with each course. Book early — seats are limited and the Tuesday–Friday evening windows fill fast.
The name means 'mold' in Japanese, which signals the kitchen's intent: this is fermentation as a serious culinary framework, not a trend. Chef Shohei Yasuda cross-applies Northern European and Japanese fermentation traditions, so expect flavours that are funky, acidic, and umami-forward rather than delicate. First-timers who prefer clean, mild Japanese flavours may find the menu challenging.
Kabi runs a set tasting menu, so there is no à la carte ordering — the kitchen decides. Based on the venue's documented approach, fermented rice dishes (including an ojiya inspired by crucian carp sushi), miso-based preparations, and vinegar-marinated fish are recurring elements of the format. Trust the menu; the entire experience is designed as a sequence.
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