Inko Nito

Once the new kid on the block, smack bang in the middle of Soho, Inko Nito now feels quite essential to this busy thoroughfare. Unlike smarter, starchier siblings Roka and Zuma, Inko Nito feels breezy and comfortable, smartly designed to fit the many lives and lifestyles of Soho visitors.

The setting is a stylish, post-industrial dining room with plenty of shiny wood and slate, plus a smattering of standalone tables – although the main action is centred around the aforementioned robata grill and its wraparound dining counter. Due to the snazzy design, there is thankfully (and unusually) plenty of space between diners.

The a la carte has a wealth of great options. It’s set up in a similar fashion to Roka’s a la carte, and though you won’t find quite the same proliferation of Wagyu and caviar, Inko Nito does share much of the same produce, making it an excellent bargain for anyone who loves top quality seafood. If you’re overwhelmed by the a la carte, the premium tasting menu is the way to go - impressive picks from the line-up include gorgeous tuna and salmon sashimi, steamed prawn and leek dumplings with ginger ponzu, and a barnstorming beef truffle sando, toasted between two crackers and stuffed with braised beef and truffled cheese. We’d eat a premium beef truffle sando menu quite happily, were there such a thing.

The more substantial grill dishes include grilled tiger prawns glazed with an umami-rich shiso wafu dressing, which we unwrap impatiently from their shells.

Service is attentive without being fussy, and there’s a decent selection of saké, wine and cocktails on the drinks list. With its slick look and neat collection of popular dishes, we’re still half expecting a major rollout of Inko Nito, which we’d happily see in every UK city.

Inko Nito is a casual Japanese restaurant in Soho, London, serving a mixture of innovative Japanese-inspired robatayaki grill dishes and sushi. Anyone who has wandered the streets of Soho will likely recognise Inko Nito - when the sun goes down, its bright emerald-green neon sign lights up the pavement on Broadwick Street, and walkers can look in through the long, panoramic window and see Inko Nito’s busy chef team manning the signature robata grills.

Inko Nito is part of the Azumi group that also runs the likes of Roka, Zuma and Amazonico. Anyone who has been to the former will have a good idea of what to expect here - Inko Nito has a more laid back atmosphere than its slightly smarter cousin, but the menu similarly features big, bold Japanese flavours, albeit with more of a focus on robata grill dishes. Inside, the robata grill sits at the heart of the room, and chefs busy themselves around it, glazing skewers of meat, fish and vegetables and controlling the heat of the grills.

Exposed brick and concrete give Inko Nito an industrial-chic vibe, but the restaurant takes some design cues from Roka too with the use of sleek tiles and polished timber tables.

The majority of the menu is made up of snacks, robata grill dishes and other ‘hot and fried’ dishes, but Inko Nito also serves a handful of sashimi and maki rolls, including a sashimi selection of tuna, yellowtail and salmon, as well as a Korean fried cauliflower roll with chilli sauce, and a spicy tuna tempura with chilli mayonnaise. Among the robata grill dishes, try classics like the bone marrow with smoked soy, garlic toast and shallots, the chicken yakitori with smoked teriyaki sauce and the roast pork belly with soy kabosu. Inko Nito also offers a tasting menu and a reasonably priced express menu for working lunches with limited time.

The drinks menu is well-known for its cocktails on tap, but also offers a wide range of beer, sake, wine and sparkling, as well as alcohol-free options and soft drinks.