Kanpai! Discover the best bars to drink sake in London
Discover the best London bars in which to celebrate the ancient delight of sake

Sake, often likened to rice wine, is a perfect culmination of the environment in which it is created, with techniques dating back over 2,500 years. The landscape, the water, the people and the unique fermentation process all help to give it a remarkable flavour profile – ranging from fresh and floral, with orchard fruits, all the way to quite earthy and dry notes, making it a great pairing with grilled meats and bolder, spice-led cuisine.
With a London palate now more attuned to the precision and delicacy behind Japanese food culture there’s no better time to start exploring saké with confidence and, hopefully, you’ll find inspiration in these five brilliant bars, which represent just how far – and with such passion – the drink has truly flourished.
See also: where to eat sushi in London.
Explore London's best saké bars
Iné by Taku
The name Takuya Watanabe is already well known in Japanese culinary circles, and the Mayfair Michelin-starred Taku Omakase dining room offers an experience like no other. However, now you can head up to Hampstead to find its sibling, Iné by Taku, which, under the supervision of chef Law Kwok Meng, has a small, not-so-well-hidden sake experience upstairs. In a wonderfully light and traditionally styled environment, which also doubles as a contemporary art gallery lounge, you can try a well-curated list of saké, as well as special masterclass evenings dedicated to specific brewers.
Iné by Taku is located at 16 Hampstead High Street, NW3 1PX, inebytaku.com
Kanpai London Sake Brewery & Taproom
Kanpai was founded in 2016 by husband and wife team Tom and Lucy Wilson and can rightfully brag about being the very first British saké brewer ever since it opened up in its former Peckham home. Now relocated to Bermondsey, you’ll find a wealth of knowledge, precision, tradition and passion behind the drink, with a fine taproom and bottle shop laden with great expressions and a behind-the-scenes tour. Kanpai also offers an opportunity to brew your very own saké during a day-long course, which teaches attendees the ancient secrets of koji and provides a DIY home-brew kit.
Kanpai London Sake Brewery & Taproom is located at 48 Druid St, SE1 2EZ, kanpai.london
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Kioku by Endo
Kioku by Endo, a cosy bar in the Raffles London at The OWO, is a treasure trove of incredible expressions. The list, or bible, as the bar calls it, curated by ‘Sake Samurai’ Natsuki Kikuya, sees over 100 types to choose from, including classic brands, more modern, craft expressions (including four created in the UK,) aged sake and a distinct focus on rice varietals, including unpolished, brown rice for a more rustic experience. There’s also a fine menu of Japanese-inspired cocktails too. The environment is distinctly relaxed and has been designed to mimic the almost living room feel of the famous Japanese ‘listening bars’, where a turntable takes centre stage, and the soothing sounds of modern jazz or gentle breakbeats fill the gaps in conversation.
Kioku by Endo Bar is located at 2 Whitehall Pl, SW1A 2BD, kiokubyendo.com
Moto
Moto’s speciality is all about championing smaller, independent brands, which are virtually unobtainable outside of their native Japan, and its ethos is to bring undiscovered gems to the table – including a perfectly formed menu of different saké. Neatly arranged into flavour groups (including aromatic, rich ‘kan-zake’, hot saké and sparkling styles), Moto has really managed to get under the skin of the culture behind the drink and its well-curated bottle shop gives you the chance to build up your own home collection too.
Moto is located at 7 Maiden Ln, WC2E 7NA, motoldn.com
Sake Collective
Yuya Yamamoto, CEO of Spitalfield’s Sake Collective – part bottle shop and bar – has meticulously collated a list of over 100 different sakés, with 30 of these available on a highly engaging bar menu, which helps to demystify the drinking rituals behind it. The saké is cleverly grouped by flavour and arranged on a neat sliding scale between Sweet and Dry, with the suggested serving temperature: chilled, room temperature or warmed. It’s the small details like this that make all the difference, elevating your saké knowledge and experience to another level.
Sake Collective is located at 144 Commercial St, E1 6NU, shop.sakecollective.uk
Neil Ridley is a London-based, award-winning drinks writer and presenter. He is the co-author of eight books on spirits and cocktails including Distilled, which is now published in 14 different language editions. For the past eight years he has also served as a drinks expert on TV show Sunday Brunch on Channel 4
-
Glenn Martens’ thrilling Maison Margiela debut was a balancing act between past, present and future
The Belgian designer made his debut for the house last night with a collection that looked towards medieval decoration for a new expression of opulence
-
Peel back this Michigan lakeside house’s cool slate exterior to reveal a warm wooden home
In Detroit, Michigan, this lakeside house, a Y-shaped home by Disbrow Iannuzzi Architects, creates a soft balance between darkness and light through its minimalist materiality
-
2025’s Wallpaper* US issue is on sale now, celebrating creative spirit in turbulent times
From a glitterball stilt suit to the Eames House, contemporary design to a century-old cocktail glass – the August 2025 US issue of Wallpaper* honours creativity that shines and endures. On newsstands now
-
Is this London’s slickest burger joint?
Already proven in Paris, Dumbo’s smash-hit formula of precision, confidence, and simplicity arrives in Shoreditch – and yes, it’s worth the wait
-
Canal is a new west London restaurant with a suntrap terrace
At Canal, the new restaurant at Mason & Fifth’s Westbourne Park hotel, expect modern European breakfast, lunch and dinner from the team behind Crispin and Bistro Freddie
-
This hidden London culinary haven is a refreshing take on the steakhouse
Mr Porter, a new steakhouse, bar and lounge in central London's swish Mayfair, is a hidden haven of strong flavours and minimalist dining
-
A European-style café opens next to London’s Saatchi Gallery
Designed by Dion & Arles, Cafe Linea serves fresh pâtisseries, global dishes and sparkling wines in a stunning Grade II-listed setting
-
Ready to unplug? Sign up for this digital detox retreat in Cornwall
Offline escape provider Unplugged has partnered with Cabilla Cornwall to offer a phone-free, nature-immersive group experience on Bodmin Moor
-
Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project is London’s tastiest (and weirdest) summer tradition
The cult pop-up has returned, transforming a Belgravia corner into a sleek, steel-clad shrine to British pantry nostalgia
-
The best bars in London for bartending greatness
From chic hotel cocktail classics to game-changing flavour combinations, our resident drinks correspondent, Neil Ridley, explores ten of the best bars in London
-
NoMad London’s new restaurant fast-tracks you to New York’s jazz age
Martin Brudnizki Design Studio conjures up old-world glamour at Twenty8 NoMad, where the menu features nearly as many martini variations as main courses