Engawa

Engawa occupies a glass-fronted corner of Ham Yard Village, the tree-lined pedestrian courtyard tucked between Piccadilly and Soho, directly opposite the Ham Yard Hotel. It is a small room seating twenty-nine, run since 2015 by Japan's Salt Group with a specialism in certified Kobe and Wagyu beef alongside sushi and sashimi cut to order. The interior, designed by Satomi Hatanaka, sets pale walls and lacquered floral panels against a suspended calligraphy light and an open kitchen framed in gold-flecked resin.

The counter is the heart of the room, where the chefs work the grill and the knife in full view, and a backlit wall of sake, shochu and whisky anchors the dining side. For private events the whole restaurant is available on exclusive hire, which suits an intimate seated dinner rather than a large reception: a chef's-counter occasion for a small group who want the kitchen to themselves.