Akira Back, a modern Japanese restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Akira Back, is preparing to open in Ottawa at the Fairmont Château Laurier hotel, located at 1 Rideau St.
The company’s newest location will mark its first in the capital and second in Canada, joining Akira Back Toronto inside the Bisha Hotel, according to the company’s website. While an exact opening date has not been confirmed, the Ottawa restaurant is listed among upcoming projects on the brand’s website. Guests can expect a high-end culinary experience that fuses Japanese cuisine with global influences and Korean flavors.
Chef Akira Back has established an international restaurant empire with over 30 concepts spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The Akira Back brand is featured in cities including Paris, Dubai, Seoul, Beverly Hills, and Marrakech, with additional locations planned in Rome, Florence, Taipei, and Turks & Caicos. The Ottawa opening continues the chef’s strategic expansion into major global hospitality markets.
This location will be housed inside the historic Fairmont Château Laurier, a luxury hotel in downtown Ottawa that frequently hosts heads of state, dignitaries, and international travelers. It joins other recent projects from the Akira Back team in Canada, including TONO by Akira Back, a Nikkei rooftop concept opening this fall at the W Toronto Hotel.
Akira Back’s restaurants are known for their inventive approach to Japanese cuisine, often featuring dishes like tuna pizza, wagyu tacos, and miso black cod. Menus typically blend traditional techniques with creative presentations and global ingredients. Beverage programs focus on sake, craft cocktails, and curated wine lists.
Chef Back, originally from Seoul and raised in Aspen, transitioned from a professional snowboarding career to culinary arts in the early 2000s. He trained at the International Culinary School in Colorado and opened his first restaurant, Yellowtail, in Las Vegas in 2008. His restaurant Dosa by Akira Back has earned Michelin stars in both London and Seoul.
