When Ukiyo opens on Lincoln Road this fall, Executive Chef Nono Shigetomi wants Miami diners to find high-quality Japanese seafood, ramen, dumplings and robata — but he doesn’t want them to save the restaurant for a special occasion.
He wants them back next week.
“Our main goal is to cater to our local clientele,” Shigetomi says. “We want guests to come two, three times a week.”
Set to open in mid-October at 818 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, Ukiyo is the latest concept from NOAH Hospitality Group. The restaurant will bring Japan’s kaiten, or conveyor-belt sushi tradition, to the pedestrian mall, with a custom belt continuously carrying freshly prepared sushi through the dining room. “The sushi is affordable, but quality comes first,” Shigetomi says. “We’re trying to be top-notch quality — omakase quality.”
Fish will be sourced largely from Japan, including bluefin tuna, with Japanese pantry staples including salt and sugar also imported. At the same time, Shigetomi plans to incorporate South Florida into the menu through locally sourced vegetables and seafood such as Florida grouper. An American Wagyu program will add another dimension to the restaurant’s offerings.
The menu will extend well beyond sushi. Shigetomi describes the hot-food side as izakaya-style and designed for sharing, with five to eight dumplings, noodles, rice dishes, robata skewers, kamameshi and a chicken rice bowl among the planned offerings. Ramen is another focus. Shigetomi plans to start with a single version rather than an extensive selection, concentrating on creating a broth that’s flavorful without leaving diners weighed down.
“It’s going to look rich, you’re going to taste savory, but it’s going to be light,” he says. “I want you to finish the whole bowl and stay fresh and not too heavy.”
For Shigetomi, who has lived in Miami for 19 years, Ukiyo is also personal. He says he wants the restaurant to remain grounded in traditional Japanese flavors and techniques while reflecting the city he now calls home.
“We want to represent Miami,” he says. “We really want to create our customer base here.”
That local focus extends to pricing. Shigetomi acknowledges that even diners who appreciate premium sushi are watching what they spend. “Everybody is on a budget,” he says.
Ukiyo will be family-friendly, another deliberate decision intended to broaden its appeal beyond Miami Beach’s special-occasion and nightlife crowds. Ultimately, Shigetomi’s ambitions for Ukiyo are straightforward: make serious Japanese food fun, approachable and good enough — and affordable enough — that Miamians want to make it part of their routine.
“We want to be a weekly destination,” he says. “That’s our goal.”
