One of Tribeca’s finest sushi restaurants is moving to a brand new neighborhood.
Sushi Azabu is well-known in Tribeca as one of the neighborhood’s favorite “hidden gem” restaurants. The restaurant was first established by the hospitality company Plan Do See in Azabu, Tokyo, from which the restaurant derives its name. Opening up inside a historic Tokyo building that once served as a bank, the original Azabu attracted a diverse clientele and was famed for its lively yet intimate atmosphere and top-quality sushi. When Plan Do See founder Yutaka Noda noticed how popular the restaurant was among international guests, he realize the incredible potential that his restaurant had for success abroad and began his plans for expansion.
A few years later, Plan Do See opened their first American restaurant in Tribeca. Operating around the Japanese principle of omotenashi, Yutaka endeavored to create a hospitality culture that is selfless, empathetic, grateful, and always practices respect. Located underneath Tribeca’s Greenwich Grill at 428 Greenwich Street, Azabu made waves in the press when it first launched, fusing an intimate nine-seat izakaya-style speakeasy with a top-of-the-line fine dining experience. Headed by Michelin-starred chef Toshihde Terado (who started at the original restaurant in Tokyo), Azabu quickly cultivated a reputation of being one of the neighborhood’s finest omakase experiences.
Recently, Azabu began a new expansion period when they opened up The Den in Miami, once again earning a Michelin star for their South Beach expansion. Beyond Azabu, Plan Do See also operates other recognizable restaurants across New York, Miami, Hawaii, and Japan, including Bubusan, Lolo’s Surf Cantina, Deck, Knots Coffee Roasters, and Lehai Room & Lanai. Now, after many of years of success in Tribeca, the team behind Azabu is finally getting ready for their second New York expansion.
The second iteration of Azabu will see the restaurant taking over the space at at 125 East 39th Street. The space was formerly home to Kajitsu, a popular vegetarian omakase concept that operated at the location for over 13 years. Sadly, owner Shuichiro Kobori decided to close down Kajitsu on September 18, 2022, declining to renew the lease and instead move on to new projects. At the moment, Kobori has not yet revealed information about what he plans to do next, but hopefully we will soon be able to break that story at a later date.
At the moment, the Azabu team is hoping to open up the new location in January, pending any unforeseen delays. They are also acquiring a liquor license for the space, and have proposed operating hours of 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM Sunday through Wednesday, and 11:00 AM – 2:0 AM Thursday through Saturday. For more information on their development, you can follow Azabu on Instagram.
