Mashiko is preparing to leave its longtime home at 4725 California Ave. SW in the West Seattle Junction and relocate to White Center, where the restaurant will take on a new name and make some changes to its menu.
Owner and chef Mariah Kmitta told What Now Seattle that the new restaurant will be called Mashikotsugi. She said “tsugi” means “next,” a name that lets her keep Mashiko’s identity while also marking something new for the restaurant.
The exact address has not yet been announced because some details are still being finalized.
Mashiko opened in 1994 and has operated in West Seattle for 32 years. In 2009, the restaurant committed to serving only sustainable seafood. Its current menu includes omakase, sushi and sashimi, rolls, vegan nigiri and rolls, bentos, poke bowls, curry, and sashimi donburi.
Kmitta, who has been with the restaurant since 2000, said leaving the neighborhood was a difficult decision. The current building needs work, and she said the remaining lease term would make it difficult to justify investing heavily in the space.
White Center ultimately made sense for several reasons. Kmitta lives there and said she has been part of the neighborhood for decades. The space also met the financial and operational requirements she was looking for.
The move will also give Kmitta a chance to make some changes to the food. Mashiko has evolved considerably over the years, moving from rolls that once included ingredients such as cream cheese toward a stronger focus on omakase.
At Mashikotsugi, she expects to keep much of what customers already know while potentially adding more small plates and izakaya-style dishes.
“I want the menu to represent the neighborhood,” Kmitta told What Now Seattle.
The design will change with the new building, but Kmitta plans to continue using natural materials such as wood and stone. She does not expect the new space to require a major rebuild, though it will need some cleaning, maintenance, and design work.
Kmitta hopes to open Mashikotsugi in late fall or early winter, but said the timeline will depend in part on city permits and any unexpected issues that come up during the process.
For Kmitta, the move is also about preserving the community that has formed around Mashiko over the years. She told What Now Seattle that she has watched longtime customers grow up and wants the new restaurant to carry that same sense of warmth into White Center.
In the meantime, follow Mashiko on Instagram as the team prepares for the big move.
