Azabu Saotome

Restaurant Details

Saotome Hiroyuki is something of a kaiseki legend. His resume, spanning over 25 years, includes stints at London's Nobu, the triple-Michelin-starred Kikunoi in Kyoto and Amsterdam’s Yamazato. He earned Kaiseki Den at Hong Kong’s Hollywood Road its first Michelin star — the first traditional Japanese restaurant in the city to do so — and maintained the accolade for another 10 years.

So when the Tochigi native launched his venue in a quiet residential area of Nishi Azabu in 2020, it grew a cult following and A-list clientele.

Azabu Saotome’s space is intimate, serene and adult, with an L-shaped counter cut from a single slab of wild Japanese hinoki cypress from Nara Prefecture and eight seats. The interior is focused on traditional aesthetics, featuring a wood theme and an earthen wall brought in from Kyoto.

Specializing in small-portioned, multicourse meals, Saotome’s omakase-only course weaves a beautiful tapestry of kaiseki that meets the international palate. He creates a noodle-like soup by mashing deboned conger eel and includes sushi as a nod to his beginnings as an apprentice at Ginza Kyubey, like the marinated lean tuna nigiri. One of his standout creations is the truffle claypot rice, cooked using water pumped from Mt. Fuji with butter and thickened with parmesan — an idea conceived during his time in London at Tatsuso. Dishes like his namesake sukiyaki benefit from the meat he picks from trusted suppliers.

The ambiance is relaxed enough to steer away the reminder that Azabu Saotome is tucked in Tokyo’s most competitive fine-dining areas. It’s perfectly pitched for the city crowd who appreciates technique-driven food. Bring a date or dine solo.

Azabu Saotome Remarks

• Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.

• The restaurant reserves the right to refuse reservations to guests who have excessive dietary restrictions, particularly those of fish or vegetables.

• The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.

Azabu Saotome Business Days

Azabu Saotome Address

K Building 1F, 3-1-9 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0031

Azabu Saotome Access Info

• Azabu Saotome is a 10-minute walk from Roppongi Station.

Azabu Saotome Phone Number

Azabu Saotome Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 2 days before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.