This moody London restaurant merges seasonal Japanese fare with 'ascetic minimalism’
With Akari lamps, Daidō Moriyama photography and matcha tiramisu, Kino is a must-visit new restaurant in South Kensington
Contemporary Japanese restaurant Kino has opened its doors on Draycott Avenue, a short walk from London's buzzy South Kensington. The experience begins beneath the watchful lens of Daidō Moriyama, whose ‘Tattooed Girl in Shinjuku’ sets a moody, cosmopolitan tone. While Kino's staid interiors are far from the neon-lit Tokyo district in Moriyama's photo, they perfectly capture the contrasts one experiences when visiting the Japanese capital.
Wallpaper* dines at Kino, London
The mood: ascetic minimalism
Daidō Moriyama’s ‘Tattooed Girl in Shinjuku’
If you have the appetite for a transportive restaurant, Kino is a must-visit. Studio APAA approached the project with the idea of ‘ascetic minimalism’, or intentional simplicity. ‘We tried very delicately to fill the space with the spirit of Japan using contemporary art and Japanese antiques,’ say founders Alexey Penyuk and Anastasia Artemeva.
The dining room is anchored by a tactile bar island carved from volcanic stone, offset with a raw steel countertop. Overhead, rough-hewn wooden beams draw the gaze upward, adding subtle architectural drama. Furniture becomes a cultural bridge: Isamu Noguchi’s Akari lanterns cast a soft glow alongside Santa & Cole’s candle-like lamps, while Tobia Scarpa’s Dialogo chairs meet an origami-inspired table by Charlotte Perriand for Cassina.
The food: elevated Japanese crowd-pleasers
Led by Latvian-born, Japan-loving chef Pavel Baranovs, who previously spearheaded the Pan-Asian restaurant UBA at Hart Hotel in east London, Kino meshes Japanese techniques with a subtle Eastern European undertone. ‘The flavour is bold but controlled, and every ingredient is used with respect. It’s about stripping things back, focusing on seasonality, fermentation and provenance, and letting the food speak for itself,’ says Baranovs.
Wagyu udon soup arrives layered with bamboo shoots, spring onion and shiitake, while Imperial black cod is glazed in sweet yuzu miso, its richness cut by citrus brightness. Elsewhere, pristine nigiri, sashimi and rolls underline the kitchen’s precision. To finish, a matcha tiramisu – lifted with Suntory whisky and matcha-soaked ladyfingers – offers a playful, contemporary note, echoed in a cocktail list served in characterful glassware.
Kino is located at 96 Draycott Ave, London SW3 3AD, United Kingdom
