Jiji is a Japanese-Middle Eastern restaurant in Islington Square from the founder of Sumosan

Catherine Hanly 07 July 2021

jiji restaurant islington sushi

What: Jiji

In a nutshell: Japanese-Middle Eastern fusion restaurant for Islington

Summing it all up: The restaurateur who brought us Sumosan has brought in the former head chef of The Palomar for this new Islington restaurant.

The low-down

Updated 7/7/21 with opening details and pictures

Islington residents can look forward to an interesting restaurant opening their way this summer. Jiji is a new concept from Janina Wolkow, the restaurateur behind Sumosan, the Japanese restaurant which now has outposts across the world. She's opening Jiji in the Islington Square development off Upper Street.

The fusion restaurant will serve a menu inspired by Japanese and Middle Eastern cuisines. The restaurant's Executive Chef at Jiji is Bubker Belkhit, who helped found Sumosan with Janina and he'll be working with the former Head Chef of The Palomar Jeremy Borrow, so there's real promise here.

Here's what Janina has to say about it:

I have spent a lot of time travelling through Japan and the Middle East, from Tokyo to Tel Aviv and beyond, and I’m always inspired by the ingredients, flavours and cooking I find there. I believe dishes from both cuisines complement each other perfectly, and make for an exciting, intriguing menu.

Dishes on the launch menu include:

Tuna & avocado tartare with creamy truffle sauce
Japanese yellow tail carpaccio with honeydew melon and grapefruit, in our olive soy vinaigrette
Roasted cauliflower with crispy leaves, on a flamed Ezme salad, with chef’s secret cured lemon paste and tofu cream topped with JIJI nut mix
Sando schnitzel on homemade Japanese milk bread with aubergine chips

There's a lovely, plant-filled terrace too, which is going to be quite the draw on a warm day.

jiji restaurant islington sushi