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North · Izakaya · Tasting Menu

Aun

Aun restaurant

For a Japanese tasting menu in North London, few places come close to Aun. Tucked away on Stoke Newington Church Street, this small, calm restaurant has been quietly doing something different since 2017. The room is understated and relaxed. Service is attentive without being intrusive, and the pace is impressively smooth for a small kitchen.

We ordered the MIX course (£50). Six dishes that work through the kitchen’s range, each one considered and precise.

Aun tasting menu

AUN Japanese Tasting Menu

Wagyu Beef Fillet Tataki

Wagyu Beef Fillet Tataki — Onion Ponzu Sauce

The tataki arrived first — clean and precise, lifted by a yuzu-laced ponzu sauce that brought brightness without overpowering the beef.

Miso-Glazed Dengaku Tofu

Miso-Glazed Dengaku Tofu — Moromi Miso & Home-made Ra-yu

Cauliflower Pottage

Cauliflower Pottage — Nori Crackers & Vegetable Chips

Yellowtail Tartare Rolls

Yellowtail Tartare Rolls — Ponzu Jelly

The yellowtail rolls had a texture that stood out: silky, with just enough resistance. One of the highlights of the evening.

Steamed Pork Shumai

Steamed Pork Shumai — Crab & Yuzu Ankake Sauce

AUN Ramen Noodles

AUN Ramen Noodles — Home-made Chicken Broth

The ramen closed the savoury courses — a chicken broth that reads light on the surface but lands with real depth. Delicate and punchy at once.

Home made Shu-aisu

Home made Shu-aisu — Dark Chocolate (£8, optional)

Worth adding on: the home-made shu-aisu (£8) — dark chocolate ice cream enclosed in a crisp, light choux shell. A satisfying finish.

The food here is not traditional Japanese in a strict sense. Aun follows the philosophy of wakon yosai — Japanese flavour expressed through British seasonal ingredients. That makes it interesting for Japanese Londoners looking for something familiar yet fresh, and equally accessible for anyone curious about Japanese food who wants more than the obvious.

If there is one caveat, it is portion size. Aun rewards a slower approach — something to linger over rather than fill up on. Budget around £70 without drinks, or £100 with. Worth booking ahead.

This visit was for dinner, but Aun also runs a lunch menu of Japanese classics — curry, tonkatsu teishoku and the like. A vegetable course (£50) is available alongside the seafood and mix options, making it a solid choice for vegan and vegetarian diners too.

Area

North (Stoke Newington)

Price

£70–100 per person

Nearest Tube

Stoke Newington (Overground)