Brian Nagele
After strolling through the rustic, industrial neighborhoods and popping in and out of galleries in beautiful Tribeca, I tend to get hungry. What’s better than some sushi after roaming around the quaint streets lined with brick buildings that inspire?
Along the cobblestoned streets, fantastic sushi places are hiding in plain sight. New York has its fair share of world-renowned sushi spots, but Tribeca has its roster of sushi spots. These places satisfy both residents and tourists with fresh fish and friendly service.
Tribeca is still up-and-coming and contributes some great restaurants to Manhattan’s extensive list of fine dining experiences.
The exceptional sushi restaurants nestled amongst Tribeca’s boutiques and other restaurants are ready and waiting, so I visited seven sushi restaurants in the area and am here to let you know what I thought.
So next time you find yourself visiting Manhattan, check out these sushi places if you’re wondering where to get sushi in Tribeca.
Sushi Azabu
428 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212-274-0428
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The first thing to mention is how stunning this restaurant is. The art in this place is mesmerizing. The dramatic and massive paintings depicting koi and bonsai trees set the tone for the authentic Japanese experience that soon begins.
Azabu delivered on their sushi promises and made an unforgettable meal for me. Another unusual aspect of Azabu is their lack of utensils; you eat with your hands instead of chopsticks. I ordered two rolls: the fatty scallop and tuna roll and a spicy salmon roll. Both of which blew my socks off.
Azabu serves their fish at room temperature as well as their rice, which is traditional but not everyone’s favorite. I usually prefer my sushi cold, but Azabu may have converted me. The fish was so fresh and flavorful; every piece was loosely rolled with care, another traditional sushi characteristic that many westerners ignore.
Takahachi
145 Duane St, New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212-571-1830
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Takahachi has three locations in New York, all inconspicuous, so if you’re in the know, which now you are, make sure to check this place out in Tribeca.
I ordered the Bee Movie and Happy Together makis which were both incredible. First, the names are so enticing, which drew me to them, but I stayed for the inventive ingredients.
Happy Together is eel with walnuts and asparagus. I never thought I could fall deeper in love with eel, but this roll was so unique, and the walnuts added the perfect crunch without masking the flavor of the fish.
Bee Movie is Japanese pumpkin tempura and eel roll with gold and black flying fish roe and spicy eel sauce. It was the perfect amount of heat and sweet without overpowering the fresh eel.
Tataki Japanese Restaurant
3 Lispenard St, New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212-965-0975
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Tataki is conveniently located near some shopping locations, making it the perfect place to pop in for a quick lunch. They also offer delivery if you’re too tired from a day of shopping. Their menu is a mix of Thai and Japanese food, but I ordered their California roll, which the server recommended, and a miso soup. The California roll was fresh and tasty and tightly rolled.
But the miso soup had a disappointing amount of tofu in it, and I prefer my soup piping hot, which this was not. If I were to return, I would definitely opt for more rolls over the soup because I love tightly rolled maki, and they certainly delivered on that.
Blue Ribbon Sushi
119 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-343-0404
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Blue Ribbon has a warm and welcoming environment; the entire restaurant is finished wood that just comforts you from the moment you walk in.
I ordered their sushi and sashimi combo, which came on a lovely wooden plate. The sushi was brimming with color that made my mouth water. The salmon and tuna were plump, fresh, and insanely flavorful.
Blue Ribbon keeps their sushi simple and aims for the highest-quality ingredients rather than inventing new dishes and adding more ingredients. So if you want something exquisitely prepared that doesn’t exactly step out of the box, Blue Ribbon is a great choice.
Zutto Japanese American Pub
77 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212-233-3287
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Zutto’s menu goes well beyond sushi if you are dining with people that aren’t a fan of raw fish. They have steamed buns and ramen and loads of other Asian-fusion meals, so there is something for almost everybody.
I was just getting a quick bite for lunch, so I got a sushi appetizer. The seared trio came with black pepper tuna, white tuna, and salmon, all lightly seared and topped with a special sauce for each. My mouth was in absolute heaven as this dish took me on a flavor journey that I never wanted to end.
I also ordered two pieces of their eel roll for due diligence and was left wanting. It wasn’t as flavorful as eel typically is and was even slightly dry. Perhaps Zutto’s strongest offering is not their sushi, but it is still a cool restaurant to check out.
SHION 69 Leonard Street
69 Leonard St, New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212-404-4600
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The restaurant is run by Amakusa-born and Tokyo-trained Executive Chef Shion Uino, who makes his sushi with the utmost care and passion. The restaurant is intimate and serene, a fantastic spot for a romantic date or anniversary celebration.
The meal is prefixed, so you don’t get to order, and maybe that is for the best. The chef prepares a focused meal with a variety of flavors and striking colors. The first dish was by far my favorite. It was grouper sashimi evoked prosciutto with a smoky and aged flavor that complimented the chewiness.
The real question to ask yourself before making a booking here is: do you want to spend over $500 on a sushi meal?
DOMODOMO New York
140 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
Phone: 646-707-0301
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This place is excellent for a romantic date or quiet dinner between a small group. They also do takeout in the most aesthetically pleasing boxes you will ever see. I took mine and sat in Washington Square Park, less than a ten-minute walk from the restaurant.
My spicy yellowtail roll and salmon avocado roll were perfectly packed into a clean, white box with the wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce neatly lined up on the side. Their takeout boxes are a masterpiece. I relished the simplicity of their rolls.
No-fuss or muss or fancy additions, simply perfect sushi that is filling and fresh. A lovely place to grab a quick bite and indulge yourself.
Next time I am in the Tribeca neighborhood, I will be revisiting one of these spots because Tribeca sushi is so inventive and exciting.
Just like the neighborhood’s mash-up of rustic and modern, the sushi restaurants work with traditional techniques and combine them with new concepts that took me on an exciting sushi journey.
If sushi isn’t what you’re looking for in Tribeca, you might like these other incredible places to eat!
Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment, and we’ll check it out!
