Aragawa: the art of Japanese beef in Mayfair

Aragawa, a steakhouse that began in Tokyo in 1967, is building on its Clarges Street address with new dining formats centred on rare Tajima Wagyu, including a blind tasting and a £120 lunch.

The Mayfair restaurant, at 38 Clarges Street, opened on 20 October 2023 as the London branch of a Tokyo business that has specialised in Japanese beef for more than five decades. It sources Tajima heifers from leading Japanese producers, choosing only animals that meet strict standards for marbling, texture, firmness and age. Diners can see on the menu which farm supplied their steak; at present the suppliers are Nishizawa, Okazaki and Tamada.

Cooking is the responsibility of the Steak Master, Kazuo Imayoshi, a role that demands years of experience and close knowledge of the meat. Every steak is cooked over oak Binchotan charcoal inside a specially constructed kiln. Seasoning is limited to ground pepper and very fine Maldon salt, and each piece is cooked to the diner's preferred doneness.

Alongside the à la carte menu, the restaurant has added a format called Aragawa Senses, in which guests sample three steaks and three wines without knowing what they are. They record their impressions before learning the provenance, producers and vintages. A three-course Signature Lunch Menu, at £120 per person, is pitched as an introduction to the beef. The wine list concentrates on mature Grand Cru bottles from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne.

The interior, by Rosendale Design, draws on Japanese heritage through hand-painted panels based on traditional designs, custom lighting styled after lanterns, and cutlery crafted by Ryusen, a Japanese knifemaker. A private dining room seats between eight and 14 guests, and hosts can take over the whole ground floor, allowing a reception before dinner.

Source: London TV, 30 October 2026