Enjoy The Taste of Homemade Omakase and Cream Cheese-filled Philly Rolls at These Top Sushi Spots in Philly

While Philly is known as the City of Brotherly Love, its dining scene is one of the city’s best-loved attributed with plenty of sushi restaurants. Apart from their famous sandwich, Philly offers an abundant variety of eats that locals cannot get enough of. One popular grab is sushi that has steadily become a trendy and most sought-after cuisine in this city. From high-quality sushi, rice bowls, and other Japanese dishes, the choices are infinite.

The arrival of a new set of omakase and sushi specialists in Philadelphia catering to a range of different styles and budgets, suggests that sushi is slowly becoming popular and locals are enjoying every bit of it. Here are the best sushi spots in Philly to try out.

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Morimoto

723 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 morimotorestaurant.com

Sushi rolls, omakase, and other Japanese favorites await you at this laid-back sushi spot!

Being one of the most popular sushi restaurants in Philly, Morimoto has a lot to offer when it comes to Japanese cuisine. Inspired by both Japanese culture and western cooking skills, this restaurant unlocks the unique flavors on every dish.

Sushi is the main draw here with options such as chirashi bowl, chef’s combination of sushi rolls and sashimi, and vegetarian rolls. For sushi rolls, you can never go wrong with spicy tuna, salmon, shrimp tempura, or the yellowtail scallion.

If you come here for dinner, be prepared to have the best dining experience with menu items such as Morimoto omakase (chef’s choice tasting menu designed to allow diners to experience the essence of Morimoto’s cuisine), sake omakase, and of course sushi and sake omakase. Cold and hot appetizers, rice and noodles, wagyu steaks, and delicious entrees are available on the menu.

They also have delicious desserts and an extensive wine and sake list to try.  

Double Knot

120 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 doubleknotphilly.com

A charming coffee house serving specialty sushi rolls and robatayaki meats in a rustic venue!

Looking to grab some unique takes on sushi at a popular spot in Philly? Then you should visit Double Knot, a charming coffee shop with a secret izakaya in the basement. The restaurant boasts an all-day concept with two floors of a beautifully designed sushi bar, coffee and cocktails upstairs as well as a robatayaki underground.

The kitchen runs a side-by-side menu of Asian small plates, sushi, robatayaki, and sashimi. The coolest thing about their sushi is how they assemble it – one element at a time, with a bold disregard for traditional rules. This makes it possible to prepare interesting items such as miso, foie gras, and rice pearl sushi.

Apart from sushi and sashimi, the restaurant also serves great coffee, signature cocktails by glass, and craft beers. Swing by during happy hour and enjoy classics such as hand rolls served with soy and wasabi, robatayaki, crispy spring rolls, dumplings, wraps, and savory sides to go along with your meal of choice.

Royal Sushi and Izakaya

780 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 royalsushiandizakaya.com

A vibrant lit Japanese pub serving delicious Japanese fare and Chef’s sushi special on the counter!

While there’s no sign to show that you have arrived at Royal Sushi and Izakaya restaurant, you will know you’ve reached the restaurant when you see the red lantern and the blue door. Here, Chef Jesse runs the show with a team preparing the best omakase in the back. The front of the restaurant serves a la carte Japanese fare with sushi being the main dish here.

If you’re so obsessed with sushi, the 18-pieces of seafood served over the counter may be the best bits of the year. Grilled pan-seared options such as kinoko yakisoba, grilled avocado, saba shioyaki, karibu, hanger steak, and more are sure to leave you satisfied. Sashimis and chirashis are also available with popular options such as tuna guac, salmon guac, sashimi deluxe, and the royal chirashi that feature premium bara chirashi with all the fixings like an assortment of Japanese fish from Toyosu market, Japanese scallop, Ikura, and much more.

Don’t leave until without trying their extensive wine list, signature cocktails, and draft beer along with your main course.  

Vic Sushi Bar

2035 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 vic-sushi.com

Small and cozy sushi spot serving creative specialty rolls and delicious starters like tuna dumplings!

While Vic Sushi Bar may have stiff competition due to its location near Rittenhouse square, this seafood joint still offers the best specialty rolls, hand rolls, sushi and sashimi, combos, appetizers, and salads.

Vic Sushi Bar is tiny with a cramped counter and a few seats, but one thing that you’re sure to find is that it’s always busy, frantic, and fast. While it’s tiny in space, the menu is extensive with plenty of options. Popular choices here include the specialty rolls especially the black dragon roll, lover roll, red dragon roll, sanshi roll, spider roll, volcano roll, and more.

You can also enjoy some sushi and sashimi or even grab three rolls specials and one of their combos with miso soup. Even better you can enjoy the massive 122-piece selection with items such as nigari, red clam, tobiko, rainbow roll, Alaska roll, California roll, salmon roll, tuna roll, and eel roll. Because of the limited space, they do a lot of takeout orders, but if you manage to snag a seat, you will be in for a wonderful show, thanks to the dedicated crew behind the bar that never seems to stop moving.

Umai Umai

533 N 22nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19130 umai-umai.com

Specialty rolls, inventive sushi, and hot entrees await you at this contemporary eatery in Philly!

Another favorite sushi spot that diners cannot get enough of is Umai Umai located in Fairmount. This BYOB spot is popular for its beautifully presented food especially sushi and the gorgeous space with a cool, quirky sense of humor.

Master chef Alex McCoy has been making a name here with his innovative sushi varieties that are carefully crafted to maintain the great culture of the restaurant. The menu is graced with his beloved specialty rolls such as Henrietta, a mix of lobster tempura, avocado, mango, cashew bits, spicy tuna tartare, and eel sauce, Spartan which includes marinated tenderloin, mozzarella cheese, shrimp tempura, cucumber, and paprika aioli, as well as Godzilla, a combination of shrimp tempura, honey, avocado, eel, strawberry, and macadamia bits.

Still on the menu, you will find other delicious items such as entrees, basic rolls, a la carte, salads, soups, and savory starters. Chef’s combo that includes twelve cuts of nigiri, sashimi, and chirashi is also a great addition to your favorite meal. Bring your appetite to this BYOB gem and enjoy plenty of inventive designer rolls!

Bleu Sushi

262 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 bleusushiphilly.com

Dig into mountains of creative sushi and Japanese snacks served in a sleek and minimalist space!

In the heart of the City of Brotherly Love is a sleek yet unique gem that brings the rich culinary arts of Japan to live in the Center City, Philly. Bleu Sushi offers a fresh and creative take on Japanese cuisine with the best sushi and sashimi in the area.

Wondering what to order on the menu? Go ahead and get one of their signature rolls especially the sushi blue entrée Fish Variety, the chef’s choice of eight sushi and one roll, or the Only Fish option with 15 assorted sashimi. You can also order the hand rolls such as tuna roll, yellowtail roll, spicy tuna roll, and much more.

If you want something lighter, Blue Sushi offers small plates with innovative takes such as Harumaki, a Japanese vegetable spring roll, Age Tofu which is Japanese-style fried bean curd, or the vegetable tempura. These are also great options for vegetarians or anyone who doesn’t like the taste of meat in their roll.

Apart from handmade rolls, the restaurant also serves delicious starters, hot entrees, combo platters, savory sides, party trays, and of course savory desserts and signature drinks to enjoy along with your sushi.

HIROKI

1355 N. Front Street Philadelphia, PA 19122 hirokisan.com

A modern restaurant serving immersive Japanese fare in a small space with a unique setting!

Fishtown has a new impressive sushi spot tucked away in Front Street. It features a soulful Japanese dining concept deeply rooted in tradition and technique. On a nice day, nothing beats enjoying sushi on a lovely patio here.

The menu features only the best of master Chef Hiroki Fujiyama Japanese favorites with seasonal options such as sushi, omakase, zensai, meat, miso soup, and desserts.  

They also offer other specialties such as their signature sake pairing with wine, whisky, and beer. The restaurant is small and extremely charming with a cool décor that will make dining here a memorable experience. Don’t forget to end your meal with a tasty treat from the dessert selection. We do not doubt once you experience the delicious food in Hiroki, you’ll be coming back for more!

Dining out is about many things, but if you’re a sushi lover, you can’t help but look for the best spots that prepare sushi just the way you like it. The sushi restaurants in Philly are unique, delicious, and have something for every sushi fan out there. If you want to switch things up and explore new cuisines, they’ve got tons of dishes to try out. So, which sushi spots would you like to visit in Philly? Let us know in the comments!