Yokocho

Nestled in the walkway of the historic Mid City Arcade sits Yokocho. Japanese for ‘alleyway’, the recently opened, modern Japanese eatery brings vibrant Tokyo street culture and eclectic Japanese food and drink to Melbourne’s CBD.

The urban interior is designed by Wendy Bergman, bringing a splash of Japanese escapism into the arcade. With a massive outdoor terrace overlooking Bourke Street, you wouldd almost forget that you were on one of the busiest, bustling streets in Melbourne. As co-owner Benny Lui puts it, Yokocho is a place “that allows you to escape the daily grind.”  

A venture between Lui, Kevin Pak (most well known for 24-hour ramen diner Shujinko), and Khoa Le, Yokocho showcases three main styles of Japanese: sushi and sashimi, yakitori and tempura. In terms of starters, Yokocho has the Japanese classics – pork gyoza, edamame, seaweed salad, miso soup, chicken karaage, and takoyaki. But have you tried lotusrook chips? Or agedashi tofu? You can thank me later.

If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s a section called the Yokocho Specials, which features dishes like miso black cod, Nagasaki hot pot and sushi pizza! You have also got a selection of sushi, nigiri, rice and noodle dishes to choose from. But if you would rather let the experts take care of it, there are a few assorted tasting plates you can choose from – sashimi, yakitori or tempura.

Yokocho’s sashimi menu is divided into two sections – the classic sliced raw fish, or the Yokocho Sashimi, a handful of seasoned raw dishes that take Japanese flavours and combine them with Western preparation techniques.

It also has a curated list of sake, spirits, wine, beer and cocktails. There’s the Yokocho house sake, which can be served warm, or in a sake bomb. You can also try a handful of Japanese whiskeys, as well as a draft (heh heh) of Japanese craft beers. A matcha IPA or miso lager, anyone?

I could go further into detail about all the things that make Yokocho great, but how much better would it be if you could experience this all in person rather than just through my words? Off you go then – don’t come back until you’ve tried the lotusrook chips!

Yokocho 
101/200 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Open 7 days, Monday to Thursday, 11.30am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday, 11:30am to late, Sunday, 11.30am to 10pm
yokocho.com.au