What Is Starting in New York? A Look at the Japanese Food Industry in the Second Half of 2026
New York’s Japanese food scene had already seen major movement from spring through the first half of 2026. From sushi and omakase to ramen and izakaya-style concepts, the city’s range of Japanese dining options has continued to expand, reinforcing New York’s position as a major source of Japanese food trends.
The developments from the first half of the year were covered in our previous article, “New Japanese Dining Trends Emerge from New York — 2026.”
In this follow-up article, we focus on new Japanese restaurant projects expected to draw attention in the second half of 2026 and beyond. Rather than looking back at restaurants that have already made headlines, we take a closer look at the new projects now beginning to move forward in New York and what they may signal for the next phase of the Japanese food industry.
Sushiro Times Square
One of the most talked-about new Japanese restaurant projects in New York is Sushiro’s expansion into Times Square.
The planned location is 667 Eighth Avenue, near West 42nd Street. It is also close to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, placing it in one of Manhattan’s busiest pedestrian areas.
The restaurant is expected to occupy approximately 9,000 square feet across three floors. The first and second floors are expected to serve as the main conveyor-belt sushi dining areas, while the basement level is expected to include private dining and a sushi bar.
Sushiro is a conveyor-belt sushi chain that originated in Osaka and has expanded not only across Japan but also throughout Asia. The New York location will be the company’s first permanent restaurant in the United States.
The menu is expected to include not only sushi, but also ramen, somen noodles, chawanmushi, and desserts. Guests are expected to order through digital kiosks and receive dishes via conveyor belt, creating an operation that closely reflects the familiar Sushiro experience in Japan.
References:
Food & Life Companies
Eater NY
MITANI New York
In the high-end sushi category, MITANI New York is another restaurant drawing attention.
The restaurant is the New York location of Sushi Mitani from Yotsuya, Tokyo, and has opened inside Lotte New York Palace. Mitani is known for its “Mitani Mariage,” a pairing-focused experience that combines sushi with Champagne, wine, sake, and cold tea.
The New York restaurant is extremely small in scale, with two private rooms, each featuring a six-seat counter. Rather than operating as a large-format restaurant, it offers an integrated sushi and pairing experience for a very limited number of guests.
Its location inside a Madison Avenue hotel also suggests a strong focus on affluent diners, business entertainment, and serious sushi enthusiasts.
References:
MITANI New York
Lotte New York Palace
UMI NYC
UMI, a high-end Japanese restaurant from Atlanta, is also planning its New York expansion.
The planned location is near 63 Madison Avenue, close to Flatiron, NoMad, and Madison Square Park.
UMI has long been a popular Japanese restaurant in Atlanta. Its New York location is expected to include a main dining room, sushi bar, private dining room, and an intimate omakase room.
The sushi program will be led by Kazuo Yoshida, a well-known figure in New York’s sushi scene. He has worked at restaurants such as Juku, 1 or 8, and Jewel Bako, and is also known as the “Uni King.”
The menu is expected to feature signature UMI dishes such as Uni Risotto, Lobster Toban-Yaki, Wagyu Carpaccio, and Otoro Caviar.
Reference:
Eater NY
Sushi Yoshitake at COTE 550
Among the projects connected to COTE 550, which has opened at 550 Madison Avenue, one of the most notable from a Japanese food industry perspective is the planned Sushi Yoshitake.
COTE 550 is a major project by COTE, the Korean steakhouse that gained popularity in Flatiron. The restaurant group is developing an approximately 15,000-square-foot dining space inside the iconic 550 Madison Avenue building.
Within that project, Sushi Yoshitake by Tokyo sushi chef Masahiro Yoshitake is expected to open.
Chef Yoshitake is known for Sushi Yoshitake in Ginza, Tokyo, and has also expanded to Hong Kong. The New York project is especially notable because it places high-end sushi within a powerful restaurant group and a large-scale dining development.
References:
550 Madison / Gracious Hospitality
Eater NY
SORA at One Grand Central Place
Around Grand Central, another large Japanese restaurant concept called SORA is also being planned.
The location is One Grand Central Place, across from One Vanderbilt, in the heart of Manhattan’s business district.
According to reports, SORA is expected to occupy approximately 14,430 square feet and operate as a high-end omakase-style restaurant with multiple dining rooms.
The Grand Central area brings together office workers, business travelers, tourists, and corporate dining demand, making it a strong location for a large-scale Japanese restaurant concept.
References:
Empire State Realty Trust / Business Wire
New York Post
Shaver Hall
Shaver Hall, set to open in the former Lord & Taylor building on Fifth Avenue, is also expected to include notable Japanese food concepts.
Shaver Hall is planned as a large food hall of approximately 35,000 square feet, bringing together multiple restaurants and counter-service concepts.
On the Japanese side, an omakase and hand roll counter by Chicago sushi chef BK Park is expected to be part of the lineup. A food hall concept from the ramen restaurant Tonchin is also expected to be included.
Although Shaver Hall is a food hall, the project appears to go beyond casual dining. With sushi, hand rolls, and ramen represented, Japanese food is expected to have a strong presence within the development.
References:
Shaver Hall
Eater NY
Conclusion
In 2026, New York is seeing several different types of Japanese restaurant projects move forward at the same time: a large-scale chain such as Sushiro, a high-end omakase restaurant such as MITANI New York, a popular regional Japanese restaurant such as UMI NYC, Sushi Yoshitake within COTE 550, SORA near Grand Central, and Japanese food counters inside Shaver Hall.
This is not simply a wave of new restaurant openings. It shows that New York’s Japanese food market is becoming more segmented, with different concepts evolving for different business models and customer groups.
There are conveyor-belt sushi restaurants designed for high volume, luxury sushi restaurants inside hotels, Japanese concepts in large commercial developments, hand roll and ramen counters inside food halls, and high-end sushi built into major restaurant group projects.
Even within the broad category of “Japanese food,” the customer experience and the talent required can vary significantly from one concept to another.
For that reason, demand for Japanese food talent in New York is expected to remain strong through the second half of 2026 and into 2027, including sushi chefs, kitchen staff, store manager candidates, service managers, and opening staff.
Going forward, it will become increasingly important for candidates not only to have experience in Japanese food, but also to clarify which type of restaurant format they are strongest in and where they can contribute most effectively.
KIWAMI works with Japanese restaurants in New York and across the United States.
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If you are considering a career move in New York, looking to advance your career, or hoping to build a career in the Japanese food industry in the United States, please feel free to contact us.
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