Kazuki's Restaurant

Chef Kazuki Tsuya hails from Akita in Northern Japan and has been trained in classic French techniques, and you'll see this clearly from the menu offerings. There are several ways to tackle Kazuki’s, but our advice is to go for the seven-course tasting menu that will run you around $220 per person, sans wine matching.

The food here has always been difficult to categorise, but is quintessentially Kazuki Tsuya's, who has evolved his menu to greater heights of refinement since opening his new address at the centre of the city. Start with the plentiful and intricate snack offerings, from a silken lick of taramasalata on a nori crisp bejewelled with salmon roe to an ethereal chicken liver macaron. Kazuki's mark is on everything, from the left-field brilliance of pickled mussels with meaty tomatoes to hapuka in yuzu-spiked beurre blanc with salty pops of avruga.

After making a name for themselves as the place to dine in picturesque Daylesford, husband and wife team Saori and Kazuki Tsuya made the move back to Melbourne in late 2018. They’ve brought with them the refined cooking that made them a destination in their original home, with Euro-Japanese dishes combining flavours from ingredients such as ponzu, kombu and matcha with French techniques. Kazuki’s dining room invites with zen-filled comfort, a fitting backdrop for degustation dining paired with sakes and special occasion wines.

Kazuki and Saori Tsuya, a husband and wife team, are the masterminds behind Kazuki’s Restaurant located on Lygon Street in Carlton. Strongly influenced by the traditional Japanese saying “ichi-go ichi-e”, meaning to treasure every moment, Kazuki’s Restaurant embodies this philosophy down to its very core. As the epitome of ‘omotenashi’, which means to go above and beyond to provide outstanding service, Chef Kazuki and Saori ensure each guest is warmly welcomed and taken care of as soon as they walk through the door.

Several years ago, Chef Kazuki Tsuya and his partner Saori relocated their establishment Kazuki’s from its former Daylesford home to Lygon Street. Kazuki’s embodies the essence of ‘Omotenashi’, which refers to an intuitive, compassionate and refined approach to both cuisine and hospitality, so you can expect to not only have a unique dining experience but also be greeted with warm staff.

Saori and Kazuki Tsuya moved Kazuki's from Daylseford to Lygon Street a few years ago, bringing its long history with them. The concept of 'Omotenashi' is based on Japanese hospitality traditions, which emphasize a kind, intuitive approach to customer service. Whether you're hungry or curious, Kazuki's a la carte and set menus are both sure to satisfy.

In Japanese, there’s a saying, ‘ichi-go ichi-e,’ which means every moment is one of a kind and should be cherished as such. At Kazuki’s they are all about ‘ichi-go ichi-e’ and strive to make sure your meal speaks for it. Here you’ll find the very best of Australian produce met with classic Japanese hospitality and slow, delicious food.

Soon after closing down its Daylesford location in 2018, Kazuki’s brought its Japanese fine dining to Carlton. And this spot has been kicking goals ever since it decided to make Melbourne home. The beautiful spare design of the space emits a calm, serene feeling for diners — but the food will definitely excite you.

In 2018, this Euro-Japanese fine diner moved from its home in Daylesford to Carlton. We're glad it's made the move to the city. The dishes here, delivered thoughtfully across several multi-course options, are a compelling argument for fusion done the right way.

Location: 121 Lygon St, Carlton, VIC 3053 Ph: (03) 9349 2223. The food at this restaurant is based on the Japanese ‘Omotenashi’ tradition. This tradition places emphasis on intuitive hospitality and as such, they serve wholesome food with a friendly smile.

Toto's Pizza House is located to the north of Universal Café and to the south of Toto's Pizzeria. The tomato sauce oligarchies are wooing us now that we've arrived in the heart of Italy. Kazuki's has finally arrived in this empire of carbs and cheese.

But the good times don’t stop with Italy and nor are they limited to the heart of the strip, with impressive venues like Kazuki’s (pictured above), Lagoon, Assembly, Carlton Wine Room and Market Lane enriching the neighbourhood.