Sticks N Sushi Islington review: Book a table now even if you don't like sushi

I’m usually not a fan of giving promo to chains (especially when there are so many amazing independents to shout about in London) but I recently visited Sticks N Sushi for the first time and, to be honest, it deserves a round of applause too.

The Danish-Japanese restaurant chain, which has recently opened a new eatery in Islington is billed as a sushi restaurant for people who hate fish. A clever marketing campaign that rings true in many ways.

The menu offers a wide variety of dishes from your more traditional sushi rolls to sizzling hot and saucy meat served on a stick. You see where it gets its name now, don’t you?

My dining partner and I arrived at the suave new restaurant, about a 10-minute walk from Angel Tube Station, hungry and ready to feast.

We decided to step away from our comfort zone and order dishes we wouldn’t ordinarily try while also ordering some safety staples (just in case.)

But it was the unexpected delights including truffle and parmesan croquettes and tuna tartare that launched this lunch to stratospheric heights.

We ordered the Perfect Day set menu, with a side of gyoza and fried chicken for good measure (we’re not small eaters.)

If I break this down dish by dish you’re going to be reading for a really long time, because there was much food delivered to our table. So I’m going to give you the highlights - you know, Match of the Day style.

Menu highlights - meat, fish and more

First out of the pass were the Kinoko Korokke (mushroom and Danish cheese croquettes with miso aioli and truffle dust) and they were just as decadent as they sound. As a mushroom lover, these really hit the spot and as a mushroom loather, my dining partner was ‘pleasantly surprised’ and even went back for another. Fried and cheesy with an umami flavour that leaves your mouth watering and begging for more.

Another surprising set menu highlight was the Rice Paper Shake (soy-cured salmon, pickled red onion, avocado, and cucumber wrapped deliciously into rice paper) served with goma - a nutty, slightly spicy, tangy dipping sauce, that had my partner and I, battling for the last roll.

My favourite menu item (and perhaps the best thing I’ve eaten all year) was the Crispy Ebi sushi, delicious bubbly tempura battered prawns wrapped in rice and dipped in soy. It took this typical Christmas party canape from zero to hero and I’m still salivating at the thought.

My dining partner is both a hardcore sushi fan and a carnivore, so when he was presented with a variety of meat on sticks, his face lit up beautifully. The stick element of our feast was a real highlight: “The belly pork so was so tender you could chew it without teeth” - Ken Pearson, 2024.

The chicken meatballs were smoky, flavourful, and packed a punch, while the Teriyaki salmon was sticky and sweet.

As aforementioned we also added gyoza to our feasting platter, a worthy addition in my opinion, they were equal parts soft and chewy, with a crispy base. Everything I look for in a dumpling.

As a general overview of the food, it was truly delicious, I enjoyed every mouthful and every morsel presented to us and I can certainly see why the chain is so popular.

The menu felt accessible for fussy eaters, while elevated enough that more experienced foodies had something new to try.

We rounded off our meal with two delicious ice creams, the first vanilla and caramel and the second chocolate. The ice cream was light, airy, smooth, and sweet (much like the woman eating it) offering the perfect ending to a fantastic meal.

The restaurant itself is chic, overlooking the pretty Islington Green. It has various seating options, making it great for a variety of occasions. Business lunches (with laptops), friends catching up, and dates were taking place.

There are little lamps and hooks for your coats and a menu that is more like a Mercedes Benz brochure than your typical laminated card.

Our bill for a huge amount of food, which could have easily fed three, with drinks and a pudding came to £144 - not bad going to a lunch we’ll remember for years in London.

Book a table by clicking here.