Edinburgh Street Food welcomes award-winning Japanese restaurant famed for sushi burritos and hot rice bowls

New vendor at Edinburgh Street Food are winners of 2023’s Best Sushi & Japanese Cuisine in Scotland awards

Edinburgh Street Food has announced an exciting new addition to its already fabulous line-up – and it’s great news for lovers of Japanese cuisine.

Injecting the very essence of Tokyo into Edinburgh Street Food and specialising in the modern twist of sushi burritos and hot rice bowls, Harajuku Kitchen completes the line up of global food on offer at this popular city centre food destination, becoming the 11th permanent vendor just weeks after the arrival of Mr Boney (the viral sensation boasting jaw-dropping bone-in-rib sandwiches).

Harajuku’s menu at ESF features favourite snacks of edamame beans, miso soup and Kaiso seaweed salad, as well as stir fried udon noodles, Danburi (hot rice dishes), sushi burritos and sushi rice bowls. Their secret recipe kara-age chicken with homemade sweet chilli sauce on a bed of noodles is already a huge hit. Kaori Simpson is already working on the logistics to bring Harajuku’s renowned homemade gyoza, in volume, to ESF in Spring 2024.

Harajuku Kitchen launch their award-winning Japanese fare at Edinburgh Street Food.

“Authentic East Asian cuisine was exactly what ESF was missing – and who better to deliver this in such high quality than Harajuku Kitchen who started their businesses as a humble street food stall at Stockbridge Market in 2009 and now serve AA rosette level dishes,” said Andrew Marshall, co-founder of ESF. “Harajuku’s street food is perfect for all weather dining – warm up with their impressively crispy fried aubergine smothered in Katsu curry sauce in winter, or keep it light with a fresh sashimi rice bowl in summer.”

Harajuku is owned by husband and wife team Kaori and Keith Simpson and attributes its success to three generations of cherished family recipes. And just this week Harajuku won Best Sushi and Japanese Cuisine at The Scottish Asian Food Awards 2023.

“My hard working team are all so passionate about Japanese food,” said Kaori Simpson, formerly the resident chef for the Consulate General of Japan.

“We’ve spent 15 years building our reputation as a go-to street food stall at Edinburgh’s Farmers’ Markets and now it feels only right that we launch a new home in Edinburgh Street Food where our customers can tuck into the dishes they so greatly love, seven days a week. We’re thrilled to join the ESF family.”

Edinburgh Street Food is open 7 days a week from midday-11pm. All kitchens, including Harajuku, are open from 12-9pm on Sunday-Thursday and until 10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Follow Harajuku Kitchen on Instagram at @harajukukitchen, and follow Edinburgh Street Food on Instagram at @edinburgh_streetfood.