Moto

Moto opened on Maiden Lane in 2019 as the UK's first independent Japanese sake bar, shop and eatery, and has since marked its fifth anniversary. It sits on a narrow, historic street behind the Strand, a quieter pocket of Covent Garden that suits a small specialist bar, and it is built around artisan Japanese drinks brought over directly from small producers across Japan.

The name refers to the fermentation starter used in sake brewing, a word that also means origin, and the bar sets out to share the faces and stories behind every bottle. Sake is the heart of the list, but it widens to shochu, gin, absinthe, craft beer and whisky, all made in Japan, with an emphasis on bottles new to the UK and in some cases never previously exported. A head bartender who built his reputation in Taiwan adds a cocktail list, served from 17:00 on Tuesday to Thursday and throughout opening hours from Friday to Sunday.

Sake bar and Japanese eatery on Maiden Lane

Food follows the drinks. Moto obento boxes come in pork, chicken, prawn and vegetarian versions, each with an assortment of side salads, rice and frittata, while the otsumami menu, the Japanese answer to tapas, runs from chicken karaage breaded with tempura crumbs and an onigiri fry to yuzu kosho grilled salmon, nekomanma rice with soy-cured yolk and bonito flakes, and chawanmushi steamed egg custard. Desserts include sakura eclairs and matcha cream puffs.

What to expect on a visit

Moto works as a bar, a shop to buy bottles from, and a place to learn. It hosts tastings, workshops and events focused on Japanese craftsmanship, so a visit can be as simple as a glass and a plate or as involved as a guided flight. It opens from noon Tuesday to Sunday, running to midnight midweek and to 00:30 from Thursday to Saturday, with an earlier close on Sunday. For more drinking options nearby, see the full list of wine bars in Covent Garden, including The Port House a few steps away on the Strand.