Serenity Now. Itadakizen.

Lately, I’ve been talking to a lot of people about their upcoming trips to Japan. Some stick to old habits, asking friends or fellow travelers, while others rely on their ChatGPT assistant to plan the perfect itinerary, with local gems and must-see spots for first-timers. This has taken over my daily conversations, and now my Instagram feed is filled with Kyoto-based jean brands, Tokyo izakaya suggestions, and Shimokitazawa spots, which I learned is an indie and vinyl-focused listening bar.

The table next to the window at İtadaki Zen.

While writing this article, I overheard a chat at the next table: “In Fukuoka, Daimyo district,” they said. I couldn’t catch the rest. When you can’t go to Japan on a whim, what might a Londoner do? I wonder. Follow Japan House London’s program. The Craft of Carpentry exhibition, which celebrates the tools and craftsmanship behind Japan’s temples and shrines, runs until July 6th. Have a Sunday listening session at Spiritland or Space Talk. Flip through magazines at MagCulture or Gosh! Comics. Get to Refill Therapy in Hackney Wick for some Japanese rice crackers. Go to Kanpai in Bermondsey for sake. Have a bite of kinpira, salted kombu, spicey takana or ume rice balls at Toconoco in the afternoon. Or, in my case, find a vegan Japanese restaurant, book a table, and wait jubilantly for the date to come.

The lunch special featuring tofu steak, white rice, miso soup, and fermented vegetables accompanied the cucumber kimchi.

Nestled in a calm corner of King’s Cross, in a serene atmosphere, Itadakizen resides. The name is derived from itadakimasu (いただきます), a phrase said before eating to express gratitude for the meal, and zen  (禅), which refers to the Zen Buddhist tradition, focusing on meditation and mindfulness. Together, it can be interpreted as “grateful meal” or “humble dining.” 

When you enter and pass through the burgundy curtains, all you can hear is the absence of cutlery. No forks touching porcelain, no glasses clinking, no creaking, jarring, or gnashing. No knives dropping on the floor. Once you are settled, while pulling out a mute chair, a new surprise awaits you: a weekday lunch special; tofu steak, white rice, miso soup, and fermented vegetables for £8.00. Where in London can you even find a four-course meal for that price? Or you can create your own £14.00 starter and main combo from selections such as cucumber kimchi, gyoza dumplings, or Harumaki spring rolls as sides; creamy spicy ramen, miso ramen, or Japanese curry and rice as mains. And for dessert, there is mochi ice cream, the traditional Japanese rice cake made with sticky rice.

You slurp the miso, mix the tofu steak pieces with cucumber kimchi flavoured rice bites, the cold ice cream makes teeth tingle and in the interim, the whole restaurant remains placid. Itadakizen is the kind of place where people come to be on their own, without a book, without looking at a screen, without talking on the phone or sending voice notes. I’m not sure if it takes after its name, or if it’s the ambience that defines its moniker.

From lunch and dinner menu: Ramen.

What to get: From Tuesday to Friday, there are two lunch menu options, Teishoku, for £8.00. Either tofu steak or gyoza dumplings, accompanied by white rice, miso soup, and fermented vegetables.

Good to know: Itadakizen also offers brunches in Kyoto and, more importantly, in Paris, one of Europe’s most difficult cities to find vegan options.

Address: 139 King’s Cross Rd, WC1X 9BJ

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