Japan Centre Ichiba

Europe’s Biggest Japanese Food Hall Has Opened in Hammersmith | Eater London

"This 17,400 sq ft flagship Japanese food hall inside Westfield London has opened as Europe’s largest, part of the shopping centre’s £600m expansion. Operated by the team behind a central London Japanese grocer and launched as the first joint venture with the Cool Japan Fund, it combines on-site food stations and theatrical kitchens serving ready-to-eat dishes with a market-style hall stocking a broad range of imported ingredients and goods — from rice, miso and soy sauce to an extensive sake selection, rice crackers, confectionery, books and artisanal ceramics. Seating for over 200 is clustered around the kitchens, which will host weekly cooking demonstrations, workshops, regional food and drink festivals and sake-tasting seminars. Partnerships with local and artisan suppliers across Japan aim to bring authentic and rare regional produce exclusively to the UK; the opening was slightly later than an originally expected March launch." - Adam Coghlan