Sushi is the ultimate artisan food and attempting to make it seems intimidating sometimes. What knives do you need? What about special oils and ingredients?
Taking a sushi-making class is a great place to begin if you have no idea where to start. Plus, it’s an excellent date night (or day) idea!
With a bit of practice, it’s fun to make and you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction the first time you manage to get that perfect consistency of rice (sticky, but firm), create a wafer-thin tamagoyaki omelette (it’s all in the starch) or roll up a maki roll without it all falling apart.
If you’re vegan, have a dairy allergy, or just don’t like fish, don’t be put off: ALL of these places offer plant-based options, so there’s no need to miss out if you’re avoiding meat or dairy. Even better, some classes are 100% vegan 😋
Here are ten great sushi classes in London you can book today.
1. Atsuko’s Kitchen
Best for… keeping it simple
These small, friendly classes with Sushi Made Simple author Atsuko aim to teach you that sushi doesn’t have to be complicated to be fun to make and even more fun to eat.
Learn how to make sticky sushi rice the proper way, before graduating to cutting delicate slices of raw fish sashimi – and finally working on your rolling techniques.
This class offers plant-based options for individual students who are vegan – just let them know when you book so they can bring the ingredients!
📍 Shoreditch
🌿 Vegan options (let them know when you book)
💰 £79
⌚ 3 hours
Other classes at Atsuko’s Kitchen:
Bento box making
Beginners’ Japanese cooking
Gyoza making
Tofu cooking class
Kyushu regional cuisine
2. Yuki’s Kitchen
Best for… a focus on ‘maki‘ sushi (AKA the rolled sushi everyone knows and loves)
If your dream is to become a master at making those neat little sushi rolls but you just can’t seem to get it right on your own, you need this class!
These sushi classes run by Yuki’s Kitchen give a special emphasis to rolled sushi – known as maki – and will show you step-by-step how to avoid a disaster and achieve the picturesque sushi rolls of your dreams.
They’re glad to offer alternative fillings like cooked shittake mushrooms and carrots, so plant-based students can enjoy this class too.
📍 Crystal Palace / Upper Norwood
🌿 Vegan options
💰 £85
⌚ 2.5 hours
Other classes at Yuki’s Kitchen:
Street food
Home cooking
Miso workshop
Gyoza 3 ways
Vegetarian ramen and gyoza
Fish and seafood class
3. Yo! Sushi
Best for… an affordable sushi class
If you’re looking for a London sushi class that won’t break the bank, Yo!Sushi offer a £25 class that will still teach you all the basics.
As all the ingredients have been sourced fresh, what you’ll make will depend on who is in the class and what dietary requirements they (and you) have.
You’ll go home with all your sushi, a rolling mat, 25% off voucher and a guide to making sushi.
Whilst they don’t offer a 100% vegan class, they’ll provide plant-based ingredients for individual students if you request this when you book.
📍 Across London
🌿 Vegan options available (let them know in advance)
💰 £30 for one person or £50 (£25 per person) for two people
⌚ 1.5 – 2 hours
4. Alice Sushi Art
Best for… a fruity twist on sushi, and using vegan superfoods!
These short and sweet sushi classes pack a lot of creativity into only an hour and a half. Choose from a traditional sushi class, vegan superfoods sushi class or even a fruit-based class where you’ll use refreshing ingredients like mango, papaya, pomegranate and seasonal berries.
This ‘frushi’ may not be traditional, but it’s great fun to make and you’re unlikely to find anything else like this in London.
📍 Highgate
🌿 Fruit-based classes are totally vegan and there are also vegan superfood classes available
💰 £40
⌚ 1.5 hours
Other classes at Alice Sushi Art
Character bento making
Traditional Japanese bento making
Introduction to sushi
5. Sozai
Best for… a traditional vibe
Sozai’s website emphasises the traditional training of their chefs and their classes cover a huge range, so it’s no surprise that they’re the UK’s leading Japanese cooking school.
If you want to go all-out on your sushi-making skills, book their Max Sushi class, where you’ll spend 3 hours perfecting your chopping, rolling and assembling of a huge variety of pieces.
You can also book their ramen class, if noodles are more your thing – or for something a little different, try their fermentation class and make your own vegan miso paste.
They also offer completely vegan classes!
📍 Tower Hamlets
🌿 Completely vegan classes on offer
💰 £75 – £120 (depending on the class)
⌚ 2-3 hours (depending on the class)
Classes at Sozai
Max sushi class (3 hours)
Vegan creative sushi class
Roll and roll sushi
Maki sushi masterclass
Fermentation: Make your own miso workshop
Black cod and Japanese home cooking
Sushi masterclass
Ramen class
Dinner party sushi
Japanese gyoza
6. Hashi Cooking
Best for… attention to the details
Hashi Cooking calls itself ‘the most complete sushi class in London’ and it’s easy to see why: the number of techniques you’ll learn is really impressive, from inside-out sushi rolls, thin rolls and oshi-zushi (compressed sushi) to making Japanese tamagoyaki omelette and making miso soup.
You’ll use top-quality tuna, salmon and sea bream and the class will cover where to shop for reliable ingredients. Later, you can enjoy a side of complementary sake whilst you and the rest of the class sit down to enjoy the sushi you’ve made.
Whilst there are no vegan-specific classes, they’re more than happy to cater to vegans if you let them know ahead of time.
📍 Wimbledon
🌿 Vegan options available (let them know in advance)
💰 £115-130 (cheaper for mid-week class)
⌚ 4 hours
Classes at Hashi Cooking
Vegetarian Japanese cooking
Gourmet sushi and sake class
Ramen and gyoza
Vegetarian ramen and gyoza
7. Suzu House
Best for… Learning Japanese dining etiquette
So you know how to make sushi, but do you know how to eat it?
If you’ve ever wondered, this is the class to take. Along with learning how to make four different types of sushi, you’ll also learn about Japanese table manners and Japanese culture.
Vegan options are available in the regular class, using ingredients like aubergine, red pepper, asparagus, shiitake mushroom and cucumber.
📍 Hammersmith
🌿 Vegan options available
💰 £19
⌚ 2 hours
Other classes at Suzu House
Plant-based Japanese cooking
Sushi class
Advanced sushi class
Mochi class
Dumplings class
8. London Cookery School
Best for… demystifying the art of sushi
Do you know your Nigiri from your Temari or your Hosomaki from your Temaki?
You will after this class!
Sip Japanese tea whilst chopping, rolling and sampling your ingredients at this beginners’ sushi lesson, where you’ll also learn how to recognise ‘sushi-grade’ fish, cook the perfect sticky rice and make all the types of sushi named above (and more). If you’re avoiding animal products, they can also provide plant-based ingredients for you to work with.
Afterwards, you can enjoy your creations with a big sushi lunch or dinner with the rest of the class.
📍 Islington
🌿 Vegetarian options and other dietary requirements catered for (tell them in advance)
💰 £90
⌚ 3 hours
9. The Avenue Cookery School
Best for… a vegan supper club experience
If you’ve never tried a supper club before, the concept is to eat with people you’ve not met before and socialise with everyone present. It can be a great way for more introverted couples, or those new to the city, to get out and meet people 🙂
The Avenue Cookery School combines this experience with a 2 hour sushi class in their laid-back family run kitchen. You’ll watch a demonstration from their expert chefs of how to cook the rice, prepare the fillings and construct the sushi, before trying it yourself.
Afterwards, enjoy your freshly made sushi together and make some new friends.
There’s a 100% vegan class available for their supper club, or try their two other classes (below) for more traditional ingredients.
📍 Wandsworth
🌿 Vegan options in standard class – (let them know ahead of time) and completely vegan classes available!
💰 £55.25 – £180, depending on the class (£65 for supper club workshop)
⌚ 2 hours
Other classes at The Avenue Cookery School
Sushi in the city
Sushi making and cocktail shaking class
10. School Of Wok
Best for… learning the flavour profiles of sushi
If you’ve never had truly good sushi and don’t know where to begin, check out this class by School of Wok.
At these lessons, you’ll not only learn how to make four different types of sushi (plus gyoza dumplings), but will also discover the different flavour profiles that you’ll need to achieve for perfect sushi. They’re glad to cater to individual vegans, if you let them know when you book.
Spend the last half hour enjoying your creations, with a complementary glass of wine on the side!
📍 Covent Garden
💰 £99
🌿 Vegan options available (let them know in advance)
⌚ 3 hours
Other classes at School Of Wok
Understanding the wok (half day)
Understanding the wok (full day)
Japanese cuisine (half day)
Japanese cuisine (full day)
Seafood and fish
Takeaway classics (full day)
London Date Spots 