A wooden box of sashimi and sushi with edible flowers

Pre-theatre dinner in Covent Garden

Japanese dinner three to seven minutes on foot from the theatres.

The nearest theatres are a short walk from Akatuki on Great Queen Street: the Gillian Lynne Theatre is three minutes away on foot, the Royal Opera House four, Theatre Royal Drury Lane and the Aldwych Theatre five, and the Novello and the Lyceum seven. For a 7:30pm curtain, book a table for about 5:45pm.

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Online bookings are confirmed straight away. Honestly, this is easily one of my favourite Japanese dining experiences in London. … Eddie W. on Google, opens in a new tab

That leaves time for a full meal and an easy walk. Akatuki is a Japanese restaurant at the Holborn end of Covent Garden, and the kitchen serves from midday without a break, so there is no wait for dinner service to begin. Sushi sets, sashimi and donburi rice bowls each come as one dish, which makes them the simplest order before a show; tell your server what time your show starts. Book online for up to 10 guests, or call 020 4618 7626.

A plated dish at Akatuki Covent Garden
On foot from our door

Walking times to the theatres

Gillian Lynne Theatre

Drury Lane · 3 minutes on foot

The nearest theatre to our door, a short walk along to Drury Lane.

Royal Opera House

Bow Street · 4 minutes on foot

Home of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet. Opera and ballet can start earlier than 7:30pm, so check the time on your ticket before you book.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Catherine Street · 5 minutes on foot

The theatre's entrance is on Catherine Street, not on Drury Lane itself.

Aldwych Theatre

Aldwych · 5 minutes on foot

On Aldwych, at the bottom of Drury Lane, as far from us as Drury Lane itself.

Novello Theatre

Aldwych · 7 minutes on foot

Also on Aldwych, a little further along from the Aldwych Theatre.

Lyceum Theatre

Wellington Street · 7 minutes on foot

On Wellington Street, off the Strand: the furthest of these, so allow the full seven minutes.

Also close: Freemasons' Hall on our own street, one minute away, and the Peacock Theatre on Portugal Street, six. The times are Google Maps walking times from the restaurant, measured in September 2026.

Before curtain-up

What to order

One order covers you: a sushi set, or a donburi bowl of rice with its topping. Every dish is on the menu, every sushi price on sushi in Covent Garden, and our guide to sushi before the theatre says what to choose and how long it takes. For a weekday matinée, weekday lunch runs to 5:00pm.

Sushi Sets

Wagyu, salmon, tuna, sea bass, yellowtail, eel, scallops

21pcs of sashimi

10pcs sashimi and 16pcs nigiri

18pcs sashimi, 10pcs nigiri and Akatuki Roll

£15.60

Salmon sashimi 3pcs, nigiri 3pcs, maki 6pcs

£16.80

Tuna sashimi 3pcs, nigiri 3pcs, maki 6pcs

Mixed sashimi & nigiri (tuna / salmon / white fish); California Roll 4pcs

Donburi

Sautéed mushrooms in butter sauce

Grilled aubergine glazed with sweet soy over rice

£18.80

Salmon or tuna, avocado, edamame, mango, sushi soy

Salmon, pasteurised egg, fried onions and tobiko

£24.10

Salmon roe over vinegared rice — salmon, tuna or both

Assorted sashimi over vinegared rice, topped with ikura

Whole grilled eel, sweet soy and sansho

Good to know

Questions before the show

What time should I book before a 7:30pm show?

About 5:45pm. That leaves time for a full meal and an easy walk: the Gillian Lynne Theatre is three minutes away on foot and the Lyceum seven. For a later show, a 6:30pm table works. The kitchen serves from midday without a break, so there is no wait for dinner service to begin.

How quickly can we eat before a show?

Tell your server what time your show starts when you sit down. Sushi sets, sashimi and donburi rice bowls each come as one dish, so they are the simplest order when time is short, and the sets for two are made for sharing.

Is there a pre-theatre menu?

Not at the moment. Before a show, guests order from the full menu; the sushi sets and donburi bowls are listed with their prices on this page. If we add a pre-theatre set, this page will say so.

Can a group book before the theatre?

Book online for up to 10 guests. For 11 or more, send a group enquiry and we will agree a set menu with you first; tell us the time of your show. You can also call 020 4618 7626.

How far is Akatuki from the Underground?

Holborn station is four minutes on foot and Covent Garden five.

BOOK A TABLE

Online bookings are confirmed straight away. Honestly, this is easily one of my favourite Japanese dining experiences in London. … Eddie W. on Google, opens in a new tab