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In mid-November of this year, the gourmet restaurant Matsuhisa Munich will open in the luxury hotel Mandarin Oriental, Munich, launching its first internationally renowned lifestyle gourmet concept in Germany. You can start getting excited with me now. Why? Well, listen up. Matsuhisa Munich (pronounced Mat-su-hi-sa) is an absolutely trendy gourmet restaurant, already with six locations worldwide, and soon to be in Munich. From mid-November, the restaurant will be serving exquisite Japanese-Peruvian cuisine on the first floor of the Mandarin Oriental, located in the heart of Munich. I'm already incredibly excited because I love Japanese food. The Mandarin Oriental, Munich itself is probably familiar to almost everyone and will soon be a new hotspot for excellent Japanese cuisine. But what exactly can you—or rather, us—expect?

Just like the hotel's upscale aspirations, Matsuhisa Munich's concept and standards reflect this. And yet, despite the highest standards, the new restaurant offers a relaxed and friendly atmosphere for dining. Of course, it serves fine dining with first-class dishes, far removed from run-of-the-mill fare. Nevertheless, the menu items are affordable and reasonably priced. Dinner dishes start at €36; lunch specials, such as a bento box, start at €32, or €29 for vegetarians. Like the six other Matsuhisa restaurants, this one offers the sharing concept familiar from Japan. Simply put, this means: "Everyone at the table is welcome to try and share everything." Therefore, the restaurant features large round tables, allowing guests to dine together and share the various dishes from the menu.

Lots of new things at the Mandarin Oriental: The Matsuhisa Munich and Bar31

But it's not just the restaurant that's new at the Mandarin Oriental. In a few weeks, the brand-new "Bar31" on the ground floor will also open its doors. This means the green light for excellent drinks, cocktails, and more. The bar and restaurant aim to make both long-time hotel guests and young Munich locals feel at home. The all-too-common attitude in Munich of "I don't go to a hotel to eat or drink, I only go to sleep" will hopefully be pushed far into the background with the opening of the restaurant and bar. I myself am a frequent, if not the only, person dining out. Many of these have been in hotels and have generally impressed me with their superb food, service, and ambiance – the same will certainly be true at Matsuhisa Munich and its bar. A visit should be enjoyable and satisfying, even for a casual evening, with fine dining in the restaurant and a delicious drink in the bar. While the atmosphere in the restaurant is more relaxed, the bar offers a more casual setting for chatting, drinking, and enjoying yourself with friends, colleagues, acquaintances, or clients, all while listening to soothing background music. If you get hungry later in the evening, you can also order delicious dishes from Matsuhisa Munich at the bar starting at 6:00 PM. However, the bar's main focus is clearly on creative and innovative cocktails (from €16). But that's not all Bar31 has to offer: every 31st of the month, it transforms into a kind of event bar, hosting a variety of events for its patrons. Come and see what awaits you!.

The atmosphere and the team

Like the Matsuhisa Munich itself, the bar will impress with its luxurious, contemporary ambiance and cozy atmosphere. Comfortable palmwood tables – 20 in total – stylish interior design (by the design studio "FG stijl") featuring plenty of leather, subtle lighting, sophisticated walls, ceilings, and floors in shades of brown and gold, a prominent bar with 10 additional seats, and a harmonious overall concept define Bar31. Combined with carefully chosen Asian elements, it's the ideal place to relax for guests of all ages. I also appreciate that the bar will have a separate entrance. So you don't have to walk through the restaurant to get there. (No one will be staring at you. ;-)). The young and friendly team at both the bar and restaurant ensures you'll feel comfortable and relaxed. The bartender at Bar31 has worked at the Mandarin Oriental for many years, so long-time regulars of the hotel will also be able to greet familiar faces at the new bar. Manager Doreen Philipp brings fresh and innovative ideas to Bar31, ensuring the perfect blend of tradition and innovation. As for owner and celebrity chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa – better known as Nobu – his connection to Japanese and Peruvian cuisine is obvious. Born in Japan, he lived in Peru for many years, opened his first restaurant at a young age, and now owns numerous restaurants and Matsuhisa establishments worldwide. He is, of course, renowned for his high-quality, exquisitely prepared dishes and his extraordinary flair for culinary excellence.

The Matsuhisa concept is known worldwide, and even stars like Leonardo DiCaprio are among the chef's guests at his restaurants. The first Matsuhisa opened in Beverly Hills in 1987 (Matsuhisa Beverly Hills), and since then, seven of these exceptional restaurants – including Matsuhisa Munich – have made a name for themselves globally. At the helm of Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's restaurants, only those who have trained or worked under him personally are allowed behind the stove – this is also the case at the first German Matsuhisa. Loris di Santo – former head chef of Matsuhisa Mykonos – will be wielding the ladle as head chef at Matsuhisa Munich, and the perfect sushi will be prepared by Japanese sushi master Koichiro Kawakami, who has also worked at various Nobuyuki restaurants as well as at Matsuhisa in St. Moritz. The quality of the food is therefore no accident…

High quality standards: food and ingredients

If you're now wondering, "So what exactly is on the menu?" – No problem, I can answer that for you: Besides the usual "Nobu classics," such as black cod, the "Nobu Tacos" filled with tuna, salmon, or lobster, or the yellowfin sashimi with jalapeños, there are also numerous individual creations to choose from. You can also enjoy lamb grilled over tea leaves with Peruvian anticucho sauce or the most delicious sushi and tempura variations. The restaurant sources the ingredients for its excellent recipes from places like Scotland (scallops), Canada (black cod), and Japan (Kobe beef from their own cattle farms, miso, seaweed). In addition to the aforementioned dishes and sushi, the menu also offers various salads, soups, appetizers, tacos, tartares, and incredibly extensive main courses. I'm already looking forward to it; sushi is definitely on my plate. 🙂

Facts and conclusion

Matsuhisa Munich is open from 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM and from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with no closing day. Bar31, which seats 50 people, opens its doors at 12:00 PM and offers delicious drinks and other refreshments until 1:00 AM (2:00 AM on weekends). The restaurant itself seats 95 people at its 18 tables and sushi counter, plus a separate dining room in the tower area for an additional 10 people. Vegetarians and vegans will also find plenty of options. Japanese cuisine is known for its wide variety of vegetarian dishes and diverse culinary variations. Vegans and those with allergies are welcome to request a customized combination of ingredients.

Definitely check it out! I'll certainly be one of the first there (and I'll tell you all about it afterwards). Card payment is of course possible. I'm really looking forward to it, as in my opinion, there's a real lack of good Japanese restaurants in Munich, even if there are a few. By the way, if you prefer eating in Paris, you only have to wait until next year when Matsuhisa Paris opens there and will impress in France with its exceptional cuisine and high-quality ingredients. Who's coming with me? 🙂

I'll be back: I'll answer you after my first taste test of the food. 😉

Place visited: Matsuhisa Munich and Bar31 (Mandarin Oriental, Munich)
Address: Neuturmstraße 1, 80331 Munich
Website: Matsuhisa Munich and Bar31

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