Café Sushi

Strip malls aren't usually associated with high-quality sushi or a celebrated omakase. But Café Sushi exists in defiance of its location’s stereotype. Chef Seizi Imura, who took over the restaurant from his parents in 2007, has altered the cuisine (and, more recently, the interior) of this long-running Cambridge sushi joint, winning a devoted following of sushi fans and a slew of Best of Boston accolades in the process.

Cafe Sushi can be enjoyed in two different ways. For roughly $100, you can have around 18 pieces of fish with the omakase. It's a feast of raw, pickled, and house-cured fish with everything from smoked salt to bourbon-soaked cherries. The smarter Cafe Sushi experience is to order rolls and assorted nigiri plates from the regular menu, but then add a few items from the "signature creations" area. Many of these items do make it into the omakase menu, but they're just $2.50 to $6.00. So you can add house-pickled bluefish (which isn't often seen on sushi menus, despite the fact that New England seas are teeming with it) or Irish sea trout topped with hickory-smoked caramelized onions and preserved lemon peel to your normal basic roll.

Address: 1105 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Website: https://cafesushicambridge.com/