"Is there no finer way to dine than omakase having chefs hand-pick their most elegant delicacies and serve them rapid-fire until you wave your hands and implore, No more? Translated from Japanese as I'll leave it up to you, omakase has grown popular well beyond Japan to dining establishments across the world. The principle is simple, yet beautiful. Traditionally applied to high-end sushi restaurants, an omakase experience is one in which the chef plans a multi-course meal based on quality, artistry and peak-of-season ingredients."
"Omakase by now is firmly lodged in the zeitgeist. In the Bay Area, you'll find the word proudly attached to restaurants (Ren Omakase in Redwood City, the Michelin-recognized Omakase in San Francisco) and hospitality companies (like the Omakase Restaurant Group, which just opened a very omakase-like Palo Alto eatery called Kappo). And its definition has spread far beyond sushi. A major dining theme in 2025 has been omakase everywhere, according to a Hospitality Trends Report from local agencies AF&Co and Carbonate."
"Omakase restaurants have exploded in popularity over the last decade. They're a sign of luxury and indulgence; a multi-course tasting menu journey with an element of surprise for the guest, who doesn't know what's coming until it arrives, the report notes. We're now seeing the term applied outside of the confines of the sushi bar embracing its format and spirit."
Omakase, translated as "I'll leave it up to you," is a chef-curated multi-course dining format that emphasizes quality, artistry and peak-of-season ingredients. Traditionally rooted in high-end sushi, omakase can be limitless or prix-fixe and often includes luxurious add-ons like sea urchin or black caviar. The experience centers on surprise and indulgence, with the chef determining the progression and pacing of dishes. The omakase model has spread geographically and across cuisines, appearing in restaurants and hospitality groups and being adapted to Mexican, pizza, coffee, cocktail, steak, pasta and home-style formats.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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