Maki & Ramen Lands At The O2, Putting London On The Map For Next-Level Japanese Cuisine

Published on February 25, 2026

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The O2 brings its first British restaurant from Japanese hospitality chain Maki & Ramen to The O2 which serves as their first London location. The O2 has become a required destination for visitors who want to experience its combination of authentic Japanese ramen and sushi dining and worldwide cuisine options which now include handcrafted ramen and sushi.

Opening in a 1,991 sq ft restaurant within The O2’s Entertainment District, the new Maki & Ramen seats around 70 diners and adds to the venue’s busy pre- and post-show dining scene. For tourists planning an evening at a major concert or a day of outlet shopping, the brand’s arrival offers a more immersive Japanese food experience without leaving North Greenwich.

Expanding Japanese flavour in London’s tourism mix

Maki & Ramen’s move into London, The O2 aligns with a wider rise in demand for Japanese cuisine across the UK, which has seen more consumers choose ramen, sushi and other Japanese dishes when eating out. For inbound visitors and domestic travellers alike, the ability to enjoy a steaming bowl of tonkotsu ramen or a plate of fresh sushi within a major leisure destination adds another reason to dwell longer and spend more in the area.

The restaurant’s menu is built around accessible yet high-quality Asian dishes, from its signature tonkotsu ramen made with long-simmered broth to carefully prepared sushi using premium ingredients. This emphasis on quality and approachability is designed to appeal both to seasoned Japanese food fans and to visitors who may be trying ramen for the first time as part of their London trip.

The O2’s dining line-up grows more diverse

Within the broader dining offer at London, The O2, Maki & Ramen joins established names including Gaucho, HaiDiLao, Las Iguanas, Five Guys and KFC, giving visitors an increasingly international choice in one walkable circuit. The Entertainment District has evolved into a culinary corridor where travellers can move from Latin American plates to premium steak or Chinese hotpot before a show, and now add Japanese noodles and sushi to their itinerary.

The real estate team behind the destination has indicated that food and beverage has always formed a key part of The O2’s core offer, and that the focus remains on maintaining diversity in step with changing consumer tastes. The decision to introduce a Japanese concept for its first London site at The O2 has been portrayed as a sign of the destination’s strong reputation and agile approach to leasing, helping it stay ahead in the race to attract both brands and visitors.

A strategic step for a growing Japanese brand

Maki & Ramen launched in 2015 and has since grown across Scotland and England, building a following for its handcrafted noodles and traditional Japanese flavours. Its leadership has described The O2 as offering the mix they were seeking in London: strong visitor footfall, a complementary tenant line-up and a solid name recognition that supports further expansion across the capital.

By choosing London, The O2 as a franchise foothold in the city, the brand connects itself to one of the UK’s busiest live entertainment venues, where event-led tourism routinely drives spikes in dining demand. For Maki & Ramen, serving guests before a major concert or after a big night out offers daily opportunities to introduce first-time visitors to its style of ramen and sushi, potentially turning them into repeat customers elsewhere in the UK.

Strengthening The O2’s visitor appeal

The O2 has recently reported record-breaking performance, with food and beverage sales up on the previous year and overall trading across leisure and outlet shopping also on the rise, underlining the site’s pulling power for both locals and tourists. New attractions, such as the upcoming UK debut of a Guinness World Records experience, are expected to add further reasons for visitors to plan a full day at the destination that naturally includes at least one sit-down meal.

In this context, Maki & Ramen’s opening is more than just another restaurant; it becomes part of a wider story about how London, The O2 is curating food experiences that reflect global tastes and encourage longer, richer stays. Travellers discovering the capital’s culinary scene now have one more authentic flavour stop on their itinerary, turning a night at The O2 into a small journey through Japan before the show even begins.

Image Credit: Maki & Ramen