This fall, NOAH Hospitality Group will open UKIYO at 818 Lincoln Road, featuring a custom-designed kaiten belt, Japan's tradition of circulating sushi on a rotating conveyor. UKIYO reimagines the format through exceptional Japanese craftsmanship and live culinary theatre, bringing Tokyo's tradition to Lincoln Road for the first time.
Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of "ukiyo," or "the floating world," the restaurant transforms movement into the centerpiece of the guest experience. Rather than functioning simply as a method of service, the custom-designed conveyor belt becomes a stage where craftsmanship, architecture and culinary artistry continuously unfold before every guest.
At UKIYO, dining is never static. Every passing plate, every newly introduced creation and every interaction has been choreographed to create an experience that evolves throughout the evening. "For me, hospitality has never been about simply serving food. It's about creating emotion," said NOAH Hospitality Group Founder Philippe Kalifa. "We wanted to build a restaurant people would continue talking about long after they left, not only because of what they ate, but because of how the evening made them feel. Every detail was designed to transform a familiar dining tradition into something immersive, elegant and unforgettable."
That intention carries through to the kitchen. Led by Executive Chef Nono Shigetomi, UKIYO sources premium seafood directly from carefully selected fisheries across Japan. Essential pantry ingredients are imported from Japan, while seasonal South Florida produce provides regional freshness. "Freshness isn't our goal, it's our starting point," Shigetomi said. "Every ingredient is selected with intention because great sushi begins long before the fish reaches the plate."
Guests will discover handcrafted nigiri, sashimi and specialty rolls circulating on the belt, highlighted by the signature Ukiyo roll, a combination of tuna, salmon, hiramasa and Hokkaido scallop topped with soy glazed wagyu and umami crunch. Every fish is sourced from Tokyo's Toyosu and Tsukiji markets. The menu also features fire-charred robata skewers, including cumin-soy glazed wagyu with braised onion and yakitori-glazed chicken, alongside tempura, crudo and carpaccio prepared daily.
Signature dishes include a paitan ramen built on a chicken bone broth simmered until rich and creamy, topped with braised duck, sous vide chicken, pork chashu and pork wonton; a crispy yakisoba fried until golden and finished with a starch-thickened ankake sauce; and seafood fried rice made with takikomi gohan, a seasoned Japanese rice, in place of steamed white rice. The traditional kamameshi is cooked fresh tableside in individual kama pots with dashi, soy, sake, mirin, hijiki, carrot and mushroom, finished with grilled marinated skirt steak and a Jidori egg. A signature House Dumpling Cart will circulate throughout the dining room, featuring an evolving selection of freshly handcrafted dumplings in beef, pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetarian varieties, served pan-fried, steamed or deep-fried.
Throughout dinner service, live culinary performances bring moments of Japanese culture and entertainment into the restaurant, and as new dishes leave the sushi counter, their arrival onto the conveyor belt becomes a choreographed presentation.
That same sense of movement extends into the design of the 7,431-square-foot space. Indoors, Casa Medina Design Studio blended traditional Japanese design with contemporary luxury, pairing Rosso Lepanto stone, emerald-toned marble finished with a leathered surface, a matte, subtly textured treatment that softens the stone's natural sheen, handcrafted millwork, aged brass detailing and warm Japanese-inspired lantern lighting with a flowing water feature that reinforces the "floating world" concept. At the center of the room sits the custom conveyor belt itself, serving as the architectural heartbeat of the space. Outdoors, an immersive dining environment brings architecture, landscape and water together, with layered lighting and natural materials transforming every table into its own intimate setting.
UKIYO was envisioned as the meeting point between the timeless traditions of Japanese hospitality and the vibrant energy of Miami Beach. It respects centuries of Japanese craftsmanship while embracing the city's creativity, nightlife and international spirit, creating an experience that feels both authentically Japanese and unmistakably Miami, not simply a sushi restaurant, but a destination where craftsmanship, movement, culture and entertainment come together as one of the city's most distinctive dining experiences.
UKIYO is set to open mid-October and will serve dinner nightly except Mondays, from 6 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Renderings via CM Design Studio
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