Aki opens its doors in central London, marking db Group’s first overseas expansion

Aki, the Japanese restaurant operated by the db Group, has spread its wings to London in what is the first international outpost for the company.

The restaurant officially opened its doors in Cavendish Square earlier this month, marking a milestone for the db Group, a key player in Malta’s hospitality sector.

First launched in Valletta in 2020, Aki earned a place in the Michelin Guide for four consecutive years. The fine dining experience has now been exported to the heart of London’s shopping district.

The db Group invested €17 million to transform a Grade II-listed building that once housed a bank into a restaurant with soaring ceilings and artistic flare.

The three-year transformation was led by Maltese designer Francis Sultana, who layered Japanese artistry with European elegance.

Guests can dine in the 80-cover main dining room, enjoy cocktails in the underground bar that once housed the bank vaults, or host gatherings on the mezzanine terrace and in the private dining room.

“The response to Aki London has been incredible from the moment we opened our doors,” said Robert Debono, CEO of db Group. “After establishing Aki as a success story in Valletta, it is inspiring to see a Maltese-born brand resonate so strongly in London. We have transformed a historic building into a destination that unites gastronomy, design and culture, placing Malta firmly on London’s culinary map.”

Aki London’s Kyoto-inspired menu celebrates a farm-to-table philosophy with a contemporary twist. Diners can expect sushi, robata, kushiyaki and Japanese small plates prepared with seasonal, high-quality ingredients, including many grown in-house in vertical gardens. The farm-to-table concept will give the restaurant more control over quality, according to chef Paul Greening, db Group's culinary director.

The menu boasts of several signature dishes including the tuna tartare with Japanese brown puffed rice, aged soy and caviar, served on an ice block. The restaurant also serves rare teas, artisanal Awamori, and has a distinctive sake collection of premium labels sourced from top family breweries in Japan.

But Aki London also doubles up as a cultural destination. The venue houses what the company has billed as the Aki Collection. This is a selection of contemporary artworks by internationally acclaimed artists. Curated by Polina Sulina, the collection is guided by four values drawn from Japanese philosophy—materiality, craftsmanship, transformation and elegance. It features contemporary works such as Ryan Gander’s interactive installation A Machine To Send You Somewhere Else, Yoshirotten’s light-based Menhir 2, Daniel Knorr’s golden flag sculpture, and Nabil Nahas’s cosmic Mediterranean painting, alongside works by Kapwani Kiwanga, Bouke de Vries, Aziza Kadyri, Albano Hernández and James Clar.

Even before its official launch, Aki London attracted international attention as a cultural hotspot. Romeo Beckham celebrated his 23rd birthday at the restaurant, while London Fashion Week saw Aki host The London Standard’s party with guests including Troye Sivan, Erin O’Connor, Rose McGowan, Lennon Gallagher and David Koma.

Aki’s opening signals the start of db Group’s wider international expansion. The company recently announced that HR Hotel FZ LLC, its joint venture with RAK Hospitality Holding, operators of the Hard Rock franchise, will be investing in a mixed-use development in Ras Al Khaimah, the United Arab Emirates. This project, situated on Marjan Beach, is slated to open in 2028 and will include approximately 300 hotel rooms and 400 branded residences.

The db Group started off as a family-run business with a guest house in Mellieħa and has grown into a key player in tourism, hospitality and leisure. Its portfolio includes the db Seabank Resort & Spa in Mellieħa, db San Antonio Hotel & Spa in St Paul’s Bay, the Melior Boutique Hotel in Valletta, 11 restaurants such as LOA, Amami and Tora, and all local outlets of Hard Rock Café, Starbucks and GROM.