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Im ITO präsentiert Kengo Nishimi einen traditionellen japanischen Küchenstil, von ihm individuell und modern interpretiert, komplettiert durch europäische Einflüsse. Bei der Konzeption seiner Gerichte setzt er auf klare Linien, die den Produkten, Texturen und Aromen Raum zur freien Entfaltung gewähren. Der Fokus liegt auf dem Produkt: erlesenen Zutaten von höchster Qualität werden von Nischimi und seinem Team konsequent in Szene gesetzt. Durch Raffinesse und gekonnt angewandtes Handwerk weiß Nishimi trotz des Purismus seiner Gerichte immer wieder zu überraschen.
Smart outfit delivering seaweed rolls, tempura & other familiar Asian dishes with a creative twist.
Address and Contact Information
Address: Antwerpener Str. 15, 50672 Köln, Germany
Phone: +49 221 3557327
Website: https://www.ito-restaurant.de/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.de
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
ITO – Cologne – a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant
ITO. Antwerpener Straße 15, Cologne, 50672, Germany. €€ · Japanese, Modern … dishes in which traditional Japanese cuisine is laced with modern European …
ITO Restaurant | Japanese Cuisine
Im ITO präsentiert Kengo Nishimi einen traditionellen japanischen Küchenstil, von ihm individuell und modern interpretiert.
ITO | Naboo
ITO in Cologne presents traditional Japanese cuisine with modern touches and … Köln, 50672, Germany – H-D8367. ITO. 4.7. (285 Reviews). Some information …
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Reviews
Angel Rua
Phenomenal Experience – A Must in Cologne!
We had an incredible evening at Ito. We opted for the tasting menu and decided to add the Black Cod and the Wagyu beef—both were absolute standouts and worth every penny.
The US Angus beef that accompanied the Black Cod course was just as impressive as the Wagyu; the quality of meat here is clearly top-tier across the board. Every dish arrived with beautiful presentation that felt like art, but more importantly, the aesthetics only served to elevate the fantastic, complex flavors in each course.
If you’re looking for high-end Japanese cuisine in Cologne with impeccable execution, this is the place.
… moreWe had an incredible evening at Ito. We opted for the tasting menu and decided to add the Black Cod and the Wagyu beef—both were absolute standouts and worth every penny.
The US Angus beef that accompanied the Black Cod course was just as impressive as the Wagyu; the quality of meat here is clearly top-tier across the board. Every dish arrived with beautiful presentation that felt like art, but more importantly, the aesthetics only served to elevate the fantastic, complex flavors in each course.
If you’re looking for high-end Japanese cuisine in Cologne with impeccable execution, this is the place.
Steve Maassen
We‘ve been here once in 2023 and came back after two years for a second visit and they were able to keep up with our high expectations that we gathered during first visit. We had the Omakase twice and everything was outstanding each time. The omakase is a perfect mix of small dishes , sashimi, sushi and mains and the different flavours they create on you’re plate are perfectly complementing each other within each dish. They were even able to accommodate some dietary preferences with no drop in quality and taste. It might be on the pricier side but worth every penny.
… moreGleb Slu
I’ll tell you about my negative experience visiting:
1) It turns out that if there are four or more of you, you’re required to order the tasting menu for €109 per person. You simply can’t order à la carte; no one warned us about this when we made our reservation for six people.
2) The main course was fried bread, followed by tuna tartare. Our waiter dropped one sideways on the table and then returned it to the plate with his hand.
3) In the first room, a sushi chef prepares dishes. He has a burner that he uses regularly, but there’s no exhaust hood, so you’re stuck with the smell.
4) Of all the food, the only good ones were the sushi and sashimi.
… more1) It turns out that if there are four or more of you, you’re required to order the tasting menu for €109 per person. You simply can’t order à la carte; no one warned us about this when we made our reservation for six people.
2) The main course was fried bread, followed by tuna tartare. Our waiter dropped one sideways on the table and then returned it to the plate with his hand.
3) In the first room, a sushi chef prepares dishes. He has a burner that he uses regularly, but there’s no exhaust hood, so you’re stuck with the smell.
4) Of all the food, the only good ones were the sushi and sashimi.
Sheila Adimargono
A high-end Japanese restaurant just outside the city centre of Cologne. It offers mainly sushi. Great quality of fish. Excellent presentation and great service. Enough variation of wine and tea. Highly recommend for special occasions.
… moreLorena Pogliani
Situated in a quiet side street near the city centre, ITO is a must for all lovers of Sushi and Japanese cuisine. Everything is prepared on the spot,the quality of the food ( especially the fish ) is excellent and the dishes are beautiful. Friendly, attentive staff, we did not have wine but they do have a fine wine list. We will definitely come back.
… moreKen Kasischke
We had the Easter menu, was a great experience! In my opinion the best and most creative sushi in Cologne (so far, Zen and Appare ranked up there). Also great Sake pairing! Looking forward to visiting the restaurant to for the full experience.
… moreR
A somewhat upscale Japanese restaurant promising a memorable dining experience for a high price that will leave you UNSATISFIED and very hungry
Although the food was fresh and tasty, I was not remotely impressed by their dishes or their presentation
I’ve had better omakase in North and South America, Spain and France. As far as omakase experiences go, this has got to be at the very bottom
For 55€ you get the same amount of food that you could get at a regular Japanese restaurant for nearly 1/3 of the price
Omakase was composed of:
Dish 1: a fish tart with Mayo and some veggies plus bonito flakes. Literally, one per person.
Dish 2: a decently flavorful dish of 4 sashimi cut pieces of white fish with a soy/ponzu mix on a bed of stripped seaweed, scallion and sesame seeds.
Dish 3: 9 pieces of sushi = 3 nigiri, 3 white fish uramaki and 3 avocado veggie maki. Def not impressive.
Dish 4: a meager slice of yet another white fish half cooked, served with a flavorful sauce and ornamentation.
Dish 5: a cheesecake dessert you can literally eat in 3 bites on some strawberry syrup with a half of a scoop of a citrus ice cream.
Drink portions are also very small. Do not get the yuzu sake. It is just a shot.
Service is friendly and attentive, but food prep takes longer than the wait is ultimately worth.
This restaurant experience is the equivalent a good looking date that takes forever to gets ready, has expensive taste, but leaves much to be desired
In conclusion:
SKIP IT ⛔️
Go spend your money in any of the many other great Japanese restaurants throughout the great city of Cologne where you’re bound to get a bang for your buck and walk out more satisfied than we did leaving here…
If you want to try it, get a reservation. Be disappointed, and throw some money away here so you can go get a snack somewhere else right after.
Bike and paid parking available across the street.
Service available in English, German, French and Japanese.
Can pay in cash or credit.
Indoor or outdoor seating available.
Wifi locked, presumably available upon request.
Ambiance is casual, no music, can get loud depending on the number of guests.
… moreAlthough the food was fresh and tasty, I was not remotely impressed by their dishes or their presentation
I’ve had better omakase in North and South America, Spain and France. As far as omakase experiences go, this has got to be at the very bottom
For 55€ you get the same amount of food that you could get at a regular Japanese restaurant for nearly 1/3 of the price
Omakase was composed of:
Dish 1: a fish tart with Mayo and some veggies plus bonito flakes. Literally, one per person.
Dish 2: a decently flavorful dish of 4 sashimi cut pieces of white fish with a soy/ponzu mix on a bed of stripped seaweed, scallion and sesame seeds.
Dish 3: 9 pieces of sushi = 3 nigiri, 3 white fish uramaki and 3 avocado veggie maki. Def not impressive.
Dish 4: a meager slice of yet another white fish half cooked, served with a flavorful sauce and ornamentation.
Dish 5: a cheesecake dessert you can literally eat in 3 bites on some strawberry syrup with a half of a scoop of a citrus ice cream.
Drink portions are also very small. Do not get the yuzu sake. It is just a shot.
Service is friendly and attentive, but food prep takes longer than the wait is ultimately worth.
This restaurant experience is the equivalent a good looking date that takes forever to gets ready, has expensive taste, but leaves much to be desired
In conclusion:
SKIP IT ⛔️
Go spend your money in any of the many other great Japanese restaurants throughout the great city of Cologne where you’re bound to get a bang for your buck and walk out more satisfied than we did leaving here…
If you want to try it, get a reservation. Be disappointed, and throw some money away here so you can go get a snack somewhere else right after.
Bike and paid parking available across the street.
Service available in English, German, French and Japanese.
Can pay in cash or credit.
Indoor or outdoor seating available.
Wifi locked, presumably available upon request.
Ambiance is casual, no music, can get loud depending on the number of guests.
Sarah A.
I recently visited this restaurant in Cologne after a friend’s recommendation, especially since he compared it favorably to Nagaya in Düsseldorf (one of my favorite Japanese fine dining spots within Germany). Given that, I came with high expectations.
The experience, however, fell short for me in several ways.
Food & Flavor
• The first few courses were fine, but from around the third course onward, the seasoning was consistently too heavy. Several dishes were overly salty, while the dessert leaned excessively sweet. Fine dining usually emphasizes balance and letting the ingredients speak for themselves, which I felt was totally missing here. Many ingredients felt like thrown in together, without putting thoughts into what they’re trying to complement.
• The quality of the wagyu and fish was not what I’d expect at this price point. Both were at times chewy instead of melting in the mouth, and the wagyu in particular was uncomfortably fatty and paired with an overly salty sauce.
• Nigiri was served pre-seasoned (with soy sauce in the rice and wasabi already added), yet surprisingly tasted rather flat. We even found ourselves dipping into the soy sauce provided at the table, which is unusual for fine dining sushi.
• The one highlight was the tuna tartare on warm crispy bread with truffle – this dish stood out for its thoughtful balance and layered flavors.
Service
The service was attentive in terms of speed and refilling water, but explanations of the courses were inconsistent, and interactions felt somewhat mechanical rather than engaging.
Overall Impression
I wouldn’t say the food is horrible. But if they want to label themselves as fine dining, there’s still a very long way to go because the value simply wasn’t there. At this level of dining, details matter – both in ingredient quality and refinement of flavor. Compared to Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants in Europe, it was clear to me why this restaurant does not yet hold a star.
As someone who treats such meals as a special indulgence, I left feeling that the experience wasn’t worth the journey or the calories. While the evening wasn’t “bad” by casual dining standards, I would not recommend it to those looking for true fine dining Japanese cuisine.
… moreThe experience, however, fell short for me in several ways.
Food & Flavor
• The first few courses were fine, but from around the third course onward, the seasoning was consistently too heavy. Several dishes were overly salty, while the dessert leaned excessively sweet. Fine dining usually emphasizes balance and letting the ingredients speak for themselves, which I felt was totally missing here. Many ingredients felt like thrown in together, without putting thoughts into what they’re trying to complement.
• The quality of the wagyu and fish was not what I’d expect at this price point. Both were at times chewy instead of melting in the mouth, and the wagyu in particular was uncomfortably fatty and paired with an overly salty sauce.
• Nigiri was served pre-seasoned (with soy sauce in the rice and wasabi already added), yet surprisingly tasted rather flat. We even found ourselves dipping into the soy sauce provided at the table, which is unusual for fine dining sushi.
• The one highlight was the tuna tartare on warm crispy bread with truffle – this dish stood out for its thoughtful balance and layered flavors.
Service
The service was attentive in terms of speed and refilling water, but explanations of the courses were inconsistent, and interactions felt somewhat mechanical rather than engaging.
Overall Impression
I wouldn’t say the food is horrible. But if they want to label themselves as fine dining, there’s still a very long way to go because the value simply wasn’t there. At this level of dining, details matter – both in ingredient quality and refinement of flavor. Compared to Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants in Europe, it was clear to me why this restaurant does not yet hold a star.
As someone who treats such meals as a special indulgence, I left feeling that the experience wasn’t worth the journey or the calories. While the evening wasn’t “bad” by casual dining standards, I would not recommend it to those looking for true fine dining Japanese cuisine.
martin buchstaller
That was fantastic After being 33 times in Japan and I’m a real food lover I wonder why they’re not already in the Michelin Guide
… moreJodi (Foodieinflipflops)
High quality sashimi, loved the tuna belly. It melts in your mouth. The small bites are tasty with a nice presentation too. The rolls were good but small selection.
… more