Morimoto

Morimoto in Philadelphia is chef Masaharu Morimoto's flagship restaurant, open for more than 20 years in a dining room designed by Karim Rashid. The omakase menu runs eight courses for $165 per person and moves through dishes such as a smoked oyster with uni and caviar, lobster chawanmushi, toro tartare, sudachi udon with uni and finger limes, grilled sawara, A5 Miyazaki strip loin (with an optional A5 olive wagyu supplement), a nigiri selection including bluefin toro and zuwaigani, and a ginger milk panna cotta to finish.

Sake pairing is available for an additional $95 per person, and a wine pairing is offered at the same price. The restaurant also keeps a separate sake flight list (Fukumitsuya, Brooklyn Kura, and a premium flight) for diners who want to build their own pairing outside the set menu. The menu and service are in English, and the restaurant can accommodate a private room for groups wanting a separate space.

Morimoto is not currently Michelin-listed. Difficulty is rated easy, meaning the format is approachable for diners new to omakase rather than a strict, chef-paced tasting. The restaurant is located inside the Solidcare building at 723 Chestnut St, in Center City East, a few blocks from Independence Hall and Washington Square.

Dinner service runs seven nights a week, opening at 5pm; closing time is 10pm Sunday through Thursday and 11pm Friday and Saturday. Reservations are handled through OpenTable, and the restaurant can be reached directly at (215) 413-9070 for questions about timing, large parties, or the private room.