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Waltz

London

• Three Cents Best New Opening Award 2026

Japanese refinement in elegant surrounds

The most difficult element of Waltz is finding it, sequestered as it is on a quiet (at least relatively so for East London) street close to Liverpool Street Station behind a discreet, barely marked and sound-proofed door cloaked in dark curtains. Once located, however, everything else is smooth sailing, from the soft, immaculately curated jazz spilling butter smooth from custom speakers to the dimly lit, velvet-shod furnishings and Waltz's signature, eight-metre-long stretch of elm wood bar polished to a mirror shine.

Freshly opened, this bar has managed to become the talk of the town, so seats are scarce, particularly when there are barely a dozen to be had in the first place. Those in the know recognise that a barstool is the best seat in the house, as it allows guests full access to witness the precision and perfection of Kwãnt alumni Gento Torigata and his smartly dressed team as they shake and stir their way through Japanese-forward, technique-driven seasonal serves and highly refined interpretations of classics.

The drinks menu is divided into In Season and Evergreen sections, with some recipes changing frequently to reflect Japan's micro-seasons – no less than 72, to be exact – philosophy. Signature serves include a matcha old fashioned and a sake gibson, and there are beautiful balances between Torigata's Japanese roots and his London home in drinks like the Green Walnut (fresh green walnuts transformed into an Italian-style nocino perked with Buddha's hand tincture) and Cherry Blossom – a clean, crisp sip crafted with sake, sherry, cherry blossom liqueur and shochu. Reservations are available for tables, while the counter seating is generally walk-in only, which adds to the sense that each visit feels slightly spontaneous and exclusive. 

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