The Journey of Nihonbashi: A Culinary Bridge Between Two Cultures

Since its inception in 1995 at Galle Face Terrace, Nihonbashi has been at the forefront of the ‘washoku’ wave in Sri Lanka. It has the unique distinction of being the first restaurant created by world renowned Chef and restaurateur, Dharshan Munidasa.

Literally translating to “Japan-Bridge,” Nihonbashi was founded by Dharshan with the vision of building a culinary bridge between Sri Lanka and Japan—bringing pure, unadulterated Japanese cuisine to Colombo. This dedication led to Nihonbashi becoming the first restaurant from Sri Lanka to be featured on the prestigious ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ list, securing a place consecutively from 2013 to 2018.

At Nihonbashi, we wholeheartedly embrace the profound Japanese principle that attributes the strength of a dish to its core ingredients and cooking techniques. Championing the hero ingredient of our dishes is key and this approach stems from the belief that the complexity of Japanese cuisine arises from its inherent simplicity. Our team is unwavering in their commitment to upholding the principles of Washoku in our cooking, service, and presentation.

Situated in a country known for its abundance of high-quality ingredients, we take great pride in sourcing most of our ingredients locally, reserving imported items for those exceptional ingredients not found in Sri Lanka. By doing so, we not only support our local community but also ensure that our culinary creations are produced with the freshest and finest ingredients available.