Ooki Japanese Izakaya

Ooki is the kind of izakaya that takes effort to find — heavy wooden door, low curtain, and a room that transports you to Japan. Owner Ino Ooki grew up in Zurich with a Japanese father from Tokyo and an Austrian mother; the family's Japanese food culture shaped everything at Ooki. The majority of staff are Japanese or half-Japanese, and Ino visits Japan annually to source products (sake, katsuobushi, tatami mats, bowls) and find menu inspiration. The restaurant deliberately refuses to serve sushi — instead, the focus is on ramen, udon, gyoza, donburi, and Japanese curry, the everyday soul food of Japan. Tatami mat areas give the authentic communal izakaya feel.