Japanese Kitchen SORA Café & Izakaya Tapas

Stumbled upon this place after being rejected as a walk in at another establishment for Friday lunch. What a pleasant surprise. Great authentic Japanese food with friendly service. We had the chicken dumplings and prawn dumplings, duck soba noodles and the eel donburi. They were all excellent, especially the eel, which is my favourite. Would not hesitate recommending this place.

We had a wonderful experience here, enjoying a variety of authentic Japanese foods and sake. From the moment we entered the restaurant, we felt like we were transported back to Japan with the kind hosts welcoming us warmly, and the decor and music feeling so cosy and inviting. We were particularly surprised at how delicious and high quality everything was, in particular, we loved the prawn dumplings and maki. Overall, I'd recommend this restaurant and we look forward to returning soon. It's a gem in Beeston and there is a variety of food for all preferences, so you are bound to find something great! Thank you for your hospitality!

Had a wonderful meal here last week - the best gyoza I've ever tasted! We went early and found the restaurant calm and welcoming. The menu was diverse and food was delivered promptly. The staff were very friendly and the food was fantastic. So glad we gave this place a shot. We'll definitely be back!

I recently discovered this fantastic Japanese restaurant while passing through, and what a treat it was! We decided to get a takeaway to enjoy in our hotel, as our dog was with us. Unfortunately, we arrived just before closing time, so we missed out on ordering more delicious dishes. Having travelled to Japan at least twice a year, I can say that the food here is genuinely exceptional—better than many places in Japan! Every dish was authentic and full of flavour, from the sushi to the chicken katsu rice; it really took us back to our favourite spots in Tokyo. I also loved browsing their selection of Japanese accessories; it brought back lovely memories of our travels. Living two hours away, I can't wait to return to this culinary gem! If you're nearby and fancy some authentic Japanese food, don't miss out on this place—you won’t be disappointed!

Very good Atmosphere! Nice staffs! It was my birthday and the restaurant allowed me to bring my own cake with no charges. Also staff sing birthday song to me when they bring the cake! What a happy night to start with 2025. Food is delicious with good value. They also provide kid meal! Highly recommended

Based on previous reviews, definitely worth a visit. A very small independent outlet with a few tables but food is absolutely yum An amazing hidden gem offering authentic genuine Japanese cuisine, highly recommended. Please note that you are paying for “ quality cuisine “ not quantity, I am so glad this is based in Nottingham, at last we got the real deal here!! Welcome to Japan on your doorstep

This restaurants offers delicious food, the staffs especially Erika is very friendly and nice and provides amazing services. The sora special maki was amazing, sashimi is really fresh. The matcha desserts are really good as well. We went there during our friend's birthday and they served us a cake as a service which I find really heart warming. However, to cherrypick, one candle would not really be enough to fully cook the takoyaki, which we had to add at least 3 candles to have it fully cooked. Overall, the experience is amazing, worth coming again!

Authentic, high quality Japanese food with a wide variety of choices on the menu. Very friendly and attentive service. There’re some special dishes you hardly find in typical Japanese restaurants in the UK. I ordered the foil packed wild mushrooms and oysters grill. Basically the food was cooked in foil on the table, which was an interesting experience. On the side, I tried the Ocha Zuke, which was actually a bowl of hot green tea poured over steamed rice with some seaweed sprinkles. It tasted exactly what I tried in Japan before! I haven’t seen this on menu in other Japanese restaurants here. Definitely a must-try! My partner ordered the Una Don. I could see the portion was very generous with two large pieces of grilled eel. The set came with miso soup and pickled veg. Despite big portion of food he had, there’s always a room for dessert to him... He got to try the matcha cheesecake. The cake was displayed on a rabbit-shaped plate and decorated with sprinkles of matcha powder and strawberry pieces. Yes, that’s Miffy! So cute! Taste wise, the cake was very creamy with intense matcha. The taste is very well-balanced, neither too bitter nor too sweet. They also offer DIY Takoyaki as well. They provide you all ingredients and you can make your own Takoyaki on the table. Of course there’s an instruction sheet for your reference. Unfortunately we haven’t got room for this. Will try next time. Highly recommend this hidden gem if you’re around Nottingham. Would suggest reserving a table in advance especially on Saturday evening. The restaurant is fully packed and busy.