A steaming bowl of ramen on a black counter beside glowing charcoal
墨
Omakase · Robata · Surry Hills

Fire, smoke, & stillness.

An intimate twelve-seat counter where every course is written in binchōtan charcoal. Ten movements, one evening — and no menu to choose from.

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炭火◆Omakase◆十二席◆Binchōtan Charcoal◆Surry Hills◆刺身◆Ten Movements◆墨◆Sydney◆ 炭火◆Omakase◆十二席◆Binchōtan Charcoal◆Surry Hills◆刺身◆Ten Movements◆墨◆Sydney◆
Our fire · 火

Cooked over white charcoal,
served in near-dark.

SUMI began with a single grill and a stubborn belief — that the best thing a kitchen can do is get out of the way of good fire. Our binchōtan is imported from Wakayama, lit an hour before service, and never rushed.

There is no printed menu. Twelve guests, one chef, and an evening that moves at the pace of the coals. What you eat is decided that morning at the market and finished a metre from your seat.

12
Seats
10
Movements
1
Chef’s counter
The dark hinoki counter of SUMI, lit by paper lanterns

和歌山備長炭

Wakayama binchōtan — the quietest, hottest charcoal in Japan.

The evening, in four movements

お任せ
Omakase

Scroll on — the counter comes to you.

01
一
席に着く

You take your seat

Twelve stools face the counter. No menu is handed over — the evening is decided by the fire, the season, and the morning’s catch from the Sydney Fish Market.

02
二
炭火

The charcoal is lit

White-hot binchōtan, almost smokeless, holds its heat for hours. Everything that meets it — belly, bone, and blade — is seared inches from where you sit.

03
三
お任せ

The omakase unfolds

Ten movements, paced to the room. Sashimi cut to order, torched nigiri brushed with nikiri, a single skewer of full-blood wagyu, each set down without a word.

04
四
締め

The bowl arrives

It ends where Sydney nights should — a bowl of twelve-hour broth, torched chashu, a jammy egg. The last warmth before the lanterns dim.

Find the door · 予約

Twelve seats.
One evening at a time.

location_on

12 Kensington Lane, Surry Hills
Sydney NSW 2010 — under the paper lanterns

schedule
Tuesday – ThursdaySeatings 6:00 · 8:30
Friday – SundaySeatings 5:30 · 8:00 · 9:30
MondayClosed

ご予約

Request a reservation

Seats are released four weeks ahead and go quickly. Tell us your preferred night and seating and we’ll confirm by return — or call the counter directly.

mailEmail the maître d’ call+61 2 8555 1990

Parties of 1–4 · Full pre-payment secures the counter