Last year in spring, three-Michelin-starred Copenhagen restaurant Noma made headlines with a ten-week residency in Kyoto – a stint that many fans believed would be one of the last opportunities to dine at the world-famous establishment before it closed for a creative overhaul. Now, however, the restaurant has surprised fans by announcing it would return to Kyoto for another 10-week residency later this year.
The tables at Noma are among the world’s most competitive reservations among discerning diners. The iconic restaurant, which ranked No. 1 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2021, is led by Danish chef René Redzepi, who rotates three menus each year to feature seasonal ingredients – some of which are foraged from the wild by his dedicated team.
Reprising its pop-up restaurant at the Ace Hotel Kyoto, Noma will welcome guests for lunch and dinner from October 8 through December 18 2024. While the previous spring menu featured dishes like spiny lobster with sudachi and sansho leaves, and cuttlefish marinated in whiskey vinegar, this year's focus will embrace Japan's autumnal produce, reimagining Japanese flavours with a Scandinavian approach.
As for the price tag, well, the meal itself will cost €540 (roughly ¥87,046) per head, but you’ll be required to order a drink pairing (non-alcoholic option available) for €300 (about ¥48,359). Add a 10 percent service charge on top of that and the total comes up to a lofty €924 (about ¥148,944) per head.
The sky-high price probably won’t make bookings any less competitive. The cost for last year’s pop-up came to about ¥125,000 (€775 plus 10 percent service charge) per person, but openings for Noma Kyoto were filled mere minutes within the launch of the online booking system.
If you happen to have some spare Bitcoin lying around somewhere, you’ll have a chance to book your table on May 14, when the reservation system opens at 10pm JST. Table reservations will also be available as part of the accommodation packages offered by Ace Hotel Kyoto from the same day.
Room rates for the Ace Hotel Kyoto start at ¥150,000 for two people. After booking the accommodation package, you will receive a restaurant booking invitation via Tock, where you will need to complete your reservation within 72 hours. Note that the restaurant fee is a separate charge from the accommodation package.
More information on how to reserve will be sent via email to those who subscribe to Noma’s newsletter by May 7.
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