Images courtesy of Ima Asa Yoru
About the restaurant
It's perfect for
slow evening catchups with friends who enjoy thoughtful Japanese cooking in a laid-back setting
You need to try
the incredible kingfish chirashi or mazesoba
Look out for
the warm paper lantern light and wooden interiors that makes the space feel like home
Ima Asa Yoru fills a neat little space in Brunswick’s Nightingale Village with a dual personality. By day, it serves classic Japanese breakfasts and lunches, by night, it transforms into a modern izakaya where dishes arrive with sake, cold beer and low-lit charm. Co-owned by Asako Miura and James Spinks, the kitchen combines traditional flavours with a gentle, playful twist. Expect chirashi bowls, tamagoyaki toast, mazesoba, house-made juices and coffee, all in a room of warm lighting, natural wood and soft, calming blues. It feels like a small Japanese village brought to Melbourne.