Cafe Sushi

Cafe Sushi has been serving Cambridge since the early 1980s, establishing itself as one of the area's premier sushi destinations from an unlikely strip mall location between Harvard and Central squares. The COVID pandemic forced a dining room closure that lasted five years, but in December 2024, the space reopened as Cafe Sushi Nisei—a new chapter for an old institution.

The evolution shows confidence. Rather than simply reopening the old format, owners launched two concepts: Nisei for dine-in with a sake bar focus, and Shoten for retail and takeout. The sake bar brings over 30 selections with flights and pairings. The food menu is tighter and more focused—sushi, Japanese small plates, and preparations that let quality ingredients shine.

What hasn't changed is the commitment to quality. The fish is pristine. The rice is properly seasoned. The knife skills reflect decades of practice. Cafe Sushi earned its reputation through consistency, and the new format maintains those standards while adding elements—like the sake program—that give regulars reasons to return.

For Cambridge, the reopening matters. This isn't just another sushi spot; it's a restaurant that helped define Japanese dining in the area, now reinvented for a new era.