Japanese-American chef and artist Lana Matsuyama is bringing her dining concept Kuchisabi to The Marquee Moon in Dalston, taking over the kitchen at the restaurant, bar and late-night music venue from Friday 8 January 2027.
The residency combines Matsuyama’s Japanese heritage with American comfort food and New York-inspired bistro cooking. At the front of the venue, a snack menu sitting somewhere between an American neighbourhood bar and a Japanese izakaya is designed for drinking, sharing and late-night grazing. Dishes in development include duck karaage with sansho and kuchisabi ranch, chicken tebasaki wings with a hot buffalo shochu BBQ glaze and blue cheese umeboshi dip, and an eggplant parm dengaku as a revolving special, alongside Japanese-inspired burgers and hot dogs.
At the back, a 20-seat dining room offers a dinner menu drawing on New American bistro cooking with Japanese flavours and techniques. It includes a French onion soup made with Suntory whisky, kombu, sake and gruyère, crab toast with wasabi, lardo and trout roe, miso butter scallop with Ritz panko, lamb chops with gomadare butter, soy-glazed sake kasu pork belly and an aged ribeye for two with yuzu kosho potatoes. Desserts include a fried miso caramel apple pie and a black sesame chocolate mousse.
For Matsuyama, who has lived in Dalston for nearly a decade, including three years across the road from the venue, it is a move to her local. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she worked in design and creative strategy in New York before moving to London, where she began hosting supper clubs in her art studio and went on to cook at Brutto, Moro, Sessions Arts Club, Bistrotheque and Sager & Wilde.
“I’m so excited for Kuchisabi to have a new home at The Marquee Moon! I’ve lived in Dalston for years and have spent plenty of time at the venue, so it feels like the stars have aligned. Beyond taking over the kitchen, I’m looking forward to collaborating with The Cause team on events that bring food, music, art and culture together.”
Lana Matsuyama, Founder and Head Chef, Kuchisabi
The Marquee Moon, at 48 Stoke Newington Road in the former Marquis of Lansdowne pub, reopened in August 2024 under Stuart Glen and Eugene Wild, co-founders of The Cause. Kuchisabi and the team plan guest chef collaborations, supper clubs for emerging talent, partnerships with local butchers, fishmongers, ceramicists and artists, and bring-your-own-vinyl evenings in the listening bar.
The residency was brokered by Plate Club, a London platform that connects independent chefs and food brands with pubs, bars and venues looking for kitchen partners.
“At Plate Club, we’re passionate about connecting independent food operators with venues where they can thrive, creating partnerships that bring people together and strengthen local communities. Kuchisabi at The Marquee Moon is a perfect example of this, bringing Lana’s unique approach to food into the heart of Dalston’s creative scene.”
Scott Stirling, Co-founder, Plate Club
Kuchisabi will make its debut at The Marquee Moon with a New Year’s Eve event on 31 December before opening officially on 8 January. The kitchen will be open from 4pm to 10pm Wednesday to Friday, noon to 10pm on Saturday and noon to 6pm on Sunday.
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