n/naka

n/naka
Saki Zuke Kumamoto oyster at n/naka
Saki Zuke Kumamoto oyster
Restaurant information
Established2011
Owner(s)Niki Nakayama, Carole Iid
Head chefNiki Nakayama
Food typeKaiseki
Dress codeBusiness casual
Rating1 Michelin star (Michelin Guide)
Street address3455 S. Overland Avenue
CityLos Angeles
StateCalifornia
Postal/ZIP Code90034
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34°01′30″N 118°24′44″W / 34.0251246°N 118.412216°W / 34.0251246; -118.412216
Seating capacity26
Reservations3 months in advance
Websitehttps://n-naka.com/

n/naka is a one-Michelin-star modern kaiseki restaurant located in the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles, opened in 2011 by chef Niki Nakayama. Nakayama now co-owns the restaurant with her spouse, Carole Iida. It was named one of the 30 best restaurants in the world by Food & Wine in 2019 and held two Michelin stars from 2019 to 2024.

History

Nakayama opened the restaurant in 2011 after selling her first venture, sushi restaurant Azami, in 2008.[1][2][3] The name is a portmanteau of Nakayama's first and last name and also recalls the pop-up she ran in the interim, Inaka.[4] Carole Iida, Nakayama's wife, is sous-chef and partner at n/naka.[5] She joined n/naka in 2012.[2]

As is the case with many kaiseki restaurants, most ingredients used at n/naka are sourced locally.[6] Nakayama originally intended to build an open kitchen, with food preparation visible to diners, but ultimately decided against it, preferring that diners not see her and focus instead on the food.[3] The restaurant was redesigned in 2024 to evoke a Japanese tea garden, with the wine storage wall relocated to the back wall and a curved wall and shoji screen now facing the entrance.[5]

Reviews and accolades

In 2019, n/naka was named to Food & Wine's 30 best restaurants in the world.[7]

Also in 2019, n/naka received two stars in the first Michelin Guide to California restaurants, one of only five Los Angeles restaurants to be awarded two Michelin stars.[8][9] In 2024, n/naka was awarded only one Michelin star, making it one of four Los Angeles restaurants to lose a Michelin star compared to the previous year.[10] It retained its star in 2025.[11]

The New Yorker has called n/naka the most prominent kaiseki restaurant in America.[12] The restaurant is featured in the first season of the Netflix series Chef's Table.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Rosner, Helen (March 11, 2019). "The Female Chef Making Japan's Most Elaborate Cuisine Her Own". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Lewis, Abbe (August 13, 2019). "The First Day I Got My MICHELIN Stars: n/naka's Niki Nakayama & Carole Iida-Nakayama" (interview). Michelin Guide.
  3. ^ a b c Fuhrmeister, Chris (September 28, 2018). "'Chef's Table' Recap: How Niki Nakayama Overcame Misogynistic Kitchen Culture and Forged Her Own Path". Eater. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  4. ^ Galarza, Daniela (April 26, 2013). "What's in a Name? Niki Nakayama on the Origins of n/naka". Los Angeles magazine.
  5. ^ a b Dara, Jillian (September 13, 2024). "n/naka's New Chapter is a Beautiful Metaphor for Aging with Grace". Michelin Guide. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  6. ^ Wells, Pete (March 19, 2019). "Kaiseki, Straight Up With a Twist". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  7. ^ Rodell, Besha (August 20, 2019). "These Are the World's Best Restaurants: North America, South America, Africa and Middle East". Food & Wine. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  8. ^ Chang, Andrea (June 3, 2019). "Michelin Guide awards stars to 24 L.A. restaurants; city shut out of three-stars". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2025.
  9. ^ "LA's 2023 Michelin-starred restaurants, mapped". Eater Los Angeles. July 19, 2023.
  10. ^ "Here Are the 2024 Michelin Star Winners in Los Angeles". Eater Los Angeles. August 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Rowland, Rebecca (June 25, 2025). "Here Are the 2025 Michelin Star Winners in Los Angeles". Eater Los Angeles.
  12. ^ Rosner, Helen (March 4, 2019). "The Female Chef Making Japan's Most Elaborate Cuisine Her Own". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved October 18, 2019.

Further reading


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