Cover Here's where to get your favourite American-style sushi rolls in Hong Kong (Photo: Courtesy of Unsplash)

California rolls, Philadelphia rolls and all the other Japanese American sushi rolls you can dream of—here's where to get them in Hong Kong

Hong Kong loves Japanese food. From Michelin-starred omakase, to hundreds of ramen joints, authentic Japanese food can be found in almost every district of the city. American sushi, however, is a different story.


What is American sushi? Often considered a downgrade from authentic Japanese sushi, American sushi is vastly different from the traditional maki. While we’re using the term “American” to describe this type of sushi, it’s also popular in other countries such as Canada

Instead of a simple sushi roll where the mantra “less is more” is reflected in its appearance and high-quality ingredients, American rolls tend to be bigger in size. An abundance of creative ingredients such as crab meat with mayonnaise, avocado, and even cream cheese can be found inside the roll. Some famous American rolls include the Philadelphia roll, which is packed with cream cheese and smoked salmon, or the California roll, where you’ll often find imitation crab meat and avocado inside. 

That’s not to say that the ingredients used in American sushi rolls are always lesser in quality. American rolls can also be made with high-quality sashimi and ingredients, as you’ll find out in the article below. 

See also: The Best Sandwiches in Hong Kong

Rollie

American-Japanese hand roll sushi bar, Rollie, is Wil Fang, aka Cookie DPT founder’s newest project. Specialising in open temaki, expect modern flavours influenced by West Coast culture in the hand rolls. 

From the classic minced toro hand roll, to the Wil.i.roll—the rice is layered with avocado and topped with bits of spicy tuna, yellow radish and fried garlic, and the Dragon Hand Roll, which plays on the classic American dragon roll, with prawn tempura, tamago, avocado, grilled eel and drizzled with teriyaki sauce. Other dishes such as mini uni don, yaki onigiri, karaage, the Bu-Crab-Ke udon and takeaway bentos are also available.

Rollie, 32 Cochrane Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2845 9244, instagram.com/rollie.hk

See also: Wil Fang Opens First Cookie DPT Cafe and Hand Roll Bar Rollie In Central

Chotto Maki

Located in Central and Wan Chai, Chotto Maki is the place to go if you’re in need of a quick sushi fix. Founded by a Hong Kong-Canadian restaurateurs who missed the taste of Canadian-style maki rolls, Chotto Maki brings American and Canadian-style sushi rolls to Hong Kong. 

On the menu, you’ll find smaller sized rolls such as the classic California roll, Philadelphia roll, deep-fried unagi C-Dragon roll, and Cali salmon roll, which blends together the classic California roll with deep-fried salmon. They also have a line of signature custom rolls that are larger in size, including the Beef-iyaki which comes with teriyaki beef, cucumber, tofu skin, avocado, garlic chips and unagi sauce; the Veggie Lover, which includes beetroot, asparagus, mango, cucumber, shiso leaf, garlic chips and truffle mayo, and the Sea Monster, with crabstick, tempura prawn, sprouts, cucumber, sakura shrimps, garlic chips and unagi sauce. 

Chotto Maki,  3 Li Yuen Street West, Central, Hong Kong; Chotto Maki, G/F, 33 Amoy Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, chottomaki.com

TMK

TMK, Pirata Group’s hand roll and sake bar serves up modern handrolls with creative flavours. Try the salmon avocado hand roll, which is topped with crispy rice balls; the Kalifornia, with king crab, mayo, tobiko, cucumber and avocado; or the salmon crunch, which is packed with cream cheese, avocado in a tempura roll. There are also fusion sharing dishes such as the West Coast bowl, which includes marinated salmon, tomato, coleslaw, tofu, pea shoots and cabbage. 

TMK Rap & Rolls, 17A Moon Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; TMK Funk & Rolls, 2/f, Oxford House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, tmk.hk

Zuma

Zuma, Central’s popular izakaya restaurant is known for its delicious sushi rolls, fresh ingredients and fine details. Try the California roll, made with premium blue crab, avocado and tobiko; or the spicy tuna maki with chilli miso and tobiko. Or, go for the famous brunch and sample a wide range of sushi and dishes out. 

Zuma, Level 5 & 6 Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong, zumarestaurant.com

Lung Fu Pao

Lung Fu Pao, aka Soho’s raunchy and quirky sushi bar has everything from creative sushi rolls, nigiri, skewers, to shared plates. Try the veggie Panther Roll, with asparagus, carrot, radish sprouts, cucumber, and mango salsa; the Spicy Hamachi with jalapeno, mayo, avocado daikon sprout and cucumber; or the Spicy Scallops, with spicy mayo, scallops, and sprinkled with chives. 

Lung Fu Pao, 47B Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 3460 4609, lungfupaohk.com

Shaka Rolls

Opened by the team behind Pololi, Hong Kong’s OG poke bowl restaurant, Shaka Rolls delivers American-style sushi rolls to your home from Deliveroo. Their signature shaka rolls include the Caterpillar roll with unagi, kani salad and cucumber, avocado and sesame seed; the Dragon Bomb roll, with shrimp tempura, kani, cucumber, unagi, avocado and tempura crunch; and the Bilgogi Gimbab, with bulgogi beef, tamago, carrot, kimchi and takuan. 

Shaka Rolls is available on Deliveroo in multiple locations in Hong Kong

Silencio

Lan Kwai Fong’s contemporary izakaya, Silencio, offers a range of speciality maki rolls that may resemble American style sushi rolls. Try the Awkwafina, with unagi, foie gras, avocado, Japanese pickle and kabayaki sauce; the California Yoga with avocado and pickles; Fifty Shades of Tuna, with otoro, chu toro and akamai. 

Silencio, 6/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2480 6569, silencio.hk

Tokio Joe

Opened more than two decades, Tokio Joe in Central does everything from a la carte to omakase. Using high-quality fresh ingredients across the kitchen, their individual sushi and rolls can be enjoyed with other Japanese bites such as toro tartare and wagyu tataki. If American-style sushi rolls are what you’re after, however, try the Dynamite roll with shrimp tempura, avocado and spicy mayo; the spicy chicken roll with chicken tempura and spicy mayo, the LKF roll with steamed lobster, uni, ikura and house sauce, or the rainbow roll with colourful sliced fish and crab stick. 

Tokio Joe, 16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong, tokiojoe.com

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