WEST VILLAGE, MANHATTAN
Nami Nori
Open-style temaki on Carmine Street — warm rice, crackling nori, and a Bib Gourmand.
Taka Sakaeda and Jihan Lee opened Nami Nori on Carmine Street to serve temaki open-style: each hand roll folded like a taco around warm rice and passed across a bright, U-shaped counter to be eaten immediately, while the nori still crackles.
The signature set is a good first order — tuna poke, XO scallop, coconut shrimp, salmon with serrano, cucumber with black sesame — and from there you choose your favorites. There is a vegan section, and the room is loud in a cheerful way. MICHELIN keeps it on its Bib Gourmand list.
Editor’s tip
Eat each roll the moment it lands — the nori goes soft within a minute.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
Also in the neighborhood
WEST VILLAGE, MANHATTAN
One if by Land, Two if by Sea
The carriage-house proposal restaurant — fireplace, piano, beef Wellington, no irony.
American Classic · Romantic Restaurant · $$$$
WEST VILLAGE, MANHATTAN
Palma
Seasonal Italian on Cornelia Street with a garden that feels borrowed from the Mediterranean.
Italian · Romantic Restaurant · $$$
Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.