Sponsored by Visit Pearland

Pearland has a rich tapestry of cultures and cuisines brought by the people who chose the city as their home. Japanese citizens are among those who have had a tremendous impact on Texas’s food culture and history, and Pearland has plenty of stand-out Japanese restaurants. Here’s a list of where you can find delightful meals served with elegance and style. For more restaurants serving cuisines from around the world, go to the Visit Pearland website!

A5 Restaurant, 1930 Pearland Parkway: This restaurant focuses on hot dishes and yakitori (grilled skewers) to warm the tummy and the heart. It brings Japanese classics and combines them with Vietnamese and western flavors for an inviting menu of the familiar, classic and filling. Its best-sellers include grilled pork belly skewers with Japanese sauce and Wagyu ramen.

Edo Japan & Kami Ramen Bar, 15818 State Highway 288: This combo restaurant invites all the hungry lunch-goers to its door with all-you-can-eat service on the right with sushi and hibachi, and hot Japanese-American dishes and ramen on the left. Whether guests want a sit-down dinner featuring the Slurp Up Cilantro Ramen or endless servings of smoked salmon and tako sushi, they’ll find it at this dual-concept restaurant. 

Nishiki Japanese Restaurant, 3414 Business Center: Anyone who needs a classy and relaxed place for a date night or to treat themselves should check out Nishiki. It just recently celebrated its two-year anniversary and focuses on authentic ingredients flown in straight from Japan. It combines classic dishes with chef-crafted touches such as the Akami cold plate made with tuna, crab, guacamole, taro chips, black truffle and parmesan, or the Truffle Suzuki roll made with spicy yellowtail, avocado, seabass, golden tobiko (fish roe) and truffle vinaigrette.

Takumi Sushi,1853 Pearland Parkway: A homegrown original, Takumi serves a delicious combination of Japanese and Hunan Chinese flavors with a full sushi bar. The menu ranges from tasty signature rolls such as the Yummy Roll made with shrimp tempura, spicy crab and avocado in soybean paper topped with lobster salad and sesame cream, to Black Pepper Steak on a sizzling platter. As the saying goes, there’s something for everyone.

Tamashi Ramen Sushi, 9415 Broadway: This restaurant is part of a local chain with six locations across the greater Houston area serving hungry Houstonians with a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. All the classics are on offer with its own special twists such as the Tamashi Menn Ramen made with shrimp based broth, chashu, bean sprouts, fried onion and tender thin noodles, or the Houston Roll made with kani (krab), cream cheese, peppered tuna, mayo and sweet soy.

Yamamori, 2510 Smith Ranch: This restaurant’s main event is sushi, and the team is proud of it. Guests to Yamamori have a wide selection of sushi and sashimi to pick from à la carte, and there are other gorgeous dishes and house specials. For the indulgent, Yamamori has a Sushi Pizza made with spicy tuna avocado, tuna, salmon, scallion and masago (roe) with spicy mayo, and an artful salmon or tuna tartar; delicately plated fish topped with avocado, roe and micro greens in a house sauce.

Yellowtail Sushi & Ramen, 1826 Country Place: A recent addition to the Pearland scene, this restaurant invites those that love classic Japanese-American food, with sushi rolls and ramen, but as summer bears down on the city they have some intriguing dishes to tempt hungry lunch-goers. Stand outs are the Ginger Soy Chili Cold Ramen, made with a cooled broth to contrast the spice, or the Vegan Yuzu Shio Ramen with a refreshing citrus body.

Jo Cook

Jo Cook is an illustrator who has somehow taken up a keyboard and pen to begin writing. They are a person of many talents who uses their abilities to make creative content outside of their day job, and they have a special relationship to the Houston food scene.