There’s a Snazzy, Laidback New Sushi Spot in the North End

Two of Umami Crudo’s maki (sushi rolls). In the foreground, seared toro (fatty tuna) with avocado, cucumber, and caviar; in the background, salmon with tenkasu, chili aioli, and black truffle. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

At North Cambridge sushi destination Umami Omakase, a feast of 18 petite, elegant courses will set you back at least $168 per person. Special-occasion-worthy, to be sure, but what if you could have chef and owner Gary Lei’s luxe seafood bites in a more casual, à la carte setting? Now you can: Umami Crudo, a laidback sequel to the six-year-old Best of Boston award winner, is now open in Boston’s North End.

Umami Crudo’s main floor bar and dining room, photographed in December 2025 with some holiday decor. There’s an additional bar and dining room upstairs. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Tucked into the two-story former Crudo space on Salem Street, Umami Crudo serves impeccably sourced fish to the neighborhood in, well, a more neighborhood-y way than its fine-dining big sibling. Think: lunch hours, makimono (sushi rolls), family-friendly vibes, and small bites like purple sweet potato fries and chicken gyoza. “I want to bring the same quality [as Umami Omakase] here, but at a good price,” especially in this economy, says Lei. “I want to see customers not only once a year, but once a week or month.”

Umami Crudo’s foie gras and unagi shokupan with jam and strawberry. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Still, the Uni alum and his team are serving up something special here, with bite-sized luxuries like eel-and-foie toast or A5 wagyu with truffle available alongside more everyday items. And while there’s no formal omakase service like in Cambridge, there’s an omakase-inspired, chef’s-choice platter of seasonal, creative nigiri, served at once in an eye-catching array, available in the North End. The platter might include, for instance, kanpachi (amberjack) topped with mango salsa, botan ebi (sweet shrimp) with yuzu tobiko, and akami (the lean cut of tuna) with crispy leeks.

An array of nigiri and more on Umami Crudo’s chef’s-choice platter. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

On the beverage side, the Umami Crudo team is working with one of Boston’s unique cordials licenses, which restricts some hard liquors but allows for sweetened versions. (Regular vodka? Nope. Cucumber or vanilla vodka? Sure! Yep, it’s kinda weird, but that part of Boston’s archaic liquor licensing hasn’t been reformed yet.) For Umami Crudo, that means cocktails like a spin on an Old Fashioned with maple bourbon and smoked wagyu fat, or a refreshing cucumber sour with yuzu foam. Sake is highlighted, too, with a wide-ranging selection—everything from sweet little cans of peach sparkling sake to junmai daiginjo bottles priced in the hundreds.

Umami Crudo’s take on an Old Fashioned, with maple bourbon and smoked wagyu fat. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

With the successful Cambridge omakase counter now running for six years, it felt like a good time to expand, says Lei, who has frequently gotten the “When are you opening a spot in Boston?” question from customers who live or work in the city. When the former Crudo space went up for sale in the North End last year, he fell for the neighborhood: “I like the culture here,” he says, “and a lot of tourists visit.” He’s also excited at the chance for continuous learning and creativity, working outside of Umami Omakase’s somewhat strict 18-course framework and delving into more cooked items and other Japanese specialties at Umami Crudo. Another benefit of expansion: As Lei splits his attention between the two restaurants, it gives his strong Cambridge team a chance to flourish.

Umami Crudo’s hiramasa crudo with orange sauce and pineapple salsa. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

While there’s deep knowledge behind seafood and Japanese culinary traditions at both restaurants, that only goes so far: Lei is insistent that hospitality is the key. “I’m always training my coworkers that we serve the customer,” he says. “No matter how much you know the food or the sake, you need to think about the customer like a friend visiting your house. Try your best to give them a good time.”

Umami Crudo’s toro with uni and caviar. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

That sense of service fuels Lei’s desire to listen to customers’ needs and figure out exactly where Umami Crudo fits in Boston’s broader sushi scene. While Umami Omakase is more of a concrete concept, continuing on in the fine-dining, special-occasion vein, there’s plenty of room for flexibility at its new North End offshoot, and Lei wants to meet the needs of the neighborhood. “We want to listen to each customer and let them [metaphorically] join our team to build their own restaurant,” says Lei. “I’m only one person; there are only 24 hours in a day. How to eat more, learn more? By listening.”

Umami Crudo’s lobster somen (cold noodles) with sesame sauce and yuzu tobiko. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

As Umami Crudo ramps up—stay tuned for an expanded menu and the debut of the upper floor, which’ll be great for families and larger groups—Lei is excited to continue spreading the Umami sushi gospel to eager seafood fans, now on both sides of the river. “I will focus every day on every dish, on every customer. That’s the best way to build a restaurant.”

Umami Crudo’s chirashi. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

78 Salem St., North End, Boston, 617-367-6500, umamicrudo.com.