ROTTERDAM, 29 December 2023 – A new dining experience, combining Japanese cuisine and ambiance, has arrived in Rotterdam with the opening of Izakaya Duki at Hofplein. This culinary venture, nestled within the recently launched karaoke bar Duke of Tokyo, offers a unique gateway to Japanese culture in the heart of the city.
Izakaya concept arrives in Rotterdam
An izakaya, akin to a Japanese pub or bistro, provides a casual setting for enjoying drinks and shared small plates. Izakaya Duki brings this authentic Japanese dining style to Rotterdam, where guests can observe the preparation of dishes from an elevated area overlooking the kitchen. The entrance, intriguingly located behind a door of the 7Eleven supermarket, leads diners into a world of Japanese flavors and hospitality.
Diverse Japanese menu
The menu at Izakaya Duki, created in collaboration with the Japanese-Rotterdam company Osozai, features a variety of traditional Japanese dishes. Guests can enjoy yakitori, karaage, and salmon tataki, alongside vegetarian and vegan options like soya-marinated tomatoes and blanched spinach with sesame dressing. The drink selection includes various beers, wines, sake, and signature cocktails infused with Japanese ingredients like yuzu and shiitake.
Diners can also opt for larger shared dishes, such as grilled dorade and tomahawk tonkatsu with Japanese BBQ sauce. To complete the experience, guests are encouraged to book a private karaoke booth for post-dinner entertainment.
Izakaya Duki: Japanese dining in Rotterdam. Photo credit: Tatiana van Waveren
The story of Duke of Tokyo
Founded by entrepreneurs Has Peter Sengers, Wessel Kruyt, and their British partner Ben Warren, the first Duke of Tokyo opened in 2018 in Amsterdam's Reguliersdwarsstraat. Following its success, a second branch was established in Utrecht, financed through crowdfunding. The Rotterdam location, the third in the series, offers a comprehensive evening out with its combination of dining, cocktails, karaoke, and a bar-dancing area.
Directions to Izakaya Duki
Located at Hofplein, Izakaya Duki is easily accessible for both locals and visitors. The area is known for its vibrant atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for an evening out.
