Maedaya Grill & Sake Bar in Richmond, Melbourne is one of those rare authentic Japanese izakaya style sake bar you can hardly find outside of Japan.

As its name implies, the specialty here is Japanese sake (Maedaya stocks more than 60 types of premium sake directly imported from Japan) and charcoal grills, and over 70 different Japanese tapas and yakitori.

Opened in April last year, Japanese sake master Toshi Maeda has sought to re-create the Japanese izakaya experience. He is always on hand to greet and talk to patrons, and will even show you how to match your sake with your choice of dishes.

The two-story restaurant offers a stark contrast in interiors and as a result, two different ambiences. Strips of thick Manila ropes hang from the ceiling and seem to “bind” the ground floor dining room and sake bar, and the mood here is cosy, intimate and more subdued.

The rope idea was inspired by the classic design of sake bottles, which were traditionally fastened with ropes. Upstairs, the mood is decidedly brighter, with whitewashed walls, Japanese black stained timber flooring, simple rectangular benches and stainless steel creating an honest “no-frills” look. 

via The CoolHunter