New expansion for award-winning food biz
The new Kyoto restaurant coming to Mallow
There’s another great food offering coming to Mallow within weeks as a Japanese restaurant chain is set to open its first Cork spot.
Restaurateur Sam Zhuang will be launching his seventh location in Ireland in the town’s former Four Star Pizza takeaway on Thomas Davis Street. His new establishment will be a part of his ‘Kyoto’ chain of restaurants, which already has award-winning spots in Clonmel and Tralee.
Speaking to Cork Beo, Sam said his newest restaurant has a “cosy” feel and he’s very excited to get things up and running. Mallow locals can look forward to all the best of Japanese cuisine when doors finally open late this month/in early September, with menu options including bento boxes, sushi, ramen, gyoza and much more.
Finishing touches are currently underway at the Kyoto restaurant before its grand opening, including detailed, hand-painted wall decorations. And locals can expect quality food, as it’s all being steered by an experienced businessman and former chef for popular Dublin restaurant chain Yamamori. Sam is originally from China, and moved to Ireland in 2002 after studying hotel management in Switzerland.
Sam accepting his Best World Cuisine Munster award for Kyoto Tralee(Image: Paul Sherwood)
After working as a chef up in the capital, he decided to open his first Kyoto restaurant in Clonmel in 2018. Since then, he has opened five more restaurants, including a number of locations under Kyoto’s sister chain Osaka in Galway. His establishments have picked up a number of awards over the years, including ‘Best World Cuisine’ at this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards Munster Final, and mentions as ‘Great Places to Eat’ by popular food critic Lucinda O’Sullivan.
Sam hopes all locals will pop in to try out his food once things get up and running. You can follow his restaurant’s Facebook for the latest updates here.
If you’re a bit far from Mallow though – keep in mind there’s still plenty of great Japanese food spots to enjoy across Co. Cork. Other lovely options include Suki in Midleton, which is just a few months off from celebrating its first year in the town. This food spot has been very busy since its launch in late 2025, offering an expansive menu of sushi, ramen, poke bowls and much more in a lovely fine-dining setting.