EDUCATION

Sake and Food Pairing

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Two people clinking glasses of water at a table with assorted snacks and dishes, including sushi, grilled meats, fries, and dipping sauces, in a dining setting.

Many sake enthusiasts and newcomers alike initially believed that sake only goes with sushi or that they only drink sake when they are at a Japanese restaurant. Sake and food pairings can be just as diverse and nuanced as wine pairings! Thanks to sake’s low acidity, sulfides, and bitterness, there are only a few bad combinations.

It is important to remember that everyone’s sensitivities to spice, sweetness, and other flavor components are unique. Try different combinations for yourself to determine what tastes best to you! We hope these recommendations will broaden your horizons and encourage all sake drinkers to experiment and discover some unexpectedly delightful sake and food pairings.

Sake Grades and Their Pairings

Caprese salad with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and mozzarella cheese on a decorative plate, accompanied by salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Ginjo / Daiginjo

Pair with aromatic dishes using herbs or fruits and refreshing, light fair. Pair a Caprese salad with a Junmai Ginjo sake. Try with shaved fennel salad or Vietnamese summer rolls.

Grilled asparagus spears on a white plate with a lemon wedge

Yamahai / Kimoto / Junmai

Pair with rich dishes that are high in umami. Try acidic foods with higher acid sakes, such as Kimoto or yamahai. Acidity or sourness in food will make sake less acidic, while increasing their perceived richness, sweetness, and fruitiness. For hard the notoriously hard to pair asparagus and artichoke, consider a Junmai or Omachi.

Fried chicken pieces garnished with parsley, served on a black plate. A small bowl of dipping sauce or dressing is in the background on a wooden table.

Tokubetsu Honjozo / Honjozo / Tokubetsu Junmai

Many of these types of sake tend to be lighter and drier, pairing well with simple dishes. I can also match with oily foods to help cleanse the palate of oil and fat. Fabulous with tempura, fried chicken, and grilled salmon.

Blocks of yellow cheese on a wooden cutting board with a small sprig of green herbs, on a dark wooden surface.

Koshu (Aged Sake)

Pair with foods that are rich and layered flavors. Recommended to serve with desserts and sweets. Or if you need something for your cheese course, koshu is the way to go or hard cheeses or even a funky washed-rind cheese.

A ceramic plate of assorted sashimi with garnishes on a wooden table, accompanied by a pair of red chopsticks, with a vase of yellow flowers and ceramic cups in the background.

Though it is emphasized that sushi and sake are not the only comb, it is important to give this original pairing its due. This combo reigns supreme as the sake makes strongly flavored fish and shellfish taste more clean and neutral.

Sake x Fish

A white bowl of chicken curry with zucchini and lemon slices, garnished with cilantro and green onions, on a dark textured surface.

For those who can take a little heat, nigori is there to pair with it. If you love a bowl of spicy Thai coconut curry or a plate of hot ‘n’ spicy wings, accompany it with some nigori to take the edge off the heat.

For Spicy Food Lovers

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