Sushi Den co-founder opens small chef’s counter restaurant

‘MY VISION OF RETIREMENT’

Kizaki’s sushi counter, where Sushi Den founder Chef Toshi Kizaki, left, will prepare about 20 different courses in the edomae style, “Edo” referring to the old village name for Tokyo. PHOTOS BY JAMES FLORIO — PROVIDED BY KIZAKI

One of the courses served at Kizaki on South Pearl Street. It’s Toshi Kizaki’s fourth restaurant.

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By Miguel Otárola

motarola@denverpost.com

Toshi Kizaki opened his fourth restaurant on Denver’s South Pearl Street last Friday, the eponymous Kizaki, a sushi bar where courses are prepared in the tradition of old Tokyo.

Located at 1551 S. Pearl St., the restaurant is just a stone’s throw away from Sushi Den, Izakaya Den and Ototo, which Toshi owns and runs with his brother Yasu. All three of the acclaimed Japanese restaurants have become staples in Denver’s dining scene.

But Kizaki is a solo venture, according to a restaurant spokesperson, where Toshi will prepare a fixed dinner in the “edomae” tradition that developed in Japan’s capital in the 19th century.

“Kizaki is my vision of retirement,” Toshi said in a statement. “It’s my way of honoring edomae traditions and sharing these age-old techniques with Denver, the community that has embraced my creativity and shown me relentless support for decades.

“I want to finish where I started — making sushi,” he added.

The nine-person counter made of Siberian elm and 12-seat dining room are a slight change of plans for the chef. He and his brother last year announced a restaurant with the working name Denchu, but Toshi ultimately became passionate about his retirement project, said spokesperson Morgan Blanner of Bon Communications.

That is now the name of the building, and there are only loose plans to use the rest of the space for special events. Denchu had been on The Denver Post’s list of the most anticipated restaurants of 2025.

The name “edomae” references Edo, the fishing village that would later be called Tokyo. Back then, strong emphasis was given to singular ingredients, though the local cuisine has since expanded to include other varieties, according to an article from the Tokyo Sushi Academy.

For $225, Toshi and his team prepare 20 dishes throughout the night. Fish follows cooked dishes that cleanse the palate for more fish, all ending with tea and dessert served at a communal table. Kizaki will give guests a signed menu as a parting gift.

The Kizaki siblings opened Sushi Den in 1984. Their fine cuisine and dedication to quality — including importing fish from Japanese markets — was unique at a time when Denver was far less familiar with sushi.

They turned the space next door into Izakaya Den in 2007 and the building across the street into Ototo in 2010. The block is now commonly referred to as the “Den corner.”