MF Sushi’s Alex Kinjo Is Bringing a Japanese Restaurant to Krog Street’s Newest Beltline Complex

Nearly a month after opening his latest restaurant, Yakitori Kona in Virginia-Highland, Atlanta restaurateur Alex Kinjo (MF Sushi, Kinjo Room, Mai Kitchen) announced plans to open yet another restaurant next year. Named for Kinjo’s best friend and sake maker, Yuji Matsumoto, Japanese restaurant and sake bar Yuji will open at the new Junction Krog District complex along the Eastside Beltline trail.

Serving a multi-course dinner menu, Yuji will tap into the traditions of Kaiseki-style dining in Japan, where each course is paired with sake, which includes sake from Matsumoto’s family-owned private label, Kizakura.

Connected to the public porch at Junction Krog District, and featuring a large patio, Yuji will include two outdoor bars offering cocktails, beer, and sake on draft. A walk-up window with a touchscreen ordering system will also be available for takeout. Look for a modern Japanese design inside accented by Hinoki wood and a neutral color palette, with seating at tables, a horseshoe-shaped central bar, and a small round bar punctuated by a pillar serving as its backbar.

Kinjo Enterprises

Yuji joins super vibey Italian restaurant Yeppa and Co., backed by Pietro Gianni and Stephen Peterson of Storico Fresco and Forza Storico. Located on the ground floor of Junction Krog District, Yeppa and Co. will feature a large patio with a full bar and a spritz bar. Both Yuji and Yeppa and Co. are expected to open next spring.

Junction Krog District flanks the Eastside trail across from Irwin Street Market and Lingering Shade Social Club near Krog Street Market at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Irwin Street. The Portman Holdings property is officially open to the public. This includes the public porch at the complex, which will soon begin hosting live music and pop-up bars.