Welcome to SF’s takeout sushi renaissance

Technically, Ebiko opens at 11 a.m. But five minutes before the hour, the doors to the 2-week-old restaurant are already open to Mission Street, and a customer is inside, eyeing the refrigerated case full of sushi. On its shelves, containers showcase beautifully marbled chutoro, or medium fatty bluefin tuna, and neatly cut pieces of salmon, tuna, and tamago (Japanese rolled omelette), each displayed like a precious jewel on a bed of white rice. 

It used to be that if you wanted sushi to go, you had two options: the gummy grocery-store stuff or takeout from a sit-down restaurant. But these days, takeout specialists like Ebiko and the 3-month-old Aji Kiji are making it possible to enjoy premium nigiri, sashimi, and maki rolls at your desk, on the couch, or, well, pretty much wherever you choose. 

And the trend doesn’t show signs of slowing. David Liu, whose family is in the sushi restaurant business, opened the first Ebiko location in Oakland in 2022 and plans to bring a third to North Beach early next year. “I think people are just now discovering that you can get fresh sushi that’s grab-and-go,” Liu says. “But [takeout] works well because the quality of the food doesn’t really change much from what you get at the restaurant.” 

Want to get a taste for yourself? Here are five places to pick up stunning sushi to go.

This bright FiDi spot caters to the downtown lunch crowd with ready-made maki, sashimi, nigiri sets, and donburi. Everything — including the omakase nigiri, a chef’s choice of seven pieces of premium fish ($16.99) — costs $20 or less. For simpler tastes, try the rolls, which can be paired with sides that include seaweed salad ($3.50). The mini uni don ($8.50) is a worthwhile splurge, featuring two fingers of briny sea urchin over vinegary rice. The restaurant, which accepts orders online, also stocks Japanese snacks and drinks.

Located one block from the Japan Center Malls, Aji Kiji isn’t just great takeout sushi — it’s the best in town. Chef-owner Jinwoong Lim prepares a limited number of stunning boxes every day, and each is a work of art starring a rainbow of fresh fish, delicate flower-shaped pickles, and tiny plastic bottles filled with a house blend of soy sauce. Aji Kiji  opens at 11 a.m. and typically sells out around 1 p.m., so arrive early.

Unlike the other spots on this list, Fish in the Box does have seats, though most orders fly out the door in paper bags. The menu skews far less traditional, with sushi burritos, poke bowls, and crudo. But if sashimi is your thing, try one of the signature boxes. The plentiful plates of rice and fish aren’t all that elegant, but the Yuzu Truffle Box ($42) is an enormous portion of chopped tuna, salmon, hamachi, scallops, and amaebi (sweet shrimp) under a smattering of ikura, mango, and cucumber. Place an order online or at a tablet in the restaurant. 

Open for lunch and dinner, the year-old Oishinbo Sushi is a solid takeout-only option in the Richmond. Choose from classic selections such as California roll ($9), spicy scallop hand roll ($9), or chirashi don ($22), which features the usual suspects like salmon, tuna, and hamachi. Pro tip: Place your order Sunday before shopping at the Clement Street Farmers Market, and your lunch will be ready by the time you’re done picking out produce. 

Despite the name, Hokkaido Sashimi Marketplace sells more than sashimi: It’s a small Japanese market with a limited selection of ramen, snacks, and drinks. The real draw, however, is the fish. It has the widest selection of any on this list, stocking affordable rolls, sashimi, chirashi boxes, and even trays of uni. A container of salmon sashimi ($23.18) weighs in at more than half a pound, and a massive sashimi combo ($32) spans four slices each of five kinds of fish: tuna, hamachi, salmon, escolar, and albacore.