How to Find The Azuki: London's Hidden Izakaya on Chancery Lane

There is a reason you have probably walked past Rolls Passage without noticing it. It is a narrow alleyway off Chancery Lane, easy to miss even if you are looking for it, and entirely invisible if you are not. For most of its history, it has been nothing more than a shortcut between streets, used mainly by solicitors heading to lunch. Now it is also home to The Azuki, and finding us for the first time has become something of an initiation rite for our guests.

The Izakaya Tradition of Hidden Locations

This is not accidental. In Japan, some of the finest izakayas are tucked away on basement floors, behind unmarked doors, and down backstreet alleys. The concept is simple: the food and the experience should be the draw, not a flashy street-front location. A great izakaya earns its reputation by word of mouth, not by foot traffic. When Alan Tse was looking for a site for The Azuki, the hidden quality of Rolls Passage was not a drawback. It was the entire appeal.

But we appreciate that you need to actually find us before you can eat, so here is a straightforward guide to reaching The Azuki for the first time.

Directions from Chancery Lane Station

If you are coming by Underground, Chancery Lane station on the Central line is your best option. It is the closest station and the journey from the platform to our door takes about three minutes. Exit the station and turn left onto High Holborn. Walk west for about 30 seconds, then take the first left onto Chancery Lane itself. Walk south down Chancery Lane, past the London Silver Vaults on your right. After roughly 200 metres, you will see Rolls Passage on your left. It is a narrow pedestrian alleyway between two buildings. Turn into it, and you will find us.

Other Transport Links

For those coming from further afield, several other stations are within comfortable walking distance. Holborn station, on the Central and Piccadilly lines, is about a seven-minute walk. Farringdon station, which serves the Elizabeth line, Thameslink, and the Circle, Metropolitan, and Hammersmith and City lines, is roughly ten minutes on foot. If you are coming from the south side of the river, City Thameslink station puts you within a twelve-minute walk.

If you prefer to travel by bus, several routes pass along High Holborn and Kingsway. The 8, 25, 242, and 521 all stop within a few minutes' walk. The closest bus stop is the one on High Holborn near Chancery Lane station.

Parking Near Chancery Lane

Driving to Chancery Lane is possible but not something we would particularly encourage during the week. However, if you do drive, the good news is that most meters in the area are free after 6:30pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. There are metered bays along Chancery Lane itself and on several surrounding streets. The Q-Park at Bloomsbury Square is also nearby and open 24 hours if you want guaranteed availability. On-street parking in the City of London, which begins just to the east, is free after 7pm.

The History of Rolls Passage

Rolls Passage has a history worth knowing about. The passage takes its name from the Rolls Chapel, which stood nearby from the 13th century until it was demolished in the 1890s to make way for the Public Record Office, which itself eventually became part of the Maughan Library at King's College London. The Master of the Rolls, one of the most senior judges in England, historically had their residence in this area, and the legal connection persists to this day. Chancery Lane remains the heart of London's legal quarter, home to the Law Society, Lincoln's Inn, and dozens of barristers' chambers.

The Chancery Lane Neighbourhood

The neighbourhood has a distinct character that shifts throughout the day. During working hours, it hums with the business of the legal profession. Solicitors and barristers cross paths on the pavements, and the coffee shops and sandwich bars do brisk trade at lunch. But after 6pm, the area empties out considerably, and a different energy takes over. The restaurants, bars, and pubs that have established themselves here cater to people who have made a deliberate choice to come, not those who simply stumbled past. The Azuki fits neatly into this pattern.

What to Expect When You Arrive

When you arrive at Rolls Passage and head towards the restaurant, you will see our signage guiding you in. The entrance is understated, in keeping with the izakaya tradition. Step inside and you will find yourself in a space that feels a long way from the grey legal offices above. The ground floor houses our main dining room and yakitori counter, where you can watch our chefs working over the binchotan grill. Downstairs, our basement sake bar offers a more intimate setting for drinks, with a curated selection of sakes, Japanese whisky, and cocktails.

Tips for First-Time Visitors

For first-time visitors, a few tips. We recommend booking ahead, particularly for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Our late licence runs until 2am, which makes us one of the few quality dining options in the area for those who want to eat and drink beyond the usual closing times. If you are coming for a late meal, our kitchen serves a focused menu until midnight, with lighter snacks available after that.

If you are planning a group visit, let us know in advance. We can arrange seating that works for larger parties, and our staff can put together sake flights or set menus that make the evening easier to navigate. For smaller groups or couples, sitting at the yakitori counter is an experience in itself. You will have a front-row view of the grill and can ask our chefs about what they are cooking.

The Azuki's location is unusual, but that is the point. The best izakayas in Tokyo are not on the main boulevards. They are down staircases, behind curtains, through doors you would never open unless someone told you what was behind them. Rolls Passage is our version of that tradition, adapted for London but rooted in the same idea: that the journey to find a place is part of what makes arriving there feel special.

Save our postcode, follow the directions above, and trust the alleyway. We will be waiting at the other end.