Marble Mania: Why Wagyu is Everywhere in London
- James Massoud
- Sep 5
- 4 min read
A few years ago, spotting Wagyu on a London menu felt like an event. Now, it’s hard to miss. From truffle-topped nigiri in Battersea and yakiniku grills in Soho, to bulgogi tacos in Mayfair and ribeye steaks everywhere else, the once-exclusive Japanese beef has become a regular fixture of British dining culture.
The numbers tell their own story. In 2023, British Wagyu births more than doubled to 35,550, according to the British Wagyu Breeders Association. Supermarkets have rushed to keep up with the appetite: Waitrose introduced a new British Wagyu range with marbling scores printed on pack, Tesco rolled out its own Finest Wagyu steaks, and Aldi signed a five-year, £320 million deal with Warrendale Wagyu that will see 2.5 million steaks a year sold nationwide. Wagyu, it seems, is no longer a rarefied luxury. It’s what’s for dinner.
The allure of Wagyu
So what explains the obsession? For chefs, it’s about the eating experience itself. The high levels of intramuscular fat melt at a lower temperature than other beef, giving Wagyu its signature richness and umami. It’s not just taste, but texture: a melt-in-the-mouth, almost custard-like quality that diners instantly recognise.
"Wagyu beef in the UK has definitely seen a rise in popularity in recent years, and it’s become increasingly more accessible," says Chef Akira Back. "It was one of the staples we just had to include on the menu at Akira Back – it’s an iconic Japanese dish, after all. On our menu, we wanted to offer a range of Wagyu, from keeping it simple but elevated like our Wagyu Short Rib with braising jus, and also offering something new and exciting, like our Wagyu Tartare with Oscietra caviar and wasabi soy, or the Wagyu Bulgogi Tacos, which has become one of our most iconic dishes."
For Back, Wagyu is non-negotiable: "It's such a unique meat, both flavour-wise and aesthetically. We source different wagyu for different dishes, and Wagyu as a whole is so intrinsically connected to Japan and Japanese culture, that it would be unthinkable to not include it on our menu."
Provenance as a selling point
The new wave of Wagyu isn’t just about flavour; it’s about storytelling. Restaurants are increasingly calling out the prefectures their beef comes from, in the same way wine bars list Burgundian crus.
The award-winning Japanese restaurant KIBOU, with locations in Battersea, Solihull, Clifton, Oxford, Cambridge and Cheltenham, is a strong case in point. The team sources A5 Joshu Wagyu from Gunma Prefecture on Honshu, which is famed for its delicate shimofuri marbling, and weaves it throughout the menu.
There’s wagyu truffle nigiri, lightly seared sirloin with truffle mayo and tempura flakes; seared wagyu tataki with beef-dripping ponzu; and even wagyu gunkan with tuna tartare. It’s Wagyu as a journey, not a single splurge.
Japanese versus Australian Wagyu
Of course, not all Wagyu is the same. Japanese Wagyu, usually Kuroge Washu or "Japanese Black", is graded by the Japan Meat Grading Association. An A5 cut – the top yield and quality – with a beef marbling score (BMS) of 12 is the ultimate expression, revered for its richness and rarity.
Australian Wagyu, by contrast, is prized for its consistency. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of Wagyu beef, shipping around 67,000 tonnes annually, much of it to the UK since the free trade deal came into effect. The country’s grading system (AUS-MEAT and MSA) runs on a different scale (marbling scores of 8–9+ are common), but crucially, it guarantees chefs and butchers know exactly what they’re working with.
At an Australian Wagyu Masterclass at 34 Mayfair this summer, butchers, chefs and food writers explored the versatility of the beef. A slow-cooked chuck short rib stole the show, proving that with Wagyu’s marbling, even secondary cuts can shine. "As a butcher, I can tell you it’s a dream to work with," said Richard Sanders, Country Manager, United Kingdom at Meat & Livestock Australia. "The marbling is so consistent, the muscle structure is delicate and it delivers on taste and tenderness every single time."
The London table
London’s chefs have taken those qualities and run with them. Akira Back’s bulgogi tacos were a Mayfair signature. In Soho, yakiniku concept Kanpai Classic treats Wagyu like fine wine, offering multiple cuts tableside for guests to grill themselves.
Around the corner, Hachi has built a cult following for its fun, Wagyu-forward BBQ feasts. And at KIBOU, Wagyu is presented as sushi artistry, proving that sometimes a bite-sized indulgence is as powerful as a tomahawk steak.
From Mayfair to the supermarket
The final piece of the puzzle is accessibility. With Wagyu now part of Britain’s retail landscape, home cooks are learning to read marbling scores in the same way they once learned to judge wine vintages. What was once a special occasion splurge is becoming a "special-but-doable" steak night.
The rise of Wagyu in the UK, and particularly in London, is a confluence of factors: chefs eager to showcase its flavour and versatility, restaurants turning provenance into part of the theatre, exporters like Australia ensuring consistent supply, and supermarkets putting it within reach of the everyday shopper.
Wagyu has crossed the line from status symbol to a reflection of how Britain eats right now: global in influence, provenance-driven, indulgent yet increasingly accessible. In London, at least, marble mania shows no sign of slowing.
