A tiny new omakase counter has tucked itself beneath one of Roslyn's buzziest restaurants, and it only seats 12 people a night. Koyu, the 12-seat counter operating beneath Okaru at 1401 Old Northern Blvd., opened to a full counter on Nov. 5, offering an 18-course menu built around fish flown in from Japan and locally sourced ingredients.
The opening was first detailed by bingchef.com, which reported that Koyu opened on Nov. 5 to a full counter. Dinner runs $215 per person, plus tax and gratuity, according to greaterlongisland.com, which also reported that the counter is designed by Carlita Alexander, formerly of Rockwell Group. Koyu is operated by Northern & Main Hospitality Group, the company Marc Spitzer and Noam Shemel launched in 2025, with Okaru as its first restaurant, per okaruroslyn.com.
Seating is limited to two evening slots Thursday through Saturday, at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., according to Newsday. Guests sit around a single counter, where executive sushi chef Bryan Yee leads service each evening. Yee and Spitzer have cooked alongside each other for more than 15 years, having worked together at Manhattan's BONDST, the same report notes.
An Omakase Built on a Years-Long Rice Experiment
According to We Heart, Yee also trained with the teams behind O Ya and Zuma before joining Spitzer's kitchens. The seasonally evolving menu, which the outlet reports runs at least 18 courses, moves through a traditional omakase progression — composed snacks, Edomae-style nigiri, a handroll, a warming bowl, seasonal fruit, and dessert.
Central to that progression is a signature rice blend of three vinegars, including an aged red vinegar, that Spitzer and Yee developed together over several years, We Heart reports. Among the dishes called out by the outlet are an A5 wagyu tartare served in a crisp nori shell with wasabi mascarpone and osetra caviar, and an aerated kabocha cheesecake finished with Okinawa brown sugar syrup and Japanese pumpkin seed praline.
The menu's broader sourcing philosophy blends imported and local ingredients, according to Koyu's own site, which describes premium fish flown in from Japan complemented by locally sourced ingredients. The same source describes the 18-course menu as one that evolves with the seasons and changes nightly, mixing traditional Edomae-style sushi with modern interpretations and local inflections, per koyu-omakase.com.
A Design Built Around a Custom Sushi Case
Libn.com reports that Koyu's interior pairs white oak, stone, and gray limewashed walls with brass and charred tambour, alongside integrated lighting positioned above the counter, according to libn.com. We Heart adds that the space includes an arched hallway and a custom sushi case displaying the evening's ingredients, along with Japanese ceramics, sake glasses, and bespoke chopstick holders. Photography of the space is credited to Jovani Demetrie, per the same report.
Beverage service leans into the same seasonal, progressive approach as the food. Newsday reports that Koyu offers a seven-course sake and wine pairing for $165, curated by Robert Penafiel, while We Heart describes nightly wine and sake pairings that move through champagne, Burgundy, and Japanese sake, alongside wines by the glass and a full bar.
Dietary Accommodations Have Limits
For diners with dietary restrictions, the restaurant says its menu can be made entirely gluten-free, and most allergy requests can be accommodated with advance notice — though greaterlongisland.com reports that substitutions are not permitted. With only 12 seats and two nightly seatings three days a week, reservations at the new Roslyn counter figure to be tight from the start.
