Hanami at Azabu Mission Bay

Overview

While its moody Ponsonby sibling is perfect for winter, the Mission Bay Azabu really comes into its own as a prime dining destination during the warmer months — eating delicious sushi and sipping bevvies beachside gives us all the LA vibes, right in Mission Bay. (If, you know, you really lean into it.)

Now the eatery is welcoming the sunshine with cocktail pop-up Hanami at Azabu Mission Bay, a spring blossom celebration from the team at Roku gin. If you've always wanted to get over to Japan to experience the annual Hanami celebrations, this might be the next best thing without boarding a flight.

A multi-sensory dining and gin-tasting experience, diners will be seated amongst the sakura blooms while they enjoy a delicious tasting menu and some spring-worthy gin cocktails. On the menu? A delicious lineup of drinks including a Roku Spring Highball, infused with rhubarb liqueur and hibiscus; a Roku Suppai which blends gin, peach liqueur, egg white, lemon, peach bitters and hibiscus syrup; and an extremely summery-sounding Roku Haru, which mixes gin, Kabosushu, Cointreau, thyme syrup and Thai ginger ale. There are also twists on a classic G&T and Negroni, if you like your cocktails classic.

As part of the festivities, a series of Sip and Paint classes are being held in the iconic Stonehouse, where a Saturday afternoon can be wiled away painting sakura, accompanied by gin cocktails and tasting plates. Cocktails, art and Japanese food under the blossoms, beachside? Sign us up.

Oh, and those who attend also have the chance to win a $10,500 trip for two to Tokyo, including six nights' accommodation and a tour of a local Distillery. That's sure to sweeten the prospect of 2023 fast approaching.

The pop-up runs until November 27, so get down and make the most of this spring sunshine — with a gin cocktail in hand.