Sapporo Teppanyaki, a beloved Asian-style restaurant in Glasgow city centre, has confirmed it will cease trading after 17 years. The Merchant City diner will permanently close its doors on September 5, according to a statement shared with Glasgow World.
Restaurant's statement on closure
A spokesperson said: "This is an incredibly sad day for everyone connected with Sapporo Teppanyaki." They added: "For 17 years, the Glasgow restaurant has been so much more than a place to eat. It has been a place where people have celebrated birthdays, enjoyed family meals, gone on first dates, marked special occasions and simply come together to have a great night."
The restaurant explained that the closure is due to a "combination of challenging economic conditions and the pressures facing households has changed the way people are spending." This led to the "difficult decision" to close down.
Impact on staff and customers
The spokesperson also expressed gratitude to staff: "Our staff have been at the heart of the restaurant. Their hard work, dedication and commitment over the years have been exceptional, and we are hugely grateful to every single person who has been part of the Sapporo Teppanyaki family."
Customers holding vouchers who cannot book a visit before the closure will receive a full refund for the price paid.
Award-winning dining experience
Sapporo Teppanyaki opened at 2-6 Ingram Street in late 2009. It won numerous accolades, including 'Scottish Restaurant of the Year' at the 2025 Scottish Food Awards and 'Asian Fusion Restaurant of the Year' at the 2024 Oceanic Awards.
The restaurant offered a theatrical dining experience, with chefs preparing teppanyaki dishes on a flaming hotplate while performing tricks for entertainment.
With the Glasgow venue closing, Sapporo Teppanyaki will no longer have a presence in Scotland. Only two other locations remain in the UK, in Liverpool and Manchester.
Other Glasgow closures
The city has seen several restaurant closures this year. Bar + Block and Brewers Fayre branches are set to close in September as part of owner Whitbread PLC's plan to exit the restaurant business. Pizza Hut at Glasgow Fort closed on April 11, leaving only one sit-in branch at Braehead.
In contrast, fellow Merchant City establishment Cafe Gandolfi has confirmed it will remain open after a change in ownership. Now owned by CG2026 Ltd, the 47-year-old restaurant said it can "now move forward on a secure footing."
